Life in Culture

A great literary critic’s quarrels with himself and others, revealed through his personal correspondence: “A joy to read.” — Library Journal (starred review) In the mid-twentieth century, Lionel Trilling was America’s most respected literary critic. His powerful and subtle essays inspired readers to think about how literature shapes our politics, our culture, and our selves. His 1950 collection, The Liberal Imagination , sold more than 170,000 copies, epitomizing a time that has been called the