On Bullshit Review

Disclaimer: if you’re reading this review, you are probably interested enough in On Bullshit that you should just read it. It’s not very long. It will barely take any longer than reading this review.

As Harry Frankfurt is quick to point out, our culture is full of bullshit. And while he claims “everyone knows this,” he has a problem with the fact that no one has taken the time to really analyze what bullshit is, or what it says about our culture. Hence, the book On Bullshit, in which Frankfurt tries to “begin the development of a theoretical understanding of bullshit.” Frankfurt spends the rest of the book trying to define bullshit; and while this is successful, he does not spend much time at all discussing what this means about our culture, which becomes On Bullshit’s greatest flaw.

Throughout On Bullshit, Frankfurt thoroughly analyzes bullshit to try to come up with a useful definition. Through the use of examples, some theoretical, and others from historical works, as well as analysis of other authors’ attempts to tackle similar subjects, he is able to create a suitable definition. He is able to pin down the one key feature that makes something bullshit: no concern with the truth whatsoever. He says that not caring about what is true and what is not is the defining feature of bullshit. Someone who is telling a lie cares about the truth. They are deliberately trying to hide it. By contrast, the person who bullshits does not care about whether what they say is the truth or not; they are just bullshitting. Frankfurt does a very good job at explaining this conclusion and leading the reader to arrive at the same one.

Unfortunately, once this happens, the reader will arrive at the ultimate disappointment: the book ends. It contains no serious discussion of what his definition means in the grand scheme of things. Frankfurt barely attempts to address this meaning, which is what could be the incredibly compelling part of the analysis. It is tragic that the book ends so quickly without diving into the interesting discussion that it could have. Really, all that can be gained from this is that Frankfurt thinks that our culture is one in which we do not care about the truth, as can be seen by his definition and saying that bullshit is so widespread. Other than that, there is really nothing else the reader can get from On Bullshit about what the author thinks bullshit means to society. He provides examples of when people are likely to use bullshit, such as when they talk about subjects that they are not knowledgeable on, or when one feels like they have to have an opinion on everything, but he doesn’t say what this means. Frankfurt is good at defining, but not at showing the definition’s significance. This leaves the reader with what really feels like an incomplete work since it does not ever arrive at the true discussion that the entire book seems to be building up to.

I wish that I could completely recommend On Bullshit. This is probably not a book that one should spend any money on; but if one happens to find themselves alone with half an hour to spare and a copy of On Bullshit, then it is probably worth the read. It is not a painful read, just a book that is full of ‘could have been,’ but, as with all works that can be described like this, just isn’t. While Frankfurt succeeds at providing a convincing definition of what bullshit is, he leaves it at that. Thus, the book that could have been an excellent discussion of culture if it had addressed ramifications of having so much bullshit becomes little more than a belabored dictionary entry.

The Glass Castle Book Review

Jeannette Walls’ foreword can be understood as a foundation for the novel:

To John,
for convincing me that everyone who is
interesting has a past.

