I'm only familiar with French dudes like Roland Barthes, Jean-Pierre Richard, Charles Mauron, Bénichou, Thibaudet, Gérard Genette, Maurice Blanchot... Soma authors (not Nabokov) also say really interesting things about their work or literature in general (Mallarmé, Baudelaire, Victor Hugo, Camus, Paul Valéry, Rimbaud, Michel Butor...). Every time I read what Proust once said I'm like yes that's exactly it!

Not sure if this is strictly the best thread for this, but very yes to: http://rationallyspeaking.blogspot.com/ ... e-and.html

I loved my studies into literary theory as a basis for opening up interesting conversations about literature. Marxism, feminism, conflict, and queer theory brings up interesting starting points for different novels. But my area of expertise is in 20th century African American women's lit, so there you go :)

http://www.cla.purdue.edu/english/theory/
Cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool.