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London Review of Books Christmas Books

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Amanda Claybaugh

  • Frank Norris: A Life by Joseph McElrath and Jesse Crisler

When Frank Norris died of appendicitis in 1902, at the age of 32, he had written six novels, as well as scores of essays and reviews. At least two of the novels, McTeague (1899) and The Octopus (1901), are recognised masterpieces, and a number of the essays, particularly those about the Spanish-American War, retain their power today. Norris’s life, on the other hand, was distinguished only by its privilege.

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Amanda Claybaugh teaches in the department of English and comparative literature at Columbia.

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