If you’ve never had the pleasure – and challenge – of reading the witty, trenchant cultural criticism of Arthur Krystal, who’s been called “the George Clooney of the essay world,” you might start with his new collection, “This Thing We Call Literature.” The Clooney reference fits because Krystal’s prose is confident, seductive. There are 10 essays in this slim volume, but you get more bang for your buck because even the prefatory Author’s Note, as well as an extended Postscript, explore the main