WASPS by Michael Knox Beran
An examination of WASP culture through the lives of some of its most prominent figures. Envied and lampooned, misunderstood and yet distinctly American, WASPs are as mucha culture, socioeconomic and ethnic designation, and state of mind.
"A colorful survey, Beran stuffs the account with juicy detailsThis is a rewarding study of a vital yet slippery aspect of American history and culture." * Publishers Weekly *
"Fascinating. WASPS is a delight: meticulously researched, exhaustive, slightly bonkers, a smorgasbord of delicious and outrageous details." * The Times (London) *
“Beran is an exquisitely gifted writer. His fluency and command feel like products of full immersion in his subjects’ lives and psyches — the books they read, the heroes they worshiped, their affinities and proclivities, achievements, affairs, shames and disappointments. [He] seeks to connect dots others wouldn’t see.” * Washington Post *
“Beran’s knowledge and research are prodigious. He has mined a rich seam of material and unearthed some gems. With acerbic asides and witty one-liners, he paints a vivid picture that praises or punctures these superior persons. The book’s liveliness and spark made it stimulating and illuminating.” * The Spectator *
Praise for Murder by Candlelight
“A fascinating new book. Beran asks us to consider our own hearts of darkness, why we're obsessed with murder stories, why this obsession matters, and what it suggests about us as a culture and a species. A witty and engaging narrative, Murder by Candlelight is at once psychological thriller and philosophical meditation, murder mystery and literary analysis, written in elegant and pointed prose. In one skillfully wrought volume, he cleverly feeds our appetite for horror even as he probes this appetite.”
* The New York Times Book Review *
“Beran darts back to the 18th century and the arrival of Gothic literature, to authors such as Walter Scott and Coleridge, who used poetic language to convey the emotions of violence. Beyond such literary matters, Beran dwells upon real-world murder cases with a special emphasis on three. Beran relishes these stories and tells them with vigor and brio.” * The Wall Street Journal *
“Beran sets out to explore four notable murder cases of the 1800s as covered by period scribes, relying heavily on contemporary sources for his text and dialog. For scholars of the late Romantic period and early crime writing.” * Library Journal *
Praise for The Last Patrician
“Beran is such a lively writer, and such a risk-taking thinker, that the sparks he promiscuously strikes from his literary flint are, cumulatively, illuminating. Beran's slender meditation on Kennedy's truncated life has an unusually high ration of provocations per page. Some readers will angrily throw it across the room. But they will retrieve it, and continue reading, avidly.” -- George F. Will * The New York Times Book Review *
“A remarkable achievement. It offers new insights into the character of Robert Kennedy, perhaps the most enigmatic public figure of our time.” -- William Manchester
"A luminous look at Kennedy and at the country he wanted to lead.” * The Boston Globe *
"Fascinating. WASPS is a delight: meticulously researched, exhaustive, slightly bonkers, a smorgasbord of delicious and outrageous details." * The Times (London) *
“Beran is an exquisitely gifted writer. His fluency and command feel like products of full immersion in his subjects’ lives and psyches — the books they read, the heroes they worshiped, their affinities and proclivities, achievements, affairs, shames and disappointments. [He] seeks to connect dots others wouldn’t see.” * Washington Post *
“Beran’s knowledge and research are prodigious. He has mined a rich seam of material and unearthed some gems. With acerbic asides and witty one-liners, he paints a vivid picture that praises or punctures these superior persons. The book’s liveliness and spark made it stimulating and illuminating.” * The Spectator *
Praise for Murder by Candlelight
“A fascinating new book. Beran asks us to consider our own hearts of darkness, why we're obsessed with murder stories, why this obsession matters, and what it suggests about us as a culture and a species. A witty and engaging narrative, Murder by Candlelight is at once psychological thriller and philosophical meditation, murder mystery and literary analysis, written in elegant and pointed prose. In one skillfully wrought volume, he cleverly feeds our appetite for horror even as he probes this appetite.”
* The New York Times Book Review *
“Beran darts back to the 18th century and the arrival of Gothic literature, to authors such as Walter Scott and Coleridge, who used poetic language to convey the emotions of violence. Beyond such literary matters, Beran dwells upon real-world murder cases with a special emphasis on three. Beran relishes these stories and tells them with vigor and brio.” * The Wall Street Journal *
“Beran sets out to explore four notable murder cases of the 1800s as covered by period scribes, relying heavily on contemporary sources for his text and dialog. For scholars of the late Romantic period and early crime writing.” * Library Journal *
Praise for The Last Patrician
“Beran is such a lively writer, and such a risk-taking thinker, that the sparks he promiscuously strikes from his literary flint are, cumulatively, illuminating. Beran's slender meditation on Kennedy's truncated life has an unusually high ration of provocations per page. Some readers will angrily throw it across the room. But they will retrieve it, and continue reading, avidly.” -- George F. Will * The New York Times Book Review *
“A remarkable achievement. It offers new insights into the character of Robert Kennedy, perhaps the most enigmatic public figure of our time.” -- William Manchester
"A luminous look at Kennedy and at the country he wanted to lead.” * The Boston Globe *
Michael Knox Beran's previous books include Forge of Empires, 1861-1871, The Last Patrician, a study of Robert Kennedy that was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and Murder by Candlelight, also available from Pegasus Books. His writing has also appeared in The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and the National Review. He lives in Westchester County, New York. michaelknoxberan.com
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781643137063 |
| ISBN 10 | 1643137069 |
| Title | WASPS |
| Author | Michael Knox Beran |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Pegasus Books |
| Year published | 2021-11-11 |
| Number of pages | 416 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |