[close] Nicholson Baker is a contemporary American writer of fiction and non-fiction. As a novelist, his writings focus on minute inspection of his characters' and narrators' stream of consciousness. His unconventional novels deal with topics such as voyeurism and planned assassination, and they generally de-emphasize narrative in favor of intense character work. Baker's enthusiasts appreciate his ability candidly to explore the human psyche, while critics feel that his writing wastes time on trivia (Stephen King notoriously compared Baker's novel Vox to a "meaningless little fingernail paring"). [close]