I've written my first book review for my IS class and I'm quite proud of it. Other than the fact that I forgot to mention what the book is about (oops!), I think it's pretty good. In fact, I'm going to post it for you all to read, as if you need more to read. It's a review of Stephen McCauley's latest book Alternatives to Sex. I was inspired to read his work after we heard him speak at Lesley's graduation. Here's a link as well to an interview on NPR as well. He's a funny, funny man.
Book Review:
Alternative Lifestyles
Not everyone is comfortable reading about anonymous gay sex generated from online chat rooms. For that matter, not everyone is comfortable reading a novel about real estate brokers. But Stephen McCauley is just brilliant enough in Alternatives to Sex to make you overlook any squeamishness you might have about subject matter—particularly because he manages to explore within such a framework themes such as a society’s reaction to disaster (namely, 9/11) and our innate need for spiritual fulfillment.
William Collins, a real-estate agent, is a forty-four year old self-effacing clean-freak that we immediately warm to. In one of his many confessional moments he admits: “I like to think of myself as highly ethical, although what that boils down to isn’t making careful ethical choices but acting on impulse and then advertising my guilt and regret about having done so.” McCauley continues on with similar such witty, urbane language, spinning a tale with a cast of eclectic characters. Though the storyline is sometimes predictable, above all, it is McCauley’s acute observations about everyday American life that make this book so readable. Like many Stephen McCauley novels (The Object of My Affection or The Easy Way Out for example), reading Alternatives to Sex feels akin to watching an episode of Six Feet Under: you feel a little guilty that you’re watching non-educational television, but it’s some of the most daring, edgy, intelligent television you’ve ever seen.
McCauley casually reveals a typical yet profound response to the 9/11 attacks: “Since the tragedy of the preceding September, everyone I knew was trying to choose between combating the collective evil of mankind by putting selfishness aside and doing good, and abandoning altruism altogether and doing whatever it took to feel good. The result seemed to be a lot of infidelity and binge eating, followed by resolutions to curtail same.” His characters ring true because they struggle with the same mundane, day to day issues of the average person.
The narrative offers up a contemporary mélange of lifestyles: William’s best friend Edward is a flight attendant who is afraid to fly after September 11th. His artist tenant Kumiko is so passive-aggressive that she has not paid rent in months. We meet a Marty, a black female ex-Marine who has a self-help business called Release the Beast; a compulsive apartment shopper who is an anorexic college professor; a doobie-smoking pet-shop owner; a mysterious gay Belgian shoe-factory owner; and a wealthy couple in the midst of marital struggles whom William hopes to befriend.
If there are moments when the author uses obvious devices, such as a notebook that William records his thoughts into (Hmmm, do you think someone will find the notebook and read what he’s written?), or annoyingly divides every scene by using humorous and clever titles, we forgive him. Mainly because these devices often work. His titles are clever: “Come Again?”, “Contemptuous Passion”, and “All Her Shameful Secrets”.
McCauley is a writer who is adept at attacking large subjects with irony and accessible yet erudite language. (How many writers can make the word ‘parsimoniousness’ seem unpretentious?) It is McCauley’s humor that levels the playing field. We do not feel he is judging, even when his characters explore the oft-taboo subjects of religion and politics:
“I’m baffled by spirituality,” William confesses. “When people talk about their spiritual quests and the comfort they take in spiritual pursuits, I usually have no idea what they’re talking about. Or to be honest, I often have the impression that they don’t know what they’re talking about….Religion, spirituality’s sturdier cousin, has its drawbacks, like, for example, being the cause of eighty-five percent of the violent conflict in the world. But at least religions have specificity….Religions have a narrative driving them, and they have, in some form or other, God….Spirituality, in contrast, has eye pillows and green tea.”
Though William Collins’ journey from anonymous online sex to self-awareness is not the most moving of stories, it is Stephen McCauley’s command of language and sharp sense of humor that carry us through. I may not be yearning to read more of William Collins (the character’s) life, but I am determined to read more of Stephen McCauley’s words.
