Monday, October 18, 2010

Ten of the best taxis in literature

For the Guardian, John Mullan named ten of the best taxis in literature.

One novel on the list:
Herzog by Saul Bellow

Antonia Fraser's revelations about Saul Bellow telling her how attractive she was in the back of a taxi reminds us of a passage in his own chef d'oeuvre. The affair between Moses Herzog and Ramona, a "mature" pupil in one of his evening classes, begins in the back of a cab. She invites the prof to feel her pulse and, when he reaches for her wrist, puts his hand instead to her breast. "We are not children."
Read about another title on the list.

Herzog also appears on Eli Gottlieb's list of the top 10 literary scenes from the battle of the sexes, John Mullan's list of ten of the best bad lawyers in literature, and Rebecca Goldstein's list of the five best novels of ideas.

--Marshal Zeringue