Dutch essayist Maarten Asscher is mercurial in his interests, just as content to write about Sigmund Freud's construction of consciousness as he is about the practices of art historians. In Apples & Oranges: In Praise of Comparisons, that range of interests serves as a compass for his writing, bringing together unlikely comparisons and drawing unforeseen conclusions about his subjects. While the book presents itself, a little disingenuously, as an argument for comparing seemingly incomparable subjects, the real aim of these essays is to shed light on some of Asscher's pet interests. That may seem like navel gazing, but in his assured voice, Apples & Oranges feels more like talking to a very opinionated friend.
While certain essays in Apples & Oranges are profound ("Not the Bars, but the Door" delves into the history of writing done in prisons, while "The Cleveringa Scale" discusses one of the most prominent lawyers for the Nazis), many are focused on why academics and artists have chosen certain methods and categories of genre to define their work. Asscher spends quite a few pages on the concept of a "novel of ideas," arguing for renewed interest in The Frigate Johanna Maria by Arthur van Schendel, a book that has been mostly lost to history. No one particular chapter rises above the rest, but that's probably for the best. The even quality of the pieces makes Apples & Oranges feel more like an ongoing conversation, where subjects change every so often. Nothing is ultimately too weighty, or too slight, for Asscher's interest, making that ongoing conversation rich in variety. --Noah Cruickshank, marketing manager, Open Books, Chicago, Ill.