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A review by cassiakarin
Tenth of December: Stories by George Saunders
2.0
The problem is that if I were to say that I disliked or disapproved of this book it would automatically judge me a bigoted, insensitive, and make me out to be a upperclass snob. So what do I say? This is a virtue-signaling book.
I see very well the skill, insight, and mastery that Saunders has as a writer. He captures with remarkable accuracy the voice of the common generations of today. I enter into the thoughts and feelings of my fellow man with raw sensitivity and pity, and the crudeness of the state in which I find these fellow-men is deplorable, revolting, and uncomfortable. Shame on me, one would easily judge. But why do you judge me so?
Here is my true and honest opinion of the book: I did not like it at all. Did I learn from it? Yes, somewhat. Do I respect, admire, and aim for the virtues of humble kindness which Saunders demands of his readers? Absolutely. Does that mean that our writing and our reading needs to be debase? Does it need to be crude and vulgar? Does it need to use bad grammar and have no punctuation in order for us to feel the pain of the those we read about who do not know how to use good grammar and who can't use proper punctuation, even if they are fictional? Is this the only way to stir hearts to love people? To be active in kindness, in change, in empathy, and in righteous pity for our fellow mankind? No. I think not. Many classics written in masterful language, in poetry, in song, and epic, and in sorrow have stirred my heart to love this world, to love people, and to strive for goodness and kindness. This book is a virtue signaling book and I distain it. Even at the end in the interview section Saunders states his intentions here. This is an activists writing, bent on putting certain impressions on the mind of the reader. I'm with C.S. Lewis, "No one likes a book that has an aim upon its reader." (Paraphrase)
I read it because it was on Karen Swallow Prior's list of books to read in her book "On Reading Well." I was the dummy, though, for thinking she asked her reader to read the whole book titled "Tenth of December" and not just the one short story. In the table of contents she does put this title in quotes instead of italics, which was my clue--but I didn't get it. She is, however, a huge Saunders fan, and perhaps would recommend the whole book, which is a shame, I think, but I cannot say one way or the other. I wish I had known this. It would have spared my eyes entertaining 2,000 foul four letter words, crass images of sexual manipulation, and 30+ pages of mind-numbing cave-man diary talk (accurately written--and I applaud Saunders for his accuracy and fortitude... but one page of caveman/journal entry text would have sufficed to give the picture).
I see very well the skill, insight, and mastery that Saunders has as a writer. He captures with remarkable accuracy the voice of the common generations of today. I enter into the thoughts and feelings of my fellow man with raw sensitivity and pity, and the crudeness of the state in which I find these fellow-men is deplorable, revolting, and uncomfortable. Shame on me, one would easily judge. But why do you judge me so?
Here is my true and honest opinion of the book: I did not like it at all. Did I learn from it? Yes, somewhat. Do I respect, admire, and aim for the virtues of humble kindness which Saunders demands of his readers? Absolutely. Does that mean that our writing and our reading needs to be debase? Does it need to be crude and vulgar? Does it need to use bad grammar and have no punctuation in order for us to feel the pain of the those we read about who do not know how to use good grammar and who can't use proper punctuation, even if they are fictional? Is this the only way to stir hearts to love people? To be active in kindness, in change, in empathy, and in righteous pity for our fellow mankind? No. I think not. Many classics written in masterful language, in poetry, in song, and epic, and in sorrow have stirred my heart to love this world, to love people, and to strive for goodness and kindness. This book is a virtue signaling book and I distain it. Even at the end in the interview section Saunders states his intentions here. This is an activists writing, bent on putting certain impressions on the mind of the reader. I'm with C.S. Lewis, "No one likes a book that has an aim upon its reader." (Paraphrase)
I read it because it was on Karen Swallow Prior's list of books to read in her book "On Reading Well." I was the dummy, though, for thinking she asked her reader to read the whole book titled "Tenth of December" and not just the one short story. In the table of contents she does put this title in quotes instead of italics, which was my clue--but I didn't get it. She is, however, a huge Saunders fan, and perhaps would recommend the whole book, which is a shame, I think, but I cannot say one way or the other. I wish I had known this. It would have spared my eyes entertaining 2,000 foul four letter words, crass images of sexual manipulation, and 30+ pages of mind-numbing cave-man diary talk (accurately written--and I applaud Saunders for his accuracy and fortitude... but one page of caveman/journal entry text would have sufficed to give the picture).