Before beginning the memoir, I knew nothing about the author. I read the tidbit on the back cover, which was only a short, two sentence biography. Her motivation to begin the novel became clear with each page. Memoirs are unique in the sense that Jeannette did not choose to write about one specific event; she instead wrote about her entire life. Many people may question the entertainment value of reading about another person’s life, but Jeannette Walls is different. Her life story is not only dysfunctional and one of true hardships, it is inspirational and remarkable.
I was initially drawn to her memoir through word of mouth. Every time I spoke of The Glass Castle, someone around me would explode with remarks of how they were unable to put it down even for a moment. Naturally, I shrugged off others’ enthusiasm because I knew in order to feel their same passion, I needed to become a part of Jeannette’s world myself.
The Glass Castle begins at the end, one of my favorite literary tricks. In the first few paragraphs, Jeanette exposes the reader to her mother: a homeless woman digging through the New York City dumpsters. Jeannette is nicely dressed and driving to some sort of meeting, but ducks at the sight of her mother for fear of being seen. Already we can tell a complex relationship exists between mother and daughter, and it is something that has been building for a lifetime. In addition, the reader initially becomes familiar with grown-up Jeannette where as the majority of the novel is narrated by her adolescent self.
Part two of the novel opens with four words: “I was on fire.” Three-year-old Jeannette had been cooking hot dogs, something she did quite often when her parents were busy. Her scream startled her mother and they rushed to the hospital. Doctors said Jeannette was lucky to be alive, and her large scar across her abdomen proved she was a survivor. At this point in Jeannette’s life she was living in the desert somewhere in Arizona; but a few months after Jeannette’s doctor visit, Dad woke the family, announcing it was time to do the “skedaddle.”
There were four Walls at the time: parents Rose Mary and Rex, Lori who was a year older than Jeannette, and Brian, her younger brother. Maureen was still an unfertilized egg in Mom’s belly at the time. Rex was an alcoholic. It had gotten so bad that he would not come home for days on end and when he did it would only be to collect money or drunkenly beat Rose Mary. The family rarely had enough money to buy food, clothing, or other essentials. Rose Mary never wanted to put her teaching degree to use, or even act as a mother, and spent her time painting. Rex held occasional odd jobs, but all of the money he earned vanished in under twenty four hours because of his alcohol habit. The children of the family were not enrolled in school until they were approaching ten. The Walls parents let their children roam free throughout the desert, and the kids became tough and knowledgeable without a classroom setting. In fact, the Walls children were brilliant. They all had artistic skills combined with an understanding of the outdoors, physics, and geography. No one in the family ever complained – even when days went by without an ounce of food.
Lori learned to take care of Maureen and helped Mom out when she did have a teaching job. Jeannette and Brian were always messing around outdoors and going with the flow of their crazy life without a degree of self-pity. The three eldest children started working as soon as someone would hire them, but even their money was not safe from Dad’s rampages. They lived in broken homes without electricity and toilets. When Dad couldn’t pay bills, they got up and left in the middle of the night, leaving what little belongings they had behind. It is clear that Rex and Rose Mary are stubborn characters, unfit to be parents.
Jeannette was twelve when it seemed her family had run out of options. Again, she was rattled awake in the darkness of night and obediently followed her dad into the “oldsmobile” for their journey to Welch, West Virginia, the hometown of Rex’s parents. For years the family was plummeting into depths of poverty unimaginable to a person like me. The children knew the only way they would ever escape poverty was if they left their parents’ household. The decision to leave was heart-wrenching and would ultimately tear the family apart. Jeannette never wanted to witness her parents in danger, but the only way to save herself was it abandon them.
The Glass Castle is an amazing true story of a woman who escaped a broken home, an intoxicated father, and a life of poverty to become the successful individual she had imagined. Jeannette Walls strength and determination led her to become a well-known writer in New York City, a profession that seemed unreal when she was a child. Her memoir engrosses the reader from the first page and teaches values of compassion and appreciation with each new chapter. The Walls are satisfied with the smallest meal, a shiny rock, or a single thrift store jacket to get them through the winter whereas the average middle-class family desires much more. The extraordinary memoir The Glass Castle is a book you will not want to skip out on. This book appeals directly to the reader’s emotions; I found myself wanting to cry one page and then accidentally laughing out loud the next. Jeannette Walls is a heroic woman with a past that heightens the impressiveness of her achievements. Her talent for stringing phrases together and engaging the reader makes The Glass Castle a must-read for all ages.

Desert Solitaire

To most, the desert is viewed as an arid wasteland with very little value, beauty or importance. However, there are those few who appreciate nature for everything it is and represents. Edward Abbey is one such person. In his collection of essays, Desert Solitaire, Abbey explores the intrinsic beauty, the brutality and the necessity of undeveloped wilderness while living alone in Arches National Park near Moab, Utah. When published in 1968, Arches had yet to be commercialized; there were no paved roads, parking lots or vending machines. In the early “primitive” years of the park, Abbey became the park ranger, living alone in a little trailer in the middle of Arches, surrounded by terrain that had yet to be transformed at the whims of humans.

Desert Solitaire is more than just a book of anecdotes recounting Abby’s time as a ranger, it is in fact a philosophical book questioning nature’s place in our society, our place in nature, the effects of rampant industrialism, and our own beliefs. Abbey states, “If industrial man continues to multiply his numbers and expand his operations he will succeed in his apparent intention, to seal himself off from the natural and isolate himself within a synthetic prison of his own making.” Later arguing, “Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread. A civilization which destroys what little remains of the wild, the spare, the original, is cutting itself off from its origins and betraying the principle of civilization itself.” In this modern day, around half a century after Desert Solitaire was published, his points are completely valid. How will our civilization and race survive if we cut ourselves off from the planet on which we live? Because of our industrialization and consumerist mentalities, humans are slowly altering/destroying the planet, an act Abbey wishes to forestall.

