Becca Rothfeld and James Wood at The Harvard Bookstore: Love, Sex, Aesthetics, and the Intersection Between Philosophy and Literature

In spite of the dreary Cambridge weather on the evening of Wednesday, April 3, a determined crowd made the treacherous journey to the Harvard Book Store. Becca Rothfeld, non-fiction book critic for the Washington Post, contributing editor to the Boston Review, and current PhD Candidate at Harvard University, was joined by Harvard English Professor and Staff Writer for the New Yorker James Wood in conversation about her new book, “All Things Are Too Small: Essays in Praise of Excess.” The event was co-hosted by the Harvard Book Store with the Boston Review, and there was not an empty seat to be found.

“All Things Are Too Small,” Rothfeld’s debut book, can be primarily described as a roaring call for maximalist philosophy to permeate society. Claiming that the cultural movement towards minimalism has left us “spiritually impoverished,” Rothfeld emphasizes the ultimate necessity of excess in various areas of life, including sex, love, and literature. Critiquing Marie Kondo and the concept of “decluttering,” as well as fragmented novels like Jenny Offill’s best selling book “Dept. of Speculation,” Rothfeld argues for surplus and sustenance.

Many audience members were fans of Rothfeld’s and familiar with her work and successful career as a book critic. Mukul Chakravarthi, a product designer living in Cambridge, said, “Becca Rothfeld is one of my favorite essayists, at least for the last two years. One of my favorite essays from 2022 was an essay by her called ‘Pleasure and Justice.’” I think Becca has this wide scope, and I think this anthology is reflective of that.”

Rothfeld and Wood’s discussion covered numerous topics, focusing on the importance of combining philosophy and literature. Rothfeld, known for her masterful long-form literary criticism, emphasized the urgent need for these two disciplines to be far more closely intertwined then they are now — referencing the unfortunate reality that most of academic philosophy is not beautifully written.

The conversation also drifted towards a discussion of the movement towards scholarship that is “public-facing” — in other words, scholarship that is created not just for the intellectual elite, but also for the general public. Rothfeld highlighted the importance of public intellectualism, indicating that it is a true passion of hers.

Central to Rothfield’s argument was the ultimate importance of excess in numerous aspects of existence. Rothfeld discussed examples of individuals and works of art which exemplify the maximalist ideals she champions, citing Henry James’s prose as vivid, drag queens as aspirational figures, and the films of David Cronenberg as opulent.

Other subjects discussed included the accessibility of good art, gratuitousness versus largeness, and sex as something “transformative.” Key to her arguments were the idea that maximalism is more about gratuitousness than sheer largeness, and that sexuality is characterized by a willingness to be shocked or surprised by another.

Furthermore, Rothfeld maintained that hierarchy should exist in certain fields, most notably love. To Rothfeld, love is a hierarchical endeavor. It is impossible to love everyone at the same level; one person must be placed above all else.

More controversially, Rothfeld described how the artistic realm should be hierarchical as well — that we should be comfortable passing judgment on aesthetic creations. This discussion transitioned into a dynamic and vibrant Q&A session in which Wood and Rothfeld answered general questions from the audience.

One fan of Rothfeld’s, Philosophy professor Maria L. Frick, praised the author’s presentation.

“I liked that she approached so many different issues. I think people were craving for different views on a lot of those hard topics as well from such a young brilliant mind, Frick said. “And what I also liked was that she talked about her own path, about how she tried to combine literature and philosophy. And there was also subtle criticism towards the discipline of philosophy in the academic world. And I think it's a very sound criticism.”

Nicholas During, another audience member, appreciated the interdisciplinary subject matter.

“I enjoyed hearing all of the philosophical kind of thoughts getting intermixed with the literary criticism, which isn’t common, I think,” During said.

As Rothfeld signed books, commentary on the talk and Rothfeld’s essays and career continued. But after enjoying the profound discourse of the talk, the mundane, idle conversations that followed seemed themselves to be all too small.