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Lof Van Het Rommelige Leven (2013)

by Katie Roiphe(Favorite Author)
3.29 of 5 Votes: 1
languge
English
publisher
De Bezige Bij
review 1: At least half of the fun of reading Katie Roiphe is her ability to provoke the reader--sometimes to call out "Amen!" (see precious parenting and the dulling impacts conservative family values becoming American values) and sometimes in protest (see her contempt for a lot of feminists and those that disagree with her literary taste). She is a sensational writer most of the time, and her essay dissecting the pervasive influence of Joan Didion is remarkable in how she marshals her carefully cultivated evidence. Her reactionary tendencies can rankle--she uses "democratic" as a pejorative and the essays about her own "failings" (divorce and sleeping with her best friend from college's love object) show much more generosity and empathy for women in her place than she often afford... mores. At her harshest, she is often channeling the overly conservative times she usually maligns. But the conflicts and contradictions in these essays are also part of the complexity you sign up for. If you hate her this collection won't change your mind, but if you like to read to be challenged she's ready for you.
review 2: From Facebook to S&M to children of divorced parents, the topics of these essays vary widely. With the exception of those in the 'Books' section, all of the entries are written in a style so intriguing that even without the necessary background information or a common experience, Roiphe's thoughts on the given subject are welcome. Easy to pick and choose and hop around, which makes this a great choice for travel. less
Reviews (see all)
shasha
An essay collection, with the inherit ups and downs. You've probably already read the best pieces.
red
Read about this somewhere, thought it sounded interesting. It wasn't, which is a shame.
appy
She's very smart and a great writer, but a little too acerbic for me.
Halli
both great and boring essays. The first section was wonderful.
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