Don't let the title fool you—Table Talk isn't about etiquette or which fork to use. Think of it as the greatest hits album from one of history's most interesting dinner guests, William Hazlitt. Published in the early 1820s, this isn't one continuous story but a series of short, personal essays. Hazlitt uses them as a springboard to jump into whatever is on his mind: a memory of meeting a famous poet, his thoughts on acting, his love of old books, his hatred of political sycophants, or simply the pleasure of going for a long walk. There's no plot in the traditional sense. The 'story' is the journey of Hazlitt's curiosity across a whole landscape of human experience.

Why You Should Read It

You should read this because Hazlitt makes thinking feel like an adventure. He writes with such intense feeling and clear, forceful prose that even his essay on why people like to disagree becomes a page-turner. He's fiercely opinionated, often funny, and sometimes heartbreakingly vulnerable. When he writes about watching a great actor, you feel the shivers. When he describes disappointment, you nod along. He champions the individual spirit and has a deep distrust of power and empty fashion. Reading him is like getting your brain tuned up; he sharpens your own observations about the world. His themes—the search for genuine feeling in a fake world, the defense of passion over cold calculation, the sheer love of art and life—are timeless.

Final Verdict

This book is perfect for anyone who loves great writing and big ideas served without pretension. If you enjoy the personal essays of people like George Orwell or Rebecca Solnit, you'll find a kindred spirit in Hazlitt. It's for the reader who wants a book they can dip in and out of, one that offers a brilliant, companionable voice on a lazy afternoon. It might frustrate those who need a straightforward narrative, but reward anyone who believes that a good conversation is one of life's best pleasures. Two centuries later, Hazlitt still feels like excellent company.