The Prose Factory

Wide ranging, entertaining and thoughtful survey

Michael Prodger, The Times

Riveting

Max Liu, Independent on Sunday

A cross between a series of critical essays and a connected history… Its great strength lies in the freshness of his critical responses… The sheer vitality of Taylor’s engagement with books…is infectious… Perceptive portraits and crisp judgments.

Stefan Collini, Guardian

Elegantly written, defiantly intelligent, scrupulously researched and richly enjoyable.

John Preston, Mail on Sunday

An entertaining history of literary life.

Nicholas Shakespeare, Daily Telegraph

A bold undertaking.

Mark Amory, The Oldie

Engaging, assured and entertaining.

James Kidd, Independent

[Taylor’s] grand historical survey, covering publishing, reviewing, writing, making a living, and teaching, charts the rise of the man of letters… Well researched and informative.

Michele Roberts, Financial Times

Elegant.

Simon Kuper, Financial Times

The breadth and precision of his reading are phenomenal. He digs forgotten names out of crannies in the literary landscape, and gives them flesh and blood.

John Carey, The Sunday Times

An entertaining history of modern literary life.

Nicholas Shakespeare, Telegraph

DJ Taylor’s compendious account of English literary life in the past 100 years offers an antidote to the notion that writing is a glamorous or profitable trade… Taylor conjures pungent portraits of the century’s major (and minor) literary figures.

Jane Shilling, Prospect

[Taylor] authoritatively guides the reader through an extraordinary gallery of individuals.

Kate McLoughlin, The Times Literary Supplement

A spirited dash through British literary culture since the end of the First World War… Taylor’s admiration for the men and women who have scraped – or raked – a living by their pens springs from every page of this energetic, affectionate, galvanising book.

Laura Freeman, Standpoint

Insightful, erudite but very readable.

Lady

An amazing achievement

David Lodge

A pleasingly gossipy history of literary life in England since 1918…very enjoyable

Observer

I loved DJ Taylor’s The Prose Factory…a colourful and thoughtful study of the writer’s lot over the last century.

John Connolly, Irish Times