From the Book - First edition.
By way of an introduction. He's leaving home --
Twin peaks 1. Vladimir Nabokov and the problem from Hell ; Saul Bellow, as opposed to Henry James --
Politics 1. The Republican Party in 2011: Iowa ; The Republican Party in 2012: Tampa, Florida ; The Republican Party in 2016: Trump --
Literature 1. Philip Larkin: his work and life ; Larkin's Letters to Monica ; Iris Murdoch: age will win --
The House of Windsor. Princess Diana: a mirror, not a lamp ; The Queen's speech, the Queen's heart --
More Personal 1. You ask the questions 1 ; The fourth estate and the puzzle of heredity ; On the road: the multicity book tour ; The King's English --
Twin peaks 2. Bellow's lettres ; Nabokov's natural selection --
Americana (stepping westward). Losing in Las Vegas ; Travolta's second act ; In pornoland: pussies are bullshit --
Literature 2. Don DeLillo: laureate of terror ; J.G. Ballard: from outer space to inner space ; Early Ballard: the drowned world ; The shock of the new: A clockwork orange turns fifty --
Sport. Three stabs at tennis ; The Champions League final, 1999 ; In search of Dieguito Maradona ; On the court: my beautiful game --
More Personal 2. Deciding to write Time's arrow ; Marty and Nick Jr. sail to America ; You ask the questions 2 --
Politics 2. Ivan is introduced to the USSR: all together now ; Is terrorism "about religion"? ; In memory of Neda Soltan, 1983-2009: Iran ; The crippled murderers of Cali, Colombia --
Literature 3. Philip Roth finds himself ; Roth the elder: a moralistic investigation ; John Updike's farewell notes ; Rabbit Angstrom confront Obamacare ; Jane Austen and the dream factory --
More Personal 3. Christopher Hitchens --
Politics 3. On Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Her Majesty's opposition ; President Trump orate in Ohio --
Twin Peaks 3. Bellow: avoiding the void ; Vera and Vladimir: letters to Vera.