Jason Hartley's 6 favorite books
The author of The Advanced Genius Theory says some artists are always a step ahead of the rest of us — and shares some reads that prove his point
Jason Hartley, author of The Advanced Genius Theory, says some artists, from Miguel Cervantes to Bob Dylan, are so advanced that the rest of us can't keep up with them. The Week asked him to suggest a few books that help illuminate his theory:
Chronicles, Vol. 1 by Bob Dylan (Simon & Schuster, $15). Dylan is the ultimate Advanced musician, having made bewildering career choices that have angered and confused his fans. One such choice was writing an autobiography that barely mentions his greatest hits but describes in detail the recording of obscure albums, and also muses about the wrestler Gorgeous George. He made the right choice: The book fascinates because it avoids well-worn topics.
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes (Harper, $17). Cervantes may be the original Advanced Genius, having written what is sometimes called the first modern—or even postmodern—novel. As Harold Bloom once wrote, he’s “always out ahead of us, and we can never quite catch up.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville (Dover, $5). Melville’s masterpiece did find a publisher during his lifetime, but reviews were mixed and it virtually disappeared until the Melville revival of the 1920s. Nathaniel Hawthorne, though, recognized the novel’s genius right away, so perhaps he was Advanced.
The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham (Wilder, $6). In this 1919 novel, a London man leaves his comfortable life as a stockbroker to become a painter. His art, though startlingly original, is dismissed, and he dies alone, in Tahiti, blind from leprosy. Though the story is based on the life of Paul Gauguin, it reads a bit like a biography of actor Marlon Brando.
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (Grove, $15). Walker Percy wrote that Toole’s protagonist, Ignatius J. Reilly, was “without progenitor in any literature I know of—slob extraordinary, a mad Oliver Hardy, a fat Don Quixote, a perverse Thomas Aquinas rolled into one.” It’s unorthodox to call a fictional character Advanced, but Reilly is worthy of the title.
Finnegans Wake by James Joyce (Penguin, $21). Though Joyce is my favorite author, I’ve never tried to read this book because I know it is too Advanced for me. I hope to be ready for it someday, because I know I will enjoy it—even if it’s just a complicated recipe for bangers and mash.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
—Jason Hartley is the author of The Advanced Genius Theory, which proposes that some artists are so advanced that they move beyond ordinary folks’ comprehension
-
Will California's EV mandate survive Trump, SCOTUS challenge?
Today's Big Question The Golden State's climate goal faces big obstacles
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'Underneath the noise, however, there’s an existential crisis'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
2024: the year of distrust in science
In the Spotlight Science and politics do not seem to mix
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Alan Cumming's 6 favorite works with resilient characters
Feature The award-winning stage and screen actor recommends works by Douglas Stuart, Alasdair Gray, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Shahnaz Habib's 6 favorite books that explore different cultures
Feature The essayist and translator recommends works by Vivek Shanbhag, Adania Shibli, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Niall Williams' 6 favorite books with rich storytelling
Feature The best-selling author recommends works by Charles Dickens, James McBride, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Nigel Hamilton's 6 inspirational books for fellow writers
Feature The award-winning author recommends works by John Banville, Ann Patchett, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Ed Park's 6 favorite works about self reflection and human connection
Feature The Pulitzer Prize finalist recommends works by Jason Rekulak, Gillian Linden, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Kate Summerscale's 6 favorite true crime books about real murder cases
Feature The best-selling author recommends works by Helen Garner, Gwen Adshead, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Bonnie Jo Campbell's 6 favorite books about unconventional relationships
Feature The former National Book Award finalist recommends works by Tove Jansson, Virginia Woolf, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Peter Ames Carlin's 6 favorite books on pop culture icons
Feature The author recommends works by James McBride, Jim Bouton, and more
By The Week US Published