William Collins, a real-estate agent, is a forty-four year old self-effacing clean-freak that we immediately warm to. In one of his many confessional moments he admits: “I like to think of myself as highly ethical, although what that boils down to isn’t making careful ethical choices but acting on impulse and then advertising my guilt and regret about having done so.” McCauley continues on with similar such witty, urbane language, spinning a tale with a cast of eclectic characters. Though the storyline is sometimes predictable, above all, it is McCauley’s acute observations about everyday American life that make this book so readable. Like many Stephen McCauley novels (The Object of My Affection or The Easy Way Out for example), reading Alternatives to Sex feels akin to watching an episode of Six Feet Under: you feel a little guilty that you’re watching non-educational television, but it’s some of the most daring, edgy, intelligent television you’ve ever seen.
McCauley casually reveals a typical yet profound response to the 9/11 attacks: “Since the tragedy of the preceding September, everyone I knew was trying to choose between combating the collective evil of mankind by putting selfishness aside and doing good, and abandoning altruism altogether and doing whatever it took to feel good. The result seemed to be a lot of infidelity and binge eating, followed by resolutions to curtail same.” His characters ring true because they struggle with the same mundane, day to day issues of the average person.
The narrative offers up a contemporary mélange of lifestyles: William’s best friend Edward is a flight attendant who is afraid to fly after September 11th. His artist tenant Kumiko is so passive-aggressive that she has not paid rent in months. We meet a Marty, a black female ex-Marine who has a self-help business called Release the Beast; a compulsive apartment shopper who is an anorexic college professor; a doobie-smoking pet-shop owner; a mysterious gay Belgian shoe-factory owner; and a wealthy couple in the midst of marital struggles whom William hopes to befriend.
If there are moments when the author uses obvious devices, such as a notebook that William records his thoughts into (Hmmm, do you think someone will find the notebook and read what he’s written?), or annoyingly divides every scene by using humorous and clever titles, we forgive him. Mainly because these devices often work. His titles are clever: “Come Again?”, “Contemptuous Passion”, and “All Her Shameful Secrets”.
McCauley is a writer who is adept at attacking large subjects with irony and accessible yet erudite language. (How many writers can make the word ‘parsimoniousness’ seem unpretentious?) It is McCauley’s humor that levels the playing field. We do not feel he is judging, even when his characters explore the oft-taboo subjects of religion and politics:
“I’m baffled by spirituality,” William confesses. “When people talk about their spiritual quests and the comfort they take in spiritual pursuits, I usually have no idea what they’re talking about. Or to be honest, I often have the impression that they don’t know what they’re talking about….Religion, spirituality’s sturdier cousin, has its drawbacks, like, for example, being the cause of eighty-five percent of the violent conflict in the world. But at least religions have specificity….Religions have a narrative driving them, and they have, in some form or other, God….Spirituality, in contrast, has eye pillows and green tea.”
Though William Collins’ journey from anonymous online sex to self-awareness is not the most moving of stories, it is Stephen McCauley’s command of language and sharp sense of humor that carry us through. I may not be yearning to read more of William Collins (the character’s) life, but I am determined to read more of Stephen McCauley’s words.
7 comments:
This is really good! You chose such lovely excerpts that really give a good flare for the book's tone. And I like how you slip in some of the negatives of the book while still keeping the overall tone very positive.
i just wrote a comment but it didn't show up. this review is really good. way better than any of the ones i wrote for that class. nice work. also, i've been thinking about reading that book for a while and now i think i will, though probably not for a while. nice job.
man, i need to read some stuff by this dude. We sound like we may be on the same page about certain things.
“I like to think of myself as highly ethical, although what that boils down to isn’t making careful ethical choices but acting on impulse and then advertising my guilt and regret about having done so.” - i can relate to this all too well.
Bravo! This is excellent--I could see myself reading this review in a newspaper or magazine. GREAT work, Repeater!
Oh, I'm blushing. Thanks everyone. Now,I'm off to TX Boo! I hope to be back with you all in no time, but I make no promises.
I love it! You've got a real knack for reviewing. Good work. Are you going to be trying to publish your review? The reason I mention it is that some places consider blog posts to be "published" and if they want first publication rights they will no longer take it. But perhaps those with more experience could comment on that. So, would you recommend this IS?
Hey ti- I would recommend this IS. At first I wasn't sure because she mainly points you to other websites to learn, but after reading her comments on my and the other students' work, she's pretty adept. Thanks for the praise. This one was just a practice review, so I would use it as a sample to get other reviews published, but not necessarily try to publish this one. Thanks for the warning, though!
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