Category Archives: By Jack Mathews

Jack Matthews vs. Robert Coover

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Robert Nagle

Here’s a small letter to the editor by Jack Matthews which New York Times Book Review published in 1992: “To the Editor: Your hypotext on hypertext writ by Robert Coover is hyperbole in hypolex, though Coover’s sure a groover. What … Continue reading →

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Letters to NYTBR “I am even a less a Gottliebian”

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Robert Nagle

Here’s another random letter to the editor which Jack Matthews sent to the NYTBR in 1990. The essay he is responding to is long and actually quite good, despite Jack’s quibbles. Matthews has always had a deep interest in Continental … Continue reading →

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Arthur and Adele: A Philosopher’s Strange, Complicated (and Tragic) Relationship with his Sister

Posted on October 19, 2015 by Robert Nagle

(Here is an extended excerpt from the recently published book, Schopenhauer’s Will: Das Testament by Jack Matthews about the life of 19th century philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer. In this excerpt, Matthews reflects on Arthur Schopenhauer’s relationship with his sister Adele.) The … Continue reading →

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10 Books to Better Understand America (by Author Jack Matthews)

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Robert Nagle

Two years ago Matthews created this list, writing, “Gordon Graham, founder & erstwhile editor of the periodical LOGOS in the UK asked me to list 10 books I’d recommend to educated, English-speaking foreigners to understand the US, so I happily … Continue reading →

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Is Sarah Palin smarter than Barack Obama? (By Author Jack Matthews)

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Robert Nagle

(Editor’s Note: Author and distinguished professor of literature Jack Matthews wrote this provocative essay in 2010 — publishing it first in the Athens News. Over his writing career Matthews rarely wrote about politics — although he certainly kept up with … Continue reading →

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Jack Matthews on Actors

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Robert Nagle

Here’s some brief thoughts which Jack Matthews made about actors and the theatre: Since writing a book on Schopenhauer a few years ago, I often find myself thinking about the dark sentiments voiced by that old philosopher. My thoughts often … Continue reading →

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Jack Matthews on the memoir of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Son

Posted on August 29, 2010 by Robert Nagle

Jack Matthews has a new essay appearing in August 15 Chronicle Review: It is no surprise to literary scholars that Henry David Thoreau was soaked in Emerson’s thinking, but Julian tells us that even the younger man’s handwriting was like … Continue reading →

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Jack Matthews: On choosing the right name for a story character

Posted on August 29, 2010 by Robert Nagle

(Here is a brief excerpt from WORKER’s WRITEBOOK, an unpublished notebook about the art of writing fiction which Jack Matthews prepared for his Ohio U. creative writing students in the 1990s). An ebook version of this work will be available … Continue reading →

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