NB by J.C.: A walk through the Times Literary Supplement

The NB column in the Times Literary Supplement was signed at the foot by J.C. for thirteen years, offering freedom to the persona and skewering contemporary absurdities. It included the Most Unoriginal Title Prize, Incomprehensibility Prize, Jean-Paul Sartre Prize, and All Must Have Prizes Prize. The book is an off-beat guide to our cultural times, beginning in 2001 and proceeding to 2020.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 396 pages
Publication date: 27 April 2023
Publisher: Carcanet Press Ltd

A literary masterpiece, The Spectator and Observer Book of the Year, graced the pages of the Times Literary Supplement for thirteen remarkable years. Prior to that, it held a prominent position in the middle pages for a decade. Over a span of twenty-three years, this remarkable column amassed an astounding 60,000 words annually. The initials J.C., signed at the foot, served a distinct purpose: to grant absolute freedom to the persona behind the words. J.C. was a whimsical and irreverent individual, whose column relentlessly pierced the pomposity, hypocrisy, and cant that permeated the literary world. It skewered contemporary absurdities, whether arising from identity politics or academic jargon. Readers eagerly anticipated reports from the enigmatic Basement Labyrinth, where all executive decisions were made, and where annual literary prizes were meticulously judged and administered. Among these prestigious awards were the Most Unoriginal Title Prize, awarded to a new book with a title already used by several other authors, the Incomprehensibility Prize, recognizing impenetrable academic writing, the Jean-Paul Sartre Prize for Prize Refusal, honoring authors who declined prestigious accolades, and the All Must Have Prizes Prize, recognizing those who had yet to win any recognition. For those who delve into the world of NB authored by J.C., they will discover an unconventional and captivating guide to our cultural times. The book spans from 2001 to 2020, and the substantial Introduction provides a historical journey of the Times Literary Supplement, from its humble beginnings to its precarious adaptation and survival.

Weight: 484g
Dimension: 134 x 216 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800172883