Throughout the book it is apparent that Abbey is very opinionated. He dislikes all that will try to destroy what he feels to be sacred, the untamed regions of Earth. However, we find Abbey to be full of contradictions: the apparent love of wilderness we experience on a raft trip down Glen Canyon and the days spend wandering the Maze do nothing to stop him from littering right out the back of his little trailer. For him, solitude and escape from modern civilization are vital; but later he says that the only thing better than solitude is society. This only lends to his main goal of provoking thought. His observations, opinions and theories may attract a few and be completely rejected by others, but the true power of the book lies within the feelings and opinions Abby’s writing evokes.

I found Abbey’s writing to be graceful and flowing, basic but incredibly complex at the same time. He is truly a master of the description. Throughout, the reader is entreated to stunning passages painting a complete picture in one’s mind. In the book’s entirety, there is not a single sentence that does not belong and the problems of the exploitation of nature by the oil and tourism industries presented are just as relevant today as they were in Abbey’s time. It is a fantastic read for those who have experienced living firsthand in and with nature.

Abbey wrote Desert Solitaire to say this, “A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, power lines, and right-angled surfaces. We need wilderness whether or not we ever set foot in it. We need a refuge even though we may never need to set foot in it. We need the possibility of escape as surely as we need hope; without it the life of the cities would drive all men into crime or drugs or psychoanalysis.” The wilderness provides that which most seek throughout their lives; a peaceful refuge, and a place of relaxation and beauty. Just the idea that such a place exists allows many to function in their hectic, business and money driven lives. Without the wilderness we would go crazy.

Do you agree? Read this book and you will come to know the answer.

Desert Solitaire

Desert Philosophy...Or Philosophy in the Desert?

By Mason DeMist

The desert to some may seem to be a wasteland, a majestic oven, or a beautiful paradise, but to Edward Abbey, the desert is all of these. Desert Solitaire is a collection of adventures of a park ranger throughout the west, which all tell their own stories and the relating philosophical views. Through this extremely intelligent view of Abbey’s he paints a picture of Human Nature as it truly is, and his almost hatred of society. With his amazing writing style, the book becomes a near journey in itself, putting it in the ranks of the best books I’ve ever read. Through this journey, he tries to explain the real role of nature, and its contest with modern society, using the beautiful Moab Utah area as a backdrop, by which he draws his philosophical ideas from.

Abbey takes for granted the simplicity of nature, and draws it into the most philosophical terms. For example, “Strange as it might seem, I found that eating my supper out back made a difference. Inside the trailer, surrounded by the artifacture of America, I was reminded insistently of all that I had ... left behind ... . By taking my meal outside ... with more desert and mountains than I could explore in a lifetime open to view, I was invited to contemplate a far larger world, one which extends into a past and into a future without any limits known to the human kind.”(p 121)
By eating dinner outside, Abbey takes this boundless outside and makes it into a replacement for society, the best companion to a man. With many, many passages describing the true place of nature on a human’s life, he presents the active role of nature. While presenting nature, he also shows the modern side of the world that we live in, which may be opinionated, but to this reader, is also the truth.

“My God! I am thinking, what incredible shit we put up with most of our lives – the domestic routine (same old wife every night), the stupid and useless degrading jobs, the insufferable arrogance of elected officials, the crafty cheating and the slimy advertising of the business men, the tedious wars in which we kill our buddies instead of our real enemies back in the capital...” (193)

By explaining what modern society is to him, he can stitch the views of society and nature together, and show their active roles on the world we live in.

“The knowledge that refuge is available, when and if needed, makes the silent inferno of the desert more easily bearable. Mountains complement desert as desert complements city, as wilderness complements and complete civilization” With many quotes like this that state two separate entities (society and nature), he can sum up the overall place that we Americans live in.

The real success of this book, on the other hand, is the level to which the reader is involved with creating this ultimate “world”. Every point that Abbey makes is interpretable, which may come to change the entire philosophical aspect of Desert Solitaire. The book is only a layout, a manual if you will, to express what the reader really finds in the comparison between nature and society.

Most books these days fail to capture the pure essence of what the author is really writing about, but Desert Solitaire is a major exception. Edward Abbey’s amazing writing captures his true feelings about nature and society, and presents them in a way that's understandable to the reader, letting their own feelings come through. This book is a masterpiece on every level in my opinion(minus a couple boring pages talking about water). Although not a fat book, it rewards for the time spent reading it, and capitalizes on the true human inside you; the kind that just wants to rip your clothes off, punch your boss in the face, and walk into the wilderness, with all its beauty and mystery.

