About the book
Sasha Frere-Jones’s evolution as a writer and musician with the deceptively casual intelligence that marks all of his work.
Shuttling between his first year of life (1967) and the year he wrote the book (2020), Earlier is a glorious sequence of moments, a record of the experiences that set the shape of a life. Frere-Jones’s prose floats between clinically precise fragments and emotional impressions of revelations, pleasures, and accidents. It’s a book about how lives happen and sensibilities form.
As fellow music critic Alex Ross observes, “It is weird to write a book about yourself, as this book is well aware. Gazing in the mirror is not mass entertainment. Sasha Frere-Jones, a writer of nonchalant, rope-a-dope power, drops the illusion of self-knowledge and instead offers up a kaleidoscope of memory shards, faithful to the chaos of inner and outer worlds. Earlier is funny, cool, raw, wise, and secretly sublime.”
Begun in 2010, Earlier was completed at the request of Deborah Holmes, to whom the book is dedicated. Holmes is the mother of Frere-Jones’s two boys, Sam and Jonah. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July of 2020, Holmes died in January of 2021. Earlier is the last book she read. Frere-Jones says, “Deborah was the most enthusiastic reader I’ve ever met. She read when she wasn’t doing something else, and that never changed. She asked me to write this when we met, in 1990. I am sorry I made her wait so long.”
Editions of Earlier
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781635901962
- EBook
- ISBN 9781635901979
Read an Excerpt
Sasha Frere-Jones’s evolution as a writer and musician with the deceptively casual intelligence that marks all of his work.
Shuttling between his first year of life (1967) and the year he wrote the book (2020), Earlier is a glorious sequence of moments, a record of the experiences that set the shape of a life. Frere-Jones’s prose floats between clinically precise fragments and emotional impressions of revelations, pleasures, and accidents. It’s a book about how lives happen and sensibilities form.
As fellow music critic Alex Ross observes, “It is weird to write a book about yourself, as this book is well aware. Gazing in the mirror is not mass entertainment. Sasha Frere-Jones, a writer of nonchalant, rope-a-dope power, drops the illusion of self-knowledge and instead offers up a kaleidoscope of memory shards, faithful to the chaos of inner and outer worlds. Earlier is funny, cool, raw, wise, and secretly sublime.”
Begun in 2010, Earlier was completed at the request of Deborah Holmes, to whom the book is dedicated. Holmes is the mother of Frere-Jones’s two boys, Sam and Jonah. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July of 2020, Holmes died in January of 2021. Earlier is the last book she read. Frere-Jones says, “Deborah was the most enthusiastic reader I’ve ever met. She read when she wasn’t doing something else, and that never changed. She asked me to write this when we met, in 1990. I am sorry I made her wait so long.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Earlier about?
Sasha Frere-Jones’s evolution as a writer and musician with the deceptively casual intelligence that marks all of his work.
Shuttling between his first year of life (1967) and the year he wrote the book (2020), Earlier is a glorious sequence of moments, a record of the experiences that set the shape of a life. Frere-Jones’s prose floats between clinically precise fragments and emotional impressions of revelations, pleasures, and accidents. It’s a book about how lives happen and sensibilities form.
As fellow music critic Alex Ross observes, “It is weird to write a book about yourself, as this book is well aware. Gazing in the mirror is not mass entertainment. Sasha Frere-Jones, a writer of nonchalant, rope-a-dope power, drops the illusion of self-knowledge and instead offers up a kaleidoscope of memory shards, faithful to the chaos of inner and outer worlds. Earlier is funny, cool, raw, wise, and secretly sublime.”
Begun in 2010, Earlier was completed at the request of Deborah Holmes, to whom the book is dedicated. Holmes is the mother of Frere-Jones’s two boys, Sam and Jonah. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July of 2020, Holmes died in January of 2021. Earlier is the last book she read. Frere-Jones says, “Deborah was the most enthusiastic reader I’ve ever met. She read when she wasn’t doing something else, and that never changed. She asked me to write this when we met, in 1990. I am sorry I made her wait so long.”
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Earlier?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Biography and non-fiction prose > Biography: general > Biography: arts and entertainment
Where can I read a sample of Earlier?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781635901962
Is Earlier part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Semiotext(e) / Native Agents
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Earlier?
Sasha Frere-Jones
Who is the Publisher of the book Earlier?
MIT Press
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Earlier is available as paperback(ISBN 9781635901962) and ebook(ISBN 9781635901979)
Where can I buy Earlier online or support local independent bookshops?
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