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Everyone Loves A Good Train Wreck: Why We Can't Look Away (2013)

by Eric G. Wilson(Favorite Author)

2.77 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0374533709 (ISBN13: 9780374533700)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Sarah Crichton Books

review 1: I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway so I feel a bit obligated to write a review. Unfortunately, it will not be a very positive review.The author spends most of this book justifying his own interest in the macabre. This feeling of "justification" arises throughout the book, making me feel like the author is uncomfortable with himself. This type of self-assessment could be successful as a memoir, exploring the author's own bouts with bipolar disorder and his interest in horror movies, etc. However, this book is advertised as an explanation for all humans' interests in the macabre, not just the inner thoughts and justifications for the author's behavior.Some interesting ideas are presented in this book. I did learn some new things. However, this book suffers f... morerom disorganization. Multiple chapters cover one topic, then jump to a new topic with little transition.Overall, I do not recommend this book.
review 2: A typical "chapter" in this book encapsulates a thought for 2-3 pages and ends with a build-up to the next "chapter". If 3 or 4 of these were combined, the work as whole would feel more substantial. Wilson focuses too much on violence in the media and less on the witnessing of actual violence. He could interviewed war veterans, victims of genocide, people who witnessed natural disasters, etc. but opts for only moderately-interesting personal anecdotes (including -oddly enough- correspondence with author Joyce Carol Oates in which she calls his thesis "superficial"). less

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