A Defense of Ardor

“Engagingly warm and witty blend of literary comment and memoir,” fourteen essays from one of Poland’s most prominent contemporary poets ( Publishers Weekly ). Ardor, inspiration, the soul, the sublime: Such terms have long since fallen from favor among critics and artists alike. In this collection of essays, Adam Zagajewski continues his efforts to reclaim for art not just the terms but the scanted spiritual dimension of modern human existence that they stake out.  Bringing gravity and gra