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"Pretentious, formalistic argument... preening, self-consciously literary musings ... narcissistically complains..."

By Ann Althouse

"... repeatedly draws a nonsensical analogy... gross generalizations... cavalier attitude infects... adds nothing illuminating... blindly accepting... specious or skewed... ridiculous paper tigers... sweeping statements... such a weak, risible and often objectionable volume that the reader finishes it convinced that Mr. Amis should stick to writing fiction and literary criticism, as he?s thoroughly discredited himself with these essays as any sort of political or social commentator."

Snippets from a savage review that somehow makes me want to pick up the book and read it today. But then I liked "Koba the Dread," and I especially like nonfiction riffing by novelistic minds. (I'd rather read this than this.) That Martin Amis does his riffing over heavy themes like 9/11 and Stalin might piss you off, as it did the NYT reviewer. It is what it is. So read it or don't.

Full post as published by Althouse on April 08, 2008 (boomark / email).