The Questions That Matter Most

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jane Smiley presents her first nonfiction volume since 2005, exploring the aesthetic and cultural dimensions of writing and reading. Through a personal lens, she recounts her journey from Missouri to California and engages deeply with the state's complex literary heritage, addressing themes of race, class, identity, and sexuality. Smiley's essays offer fresh perspectives on renowned authors like Dickens, Twain, and Alcott, encouraging listeners to consider literature with greater clarity and nuance. This volume invites a thoughtful examination of the intricate connections between literature and the societal issues that shape it.