Why people recommend it
New Grub Street is a sprawling, 550-page realist novel by George Gissing that explores the grueling economic and moral realities of the literary marketplace in late-nineteenth-century London. On The Book Review podcast, John Williams frequently brought up the novel across multiple July 2024 episodes. In John Lithgow on His Satirical Poems, Williams introduced New Grub Street as the book he was currently reading, noting his belief that it stands as Gissing's most famous work. The following week, in The Life of Thomas Edison, Williams mentioned that he was still reading the massive novel, remarking that despite its length, it is quite easy to pick up and continue. Later, in Life in Tech's Uncanny Valley, Williams reflected further on his reading journey, noting that after recently finishing New Grub Street by George Gissing, he transitioned directly into reading another novel by the same author titled The Odd Women. Through these repeated mentions, Williams provided listeners with a sustained look into Gissing's thematic preoccupations with poverty, ambition, and the commodification of art. His ongoing commentary painted a vivid picture of a rewarding, immersive reading experience with a Victorian master.
Who recommended it
- John Williams Recommended
John Williams — 3 mentions
“I'm reading new grub Street still which I talked about last week by George gissing but it's a 550 page novel so and it's easy to kind of pick it up”
“that's a that's a long way of saying that what I'm reading is actually a novel called new grub Street which I think is gissing's most famous”
“when I read a book fairly recently by George gissing called new grub street I'm reading another novel by gissing now called the odd women”