At Large and At Small: Familiar Essays by Anne Fadiman

A bewitching collection from one of America's finest essayists In At Large and At Small, Anne Fadiman returns to one of her favorite genres, the familiar essay—a beloved literary tradition recognized for both its intellectual breadth ("at large") and its miniaturist focus ("at small"). With the combination of humor and erudition that has distinguished her as one of our finest essayists, Fadiman draws us into twelve of her personal obsessions, from her slightly sinister childhood enthusiasm for catching butterflies to her monumental crush on Charles Lamb, from her wistfulness for the days of letter-writing to the challenges and rewards of moving from the city to the country. Many of these essays were composed "under the influence" of the subject at hand. Fadiman wolfed down pint after pint after pint of ice cream while divulging her passion for Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Chocolate Chip and her brother's homemade Liquid Nitrogen Kahlúa Coffee (recipe included); she maintained a hypercaffeinat