The Slap and the Salamander

The essays in The Slap and the Salamander move from an execution in seventeenth century Japan to a meditation on the nature of long-tailed tits; from thoughts sparked by the building of a new school to an imaginative approach to commuting; from exploring a sense of home and belonging to the light thrown on the nature of the world by sparrowhawks; from remembering a face to the impact of reading on a life. Present in every essay is a concern to recognize the extraordinary dimensions of the ordinary, to look closely at what Alexander Smith calls 'the infinite suggestiveness of common things.''Chris Arthur is among the very best essayists in the English language today. He is ever mindful of the genre’s long literary tradition and understands - as did his great predecessors - that the genuine essay is grounded in the imagination, in our quest for art and beauty, as deeply as is poetry or painting.' -Robert Atwan, series editor of The Best American Essays 'If anyone can lure out of hiding the mysterious secrets of the things of this world, and turn the familiar unfamiliar, the everyday magical, it’s Chris Arthur. One of our greatest living essayists, he brings a rare combination of tenderness, power, care and, at times, ghoulish humor to the page.' -Phillip Lopate, editor of The Art of the Personal Essay 'Every essay is engaging, and contains myriad twists, turns and treasures. Arthur’s prose is mesmeric and musical, his authorial voice quiet yet compelling, assured yet inquisitive ... the language is constantly inventive in imagery and vocabulary.' -Times Literary Supplement 'Arthur is proof that the art of the essay is flourishing.' -Publishers Weekly