The Disappointment Artist
I recently finished The Disappointment Artist and very much enjoyed it. While trying to see what other people had thought of it I came across this review.
I want to start out by saying up front that this is not a collection of essays recommended for reading by teens or young adults, and therefore junior high and high school educators would not wish to incorporate this work into their curriculum. Its material would best be reserved for adults not so easily swayed by Lethem's waxing poetic for the American countercultures that embrace promiscuity, drugs, homosexuality, and bohemianism in general. Perhaps that is a bit prudish, but so be it. While these have made for a hefty trunk full of experiences for Lethem, they are not lifestyles I would encourage the youth of today to explore or embrace. Nor other adults, for that matter.
From the perspective of writing quality, save for the author's decision to incorporate a good deal of the offensive language which seems to pervade every pore of our society anymore, Lethem exhibits an insightful and personable style that will keep most readers engaged. Nonfiction essayists of this caliber are becoming fewer in number, or are seemingly not being published enough in lieu of the more trendy or trivialized subject matter. My only wish might be that authors today raise the bar on the standards by which they communicate their experiences and insights.
Geez, lady, chill out.
