GLASNOST

By: Joshua Glenn
March 29, 2018

A list of my 10 favorite adventures — in chronological order — whose titles feature the word “glass.” Derived from my ongoing research into the BEST ADVENTURES of all time.

Note that the majority of these books are, for the most part, epistemological thrillers — apophenic adventures about the quest to distinguish reality from unreality, truth from falsehood, fantasy from fact. Are we seeing things straight… or as though through a glass darkly?

(19th century) Lewis Carroll’s fantasy adventure Through the Looking-Glass (1871). Enter the Jabberwocky!

(Twenties) Dashiell Hammett’s crime adventure The Glass Key (1931). William Kennedy, on this book: “Hammett’s strategy is to show the process of detection as motivated by and affecting a friendship between two men. Out of these materials Hammett creates a dynamic structure of uncertain, constantly shifting human relationships.”

(Thirties) Hergé’s Tintin adventure The Seven Crystal Balls (1943–1946 serialized; as an album, 1948). Published as a color album in 1948. OK, not a “glass” title.

(Sixties) John le Carré’s espionage adventure The Looking Glass War (1965).

(Sixties) Roald Dahl’s children’s fantasy adventure Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator (1972). Not an apophenic adventure — just a silly, fun, sci-fi sequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.