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A review by jiujensu
Manhattan Transfer by John Dos Passos
4.0
A lot like Anna Karenina (for me) in the number of people it follows, how they intersect sometimes and in the topics covered- education, privilege, being stuck in your hometown vs making a big change, marriage, capitalism. All these things demonstrate the biggest theme, what is success- money or experience or some other personal fulfillment. It wasn't a fast read, but interesting for the way some characters we met at birth or at a young age and followed to adulthood.
A favorite moment is when Ellen, fresh from witnessing a fire, contemplates all the directions she COULD take her life in just a walk to a taxi on the way to doing the same thing she always does - "There are lives to be lived if only you didn't care. Care for what, for what; the opinion of mankind, money, success, hotel lobbies, health, umbrellas, Uneeda biscuits. . . ?"
A favorite moment is when Ellen, fresh from witnessing a fire, contemplates all the directions she COULD take her life in just a walk to a taxi on the way to doing the same thing she always does - "There are lives to be lived if only you didn't care. Care for what, for what; the opinion of mankind, money, success, hotel lobbies, health, umbrellas, Uneeda biscuits. . . ?"