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A review by msjoanna
Herzog by Philip Roth, Saul Bellow
4.0
I went back and forth between the audiobook and the print book while reading this (alas, without the benefit of whispersync). Although this sounds like a book that would translate to audio format, since it's really one dude's story, it doesn't really, because nothing ever happens in the book and it's easy to get lost in the text when listening.
The book is really a send-up of pedantic dudes who are always spouting erudite sounding nonsense. Listening to the erudite nonsense, it's easy to feel like you're just not listening hard enough to understand what the book is on about. I found when reading it was much easier to absorb whole passages in the spirit of...ah, here's Herzog, spouting nonsense again. What's truly impressive, though, is that Saul Bellow is able to write this and make it enjoyable to read. Most authors just can't manage it.
This book has been sitting on my shelves for more than 15 years waiting for me to get around to reading it. I'm glad I suddenly felt inspired to pick it up. Worth the effort.
The book is really a send-up of pedantic dudes who are always spouting erudite sounding nonsense. Listening to the erudite nonsense, it's easy to feel like you're just not listening hard enough to understand what the book is on about. I found when reading it was much easier to absorb whole passages in the spirit of...ah, here's Herzog, spouting nonsense again. What's truly impressive, though, is that Saul Bellow is able to write this and make it enjoyable to read. Most authors just can't manage it.
This book has been sitting on my shelves for more than 15 years waiting for me to get around to reading it. I'm glad I suddenly felt inspired to pick it up. Worth the effort.