It is bordering on the preposterous to think that a writer best known for his fiction, and who died nearly thirty years ago, has anything relevant to say to us today. Yet in this previously unpublished collection of essays Singer discusses censorship in literature, the use – and overuse – of profanity, the role of the writer and the journalist, and even the development of computers that will write literature for us.

Singer also discusses Jewish themes, and the place of Yiddish. As a writer who straddled both cultures – Singer wrote in Yiddish and often translated his work into English – he gives a unique perspective on a range of issues.

There is much here that English and RE teachers could discuss with their students. Even if you disagree with his views, Singer’s writing is enjoyable in itself – as you might expect from a Nobel Laureate.

My review of this book has just been published in Teach Secondary magazine. However, the review published here is the one I submitted, not the one that was published. The editor made some changes that I discovered afterwards.

Which version is better, mine or the published one? There’s quite an interesting discussion going on about this here:

Review of Old Truths and New Cliches: two versions: which one is better?