Me Talk Pretty One Day

After his literary success, Naked, David Sedaris strikes gold yet again with Me Talk Pretty One Day. Sedaris shares his life stories through a collection of hilarious, and sometimes even sad, short eassys. He lets his life hang loose, but with humor this genuine, how could anyone not want to sneak a peek?

Humor is not something anyone can pick up over night. Some people have the ability to write humorously, and others don’t. Sedaris most definitely does. He has perfected and showcased his talent in his twenty-eight knee-slapping, rib-tickling tales. His stories range from the loss of childhood pets to the biggest turd he has ever seen in his life. Sedaris’ key to humorous writing is keeping it as authentic as possible and knowing when to laugh at himself. In an interview with Linda Richards, Sedaris admits, “it's much easier …[to] talk about what an asshole you are. And I'm the biggest jerk in every one of those stories, but that's not faked.” Sedaris, mixed in with ridiculously funny images, tells the truth, which, as simple as that sounds, is the funniest thing about the book. Few other authors have the guts to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth as Sedaris does in Me Talk Pretty One Day. He boldly makes fun of nearly every type of person, including his ex-boss, a cheap rich lady who acts as if she is living in poverty, his father, who eats rotten food that he has hoarded for many months, and even himself when insomnia strikes. He shamelessly recounts his life as a so-called “artist” during his crystal methamphetamine stage and makes it seem like it is no big deal. Sedaris reveals some of his most private and humiliating stories to the world without even blinking an eye.

Sedaris recalls enough unique experiences in Me Talk Pretty One Day to last anyone a lifetime. Many of the stories he tells seem as if they came from two completely different people. Who would have guessed that the same innocent fifth grader in speech therapy could have grown up to be a drug addict, who later lived in France with a boyfriend? His life is so cinematic that the reader begins to feel as if anything is possible. Me Talk Pretty One Day has something for everyone. Dysfunctional families, high expectations from parents, horrible bosses, pesky tourists, or whatever else it may be, Sedaris has been there and done that. Although the average person’s experience may not compare to Sedaris’ over-the-top-writing, it is bound to bring memories rushing back. Me Talk Pretty One Day is relatable, giving each story a third dimension, allowing Sedaris’ readers to draw from their own personal experiences, which upps the hilarity.

David Sedaris’ account of his seemingly simple family and life experiences brings humorous writing to a whole new level in Me Talk Pretty One Day. With such brutal honesty, it is hard not to congratulate Sedaris on his collection of essays. Burnouts, artists, teachers, foreign exchange students, and every other type of person will find at least one story that will catch their attention, and after that, they won’t be able to put the book down until they have read every last hysterical word.

Weekends At Bellevue

Weekends at Bellevue depicts the life of a psychiatrist working in the emergency psych ward of Bellevue Hospital, in New York City. Before working at Bellevue Hospital, Dr. Julie Holland M.D. studied at the University of Pennsylvania, and the Temple School of Medicine. She turned down a full-ride to Columbia University’s medical school, so she could work her dream job as an ER psych. Julie Holland’s weekends at Bellevue Hospital are filled with psychotics, sociopaths, and criminals. She does a wonderful job at making her story personal and close to the reader.

One of the main things I noticed about Holland’s book is her varied chapter lengths. One chapter may be half a page, while the other is seven pages. I saw this as representation of her patients arriving at the ER. Some people are “O.T.Ds” (Out the Doors) or others come in the ER and are admitted for months. She never knows what she is going to get. Her writing is rushed, and sometimes it seems like she just needed to stop writing, for whatever reason. Her life at Bellevue was rushed, and she could never predict what was coming at her.

Not only does Dr. Julie Holland make it clear that she has a career at Bellevue, but she makes sure the reader knows that Bellevue is her life. Her story is obviously about her profession, but it is also about her personal relationships at the hospital. She is and writes in a straight forward, no bullshit way. Holland tells it like it is, to both the patient and the reader. Weekends at Bellevue gives people perspective on the world and how people’s emotions differ. Even a psychiatrist like Holland needs to talk to another psychiatrist to make sure she is not falling off the path after dealing with haunting events each weekend.

