Unsentimental Education

James Woods' essay on Flaubert in The New York Times today is a marvel: one of those short but encompassing critical essays that is both erudite and a joy to read. From Flaubert's character--like so many writers he was a restless, unsatisfied hedonist--to his obsession with poetic language and his long lasting influence, Woods doesn't miss a beat. It's one of those nearly perfect essays that is sufficient unto itself but also demands you to leave your desk at once and tear off for the bookshelf, the library, the book megastore, to read, and read ravenously.