A superb new collection of essays from 'the best British author working today' (Joseph Brodsky). Of Tim Parks's most recent collection of essays, Adultery & Other Diversions, The Times said he 'brings a savvy glamour as well as a radiant intelligence to the form...exceptional in its sympathy and graciousness.' The Observer called it 'a smart, beautifully written book...literary essays with all the clarity and sensual detail of great fiction'. In this new collection, Parks turns his attention to classic authors like Dante, Borges and Leopardi, as well as various contemporary writers including Vikram Seth, W. G. Sebald and Salman Rushdie. In Hell and Back Tim Parks reminds us just how exciting the essay form can be.