jpfriday's review against another edition
4.0
“... to dissolve rules and compromises in a gallon or a drop, while an ocean of possibility rolls around us.” Mark Greif’s essays take you through all kinds of weather – opaque fogs of confusion, politically charged hazes, and some blindingly clear skies. “Against Everything” asks its reader to re-think experiences both arbitrary and profound: what exercise is doing to us, how pop mobilizes language, our very relationship to the concept of “experience.” It’s a lot. It’s also uneven, and wordy. But it’s a book that launches you out of its covers with fresh eyes.
rachelmartin's review against another edition
3.0
some very good essays, and some not so good. Took forever to get through
jonathantoews19's review against another edition
2.0
Just because you went to Harvard or whatever, you think you're soooo smart
ericfheiman's review
5.0
Greif had me at the title of this book, but his expansive intelligence kept me reading to the end. I'm probably not smart enough to glean all the provocative insights and questions Grief presents here, but the ones I did will stay with me.
In an age of sycophantic "thought leaders", Greif is a true thinker and a true intellectual. He continually challenged me to reconsider subjects as wide ranging as food, war, Thoreau, reality television, and even the band Radiohead. How many essayists cover ground this diverse, and so consistently well? Not many, methinks. A true keeper, this book.
In an age of sycophantic "thought leaders", Greif is a true thinker and a true intellectual. He continually challenged me to reconsider subjects as wide ranging as food, war, Thoreau, reality television, and even the band Radiohead. How many essayists cover ground this diverse, and so consistently well? Not many, methinks. A true keeper, this book.
celina_r's review
3.0
I liked the essays "The Concept of Experience" and "Gut-Level Legislation, or, Redistribution", from the series labeled "The Meaning of Life". The first discusses the limitations of the thirst to collect experiences and explores two alternatives, aestheticism and perfectionism. The second is a short, strong argument on the morality of redistributive taxation. "Thoreau Trailer Park", which finds Thoreau's legacy not so much at Walden Pond as in occupied Zuccotti Park, isn't bad. The rest, on current-ish topics from gym-going to reality TV to military heroism, meander dryly and fail to connect.
libs's review
3.0
In theory, this is the kind of book I love. A collection of essays about a wide variety of things - art, music, war, culture of all kinds! Get me a copy right away!
In practice, I don't think Greif quite executed what I wanted from the book. I've been reading/rereading a lot of John Berger's essays lately which are so beautifully infused with a passion for life, and dipping back into Durga Chew-Bose's debut book which has these beautifully contemplative and descriptive essays in it, and a lot of Rebecca Solnit, also wonderful for making it seem very good to be alive. And - this book is called Against Everything. It's hardly going to be a beacon of hope. But whilst the kernels of each essay are interesting, I feel like Greif's writing is often really unpleasant to read. Some essays were great, and there were occasional paragraphs that made me really glad I'd bought this book. But overall, his writing style just feels so dour.
I like writing that also takes time to appreciate the act of writing as well as the subject matter, and this book doesn't have that.
It's still not bad, it's just ... not the book I thought it was. I might get more out of it returning to individual essays at a later point, but not right now.
In practice, I don't think Greif quite executed what I wanted from the book. I've been reading/rereading a lot of John Berger's essays lately which are so beautifully infused with a passion for life, and dipping back into Durga Chew-Bose's debut book which has these beautifully contemplative and descriptive essays in it, and a lot of Rebecca Solnit, also wonderful for making it seem very good to be alive. And - this book is called Against Everything. It's hardly going to be a beacon of hope. But whilst the kernels of each essay are interesting, I feel like Greif's writing is often really unpleasant to read. Some essays were great, and there were occasional paragraphs that made me really glad I'd bought this book. But overall, his writing style just feels so dour.
I like writing that also takes time to appreciate the act of writing as well as the subject matter, and this book doesn't have that.
It's still not bad, it's just ... not the book I thought it was. I might get more out of it returning to individual essays at a later point, but not right now.
geriatricgretch's review
4.0
An excellent recommendation - this is one of those books I wish I'd bought instead of gotten from the library, though. Each essay is pretty dense and I would have liked some more time to absorb them. Greif does an excellent job of capturing some complicated thoughts about patriotism, racism, war, punk music, state violence, reality tv (although I think this essay was the weakest - even though there was an update [the original version dated from the honey boo boo/home remodeling heydey] - this could have been more nuanced).
Well worth your time, if only for the learning how to rap, Octomom/financial collapse, and Iraq War essays.
Well worth your time, if only for the learning how to rap, Octomom/financial collapse, and Iraq War essays.
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