Until this book, I had not had the pleasure of reading the word of jenny Diski. A collection of her work, this collection shows how she mastered the art of short columns. Whether it is discussing her daughter or figuring out how to preplan her death, Diski was a prolific writer and entertaining to read. I appreciate this book giving me the chance to discover her work for the first time.

This was my introduction to Diski and her warm and captivating voice. These essays unfurl with ease, moving in unexpected directions as in the opening essay, which follows the end of a love affair intertwined with the purpose of art, the mortality of pets, the solitude necessary for writing. Diski is truly a master of the literary essay and reading her is like listening to your most brilliant friend hold court at a dinner party. Diski’s endless curiosity is the driving force behind these essays; she doesn’t stay in one place for too long, moving from the writing life to the daily routine of orangutans at the zoo, and teasing out their similarities. Other essays tackle ethical and aesthetic questions, the benefits of looking at horrors such as those inflicted by Jeffery Dahmer versus looking away; biographies of figures such as Howard Hughes, Anne Frank and Roald Dahl. “A Feeling for Ice” may be the standout piece; this essay moves from the comforting whiteness of oblivion and Diski’s desire to visit Antarctica to the death of her father and disappearance of her mother following a childhood wracked with abuse. It’s mesmerizing how Diski moves from anecdotal stories and conversations to the larger cultural milieu. This is a collection to be treasured and its author will be sorely missed.

A collection of Jenny Diskis’ original entertaining real essays Her unique point of view her opinions never fail to entertain to involve the reader.Perfrct collection for her fans or as an introduction to this unique at time quirky author. #netgalley#bloomsbury