Priestley defined the essay as a 'prose masterpiece in miniature' and understood that to perfect the form, the essayist had to stand 'naked and shivering' in the very first sentence. A prodigious essayist, Priestley expressed his unique thoughts on a diverse range of subjects from the delights of smoking to the futility of conferences. Witty, controversial and sometimes grumpy, Priestley's essays reveal the many faces of one of Britain's most distinguished writers.