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A review by thebobsphere
Things Are Against Us by Lucy Ellmann
5.0
I have said many times that Lucy Ellmann’s Ducks, Newburyport is a BIG favourite of mine. I won’t go into a detailed explanation but that 1030 page one sentence narrative of an Ohio housewife on Motherhood, Trump, Gun Culture and baking tips just struck a chord with, not to mention the more conventional lioness subplot which gave this weighty tome more depth.
Needless to say that I was excited to read Lucy Ellmann’s new book; an essay collection called Things are Against us. This is a mixture of previously published pieces, albeit updated and some unreleased works.
Whilst reading the book two thoughts went through me
Lucy Ellmann would make a great rapper lyricist.
A lot of the themes in these essays seem like an extension of the topics that were in Ducks, Newburyport.
Take the title essay, which opens the collection. Stylistically it’s similar to Ducks, Newburyport, with it’s use of repetition and rhythm. Thematically as well as it’s about society’s over reliance on material objects but this is Lucy Ellmann and she cleverly takes the word ‘Things’ and gives it a new context in each sentence. It’s dazzling.
A good number of the essays criticise the patriarchy and Trump ; The Underground Bunker, early highlight Three Strikes and Third Rate Zeroes are such examples.
Some focus on books and movies: A Spell of Patriarchy discusses how Hitchcock’s Spellbound is a feminist film, or how The Woman of the House is about Laura Ingalls Wilders Little House on the Prairie books showcased a type of American way of life but it also doubles up as the amount of problems a female author has to go through. One book related essay is Ah Men which starts off as with the problems of living in a patriarchal state and then delves into crime fiction, which treats women unfairly.
I could easily fill the post about descriptions but there are essays about bras , morning routine videos and the hidden sexuality of pistons and pumps. needless to say that all are brilliant. I will say that the lonest piece here, called The Lost Art of Staying Put is a masterpiece about travelling and how the human need to experience things has brought a lot of the problems such as pandemics, environmental destruction and famine, which are still happening today.
What makes these essays stand out is Lucy Ellmann’s impish sense of humour. All these essays are genuinely funny, be it a witty one liner, an unexpected pun or the highly entertaining footnotes in Three Strikes, trust me you do not want to skim read them. I have always said that in order to get one’s point across one needs hit the funny bone in some way, be it a cartoon or caustic wit. Lucy Ellmann goes for the latter and she nails it every time.
A great essay collection will make the reader aware of what is happening. These essays definitely opened my eyes to the struggles. Even as I am typing this review on a Sunday night, the streets will be filled with white men creating aggro because their favourite team won or lost (yes I know football is not gendered but I doubt that female fans will behave in a destructive manner) while I will be reading the news about these ‘celebrations’ and seeing Lucy’s words about the patriarchy becoming a reality.
As a final note do check out the N.B. at the back of the book. Only Lucy Ellmann could think of a parting shot (maybe not the best term) like that! furthermore it could happen!
Needless to say that I was excited to read Lucy Ellmann’s new book; an essay collection called Things are Against us. This is a mixture of previously published pieces, albeit updated and some unreleased works.
Whilst reading the book two thoughts went through me
Lucy Ellmann would make a great rapper lyricist.
A lot of the themes in these essays seem like an extension of the topics that were in Ducks, Newburyport.
Take the title essay, which opens the collection. Stylistically it’s similar to Ducks, Newburyport, with it’s use of repetition and rhythm. Thematically as well as it’s about society’s over reliance on material objects but this is Lucy Ellmann and she cleverly takes the word ‘Things’ and gives it a new context in each sentence. It’s dazzling.
A good number of the essays criticise the patriarchy and Trump ; The Underground Bunker, early highlight Three Strikes and Third Rate Zeroes are such examples.
Some focus on books and movies: A Spell of Patriarchy discusses how Hitchcock’s Spellbound is a feminist film, or how The Woman of the House is about Laura Ingalls Wilders Little House on the Prairie books showcased a type of American way of life but it also doubles up as the amount of problems a female author has to go through. One book related essay is Ah Men which starts off as with the problems of living in a patriarchal state and then delves into crime fiction, which treats women unfairly.
I could easily fill the post about descriptions but there are essays about bras , morning routine videos and the hidden sexuality of pistons and pumps. needless to say that all are brilliant. I will say that the lonest piece here, called The Lost Art of Staying Put is a masterpiece about travelling and how the human need to experience things has brought a lot of the problems such as pandemics, environmental destruction and famine, which are still happening today.
What makes these essays stand out is Lucy Ellmann’s impish sense of humour. All these essays are genuinely funny, be it a witty one liner, an unexpected pun or the highly entertaining footnotes in Three Strikes, trust me you do not want to skim read them. I have always said that in order to get one’s point across one needs hit the funny bone in some way, be it a cartoon or caustic wit. Lucy Ellmann goes for the latter and she nails it every time.
A great essay collection will make the reader aware of what is happening. These essays definitely opened my eyes to the struggles. Even as I am typing this review on a Sunday night, the streets will be filled with white men creating aggro because their favourite team won or lost (yes I know football is not gendered but I doubt that female fans will behave in a destructive manner) while I will be reading the news about these ‘celebrations’ and seeing Lucy’s words about the patriarchy becoming a reality.
As a final note do check out the N.B. at the back of the book. Only Lucy Ellmann could think of a parting shot (maybe not the best term) like that! furthermore it could happen!