After nine years at the Bellevue ER, Holland’s profession does not get old. Throughout the story, there have been look-a-like incidents (people committing the same crime, or attempting suicide the same way), but still, it does not bore the reader. Holland is not afraid to describe the most graphic events that happened at Bellevue. For instance, the reader gets to hear all about a man who sticks a razor blade up his you know what in attempt to kill himself. Not only has Holland seen gruesome things, but they have happened to her. She tells stories about her being punched and stalked by patients and even co-workers.

Holland’s autobiography not only depicts her life working at one of the busiest psych wards in the nation, but it also tells the story of the “HP” (hospital police). She is constantly in communication with the police and she describes her relationship with the people who bring her patients. The police are there to protect her and keep her out of harm’s way, and it is clear that when crazy people are taken to Bellevue, she needs protection.

Weekends at Bellevue gives people the sense that they are not alone. There is such a thin flimsy barrier between sanity and insanity. So many things affect people and tragedies affect people differently. A sick friend, a drug overdose, or the loss of a child can all defect that loose line. This autobiography is partly, I believe, a confession. Holland can be described as narcissist, and she knows it. She feels badly that she talks harshly to patients, but she does not change her ways. But she wants people to know that she has a heart and genuinely cares about her patients, whilst being a hard-ass.

Dr. Julie Holland’s memoir is an easy read, but definitely should not be read by children. While the reading is easy and simple, her story is not, and can get intense at moments. There are depressing moments of her life, such as having a cancer-stricken friend and 9/11, but they are undoubtedly great moments to read.

Weekends at Bellevue is a must-read for anyone, even if you have no interest in psychiatry. It is an eventful memoir and you will not be able to put it down. Holland goes all out when telling her story of nine years at a Manhattan hospital. She tells the saddest, scariest, and most psychotic of stories, but makes sure there is laughter all throughout the story. She has a sarcastic sense of humor, and it definitely shows in this story.

Me Talk Pretty One Day

During break I read the book Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris, which is a collection of essays about different times of his life. It is split into two parts; the first being about his life before he moved to France, and the second part being about his life living in Normandy.

David Sedaris is best known for his humorous writing. Most of his books and essays are about himself and his life, but he expresses them in a tone that is funny and at times appears satirical. Growing up, he had a big family with married parents and five siblings. Also, at some point in his life he came out that he was gay. The people in his life appear important to him, because in nearly every one of his stories, he mentions his parents, siblings, and boyfriends.

Because this book is composed of many different essays, the motives and inspiration behind the writing is unclear. It’s obvious he wrote about events that were of significance in his life, from being in speech therapy during school, to family pets, to moving to France with his boyfriend. While he was writing the book, I don’t think he was trying to achieve a goal, teach a lesson, or explain himself; I honestly think writing is Sedaris’s passion and he just enjoys telling people about his life. Possibly in some stories, he is trying to influence people to learn from his mistakes; be careful what you try to say in French while shopping in Paris, never try to befriend your music instructor, and avoid county fairs in France. He cares about his family and friends, so they are mentioned in nearly every one of his stories. Writing this book, the author was rolling in his past memories and creating stories that are fun to read.

There is no general plot summary or setting in this book. The book changes its subject every ten or so pages. We read essays about Sedaris being forced to go to guitar lessons, struggle with items on a menu, learning French, and his dad hoarding rotten food and clothing. The style the book is written in is bittersweet. Each chapter is a new story, making it so the reader never gets bored with the subjects or characters. The issue I encountered with this is there is no overall climax or solution to the story, and it can seem choppy. But, this choppiness gives a structure to the story that is suited to its subject matter. Sedaris’s life seems to have many dynamics to it and seems to have a lot going on, so the story being all over the place fits well. The story isn’t in a timeline, first he’s in grade school then he’s in his forties, then he’s back at school. It is at first chaotic, which may be what his life is like, but then you get the out of order stories and you just have fun reading them.

This book was interesting to me, and I would recommend it to readers searching for a laid back, humorous, quick read. What I found most interesting were not the stories that he told, but the stories that he didn’t tell. He never tells the story about coming out that he was gay, you just read in a story he has a boyfriend. And he never talks about his mother’s death; he just says his dad got a dog after the event. He seems to write about times that were not too life changing and that he could put a mellow temperament on. It is a very laid back book, and I would recommend it. I have not read any other of Sedaris’s works, but after reading these essays I want to. One of the best things about this book is that if you are reading a story that doesn’t interest you, it will be done in a few pages and you will have a completely new story and setting. It is easy to read and it is fun to learn about several of his life experiences.