In light of Goodreads recent policy shift I would like to point out what is said in the essay “Nailed” – “. . the best literary criticism has often been a form of sadistic entertainment” (161).. This book is criticism. At times, it meant be seem mean. At times, you might disagree...
Daniel Mendelsohn’s choice of title in this collection of essays is not meant to convey a sense of impending doom as is usually associated with the phrase “waiting for the barbarians.” Rather, he wants to suggest its meaning in C.P. Cavafy’s original: The barbarians are awaited with a sense of hope;...
Translation is a difficult task, and I hesitate to rate them harshly. But in this case, there are several better translations already available (contrary to what the goodreads entry says, this edition was not originally published in 1979; the entries for the differing Cavafy translations seem all mi...
Brilliant!OK, so why put this on your "must read" list? To start, Mendelsohn is a brilliant critic who writes insightfully and without condescension to author, work or audience (reader, movie-goer, etc.). Even when he utterly demolishes his subject, he never descends to snark or gratuitous sniping. ...
This is a compelling book. Mendelsohn keeps the focus on the search as opposed to disgressing to talk about himself as many writer in similar books do. Mendelsohn also does not talk down to the reader. At first, I was put off a little by the sections that dealt with commentary about The Torah. I...
I just couldn't do it. I know I'm supposed to be interested but...yaaaawwwnnnn.
This book is sad and beautiful and riveting. The story itself isn't unusual since the fate of this family was the fate of many European Jews in the Holocaust. But the author pursues the story with such loving care, and the uncovering of what happened is handled almost unbearably well. I also enjoyed...
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