description: Charles Lamb, one of the most engaging personal essayists of all time, began publishing his unforgettable, entertaining Elia essays in the London Magazine in 1820; they were so immediately popular that a book-length collection was published in 1823. Inventing the persona of “Elia” allowed Lamb to be shockingly honest and to gain a playful distance for self-examination. The resulting essays touch upon a wide range of compelling subjects from the deliciously humorous “Dissertation upon Roast Pig” to the poignantly reflective “New Year's Eve.” Yet collectively they also comprise a fascinating personal memoir, veiled under the pseudonymous disguise of Elia. Now back in print with a new foreword by the distinguished personal essayist Phillip Lopate and with useful annotations, Essays of Elia will provide a delicious stylistic treat for all readers.
language: English
title: Elia: Essays which have appeared under that signature in the London Magazine
titlecomplete: Elia: Essays which have appeared under that signature in the London Magazine (Collected Works of Charles Lamb)
genres: Literature, Classics, English Literature, Essays, Philosophy, 19th Century, Romanticism, Nonfiction, British Literature
ratings_count: 393
publisher: Classic Books