Shandygaff

A sparkling literary cocktail, Shandygaff is exactly what its title promises: a refreshing mixture of wit, observation, and mischief. Christopher Morley, that rare creature who could be both a serious journalist and a gleeful humorist, serves up thirty-five essays that range from affectionate mockery of literary types to dreamy meditations on why people read. He writes about newspaper offices and late-night diners, about the peculiar pleasure of buying books and the art of doing nothing well. This is essays as conversation, as if Morley is confiding secrets to a friend over drinks. His voice is irrepressibly warm and knowing, as if he's letting you in on jokes that have been passing between clever people for centuries. The pieces here feel like the literary equivalent of your favorite pub: comfortable, lively, full of characters, and exactly where you want to spend an evening. Whether he's dissecting the psychology of bookmarkers or explaining why every man should keep a shop, Morley writes with a charm that feels effortless but is actually perfectly crafted.