14 Books
See all
I listened to it as an audiobook. It's not the newest book - which is always a concern with sciency books, but it's interesting and seems solid, covers a wide range of issues. I'm not an expert on the matter.
The essay was written in 1969, and a lot of what rings true in it also seems obvious - but this is coming from someone who studied philosophy in college. I found the first half excessively long, and his claims to doing science annoying (and futile). However, half way through things pick up and it becomes pleasant to read. All in all, I'm glad I did.
Hemingway is capable of a near perfect style but he doesn't seem to be aware that if he just let it be, it would be sufficient. So he ruins books by having too much plot. This one in particular had, imo, (it's all imo), a butchered ending, one that turns the whole story into propaganda of sorts, a book with a thesis.
But that's just the last 10 or so pages, so still many many pages of great reading.
