balletbookworm's review
3.0
Well, after slogging through the last half of this book I can't quite say for sure what intellectuals are good for.
Except maybe to think and write books.
Scialabba has a nice style of writing but I think what makes me go "meh" about What Are Intellectuals Good For? is a problem on my end. Many of the essays in this book are book reviews or political criticism - unfortunately, I haven't read the books under consideration and my political acumen is about nil. My lack contributed greatly to my inability to enjoy this book because so much sailed over my head.
Which is a pity because the book was hard to come by for several months. I think a reader who really enjoys political commentary (particularly one with left-leaning politics who comes to this book with knowledge of the authors at hand) will get far more out of the essays than I did.
Except maybe to think and write books.
Scialabba has a nice style of writing but I think what makes me go "meh" about What Are Intellectuals Good For? is a problem on my end. Many of the essays in this book are book reviews or political criticism - unfortunately, I haven't read the books under consideration and my political acumen is about nil. My lack contributed greatly to my inability to enjoy this book because so much sailed over my head.
Which is a pity because the book was hard to come by for several months. I think a reader who really enjoys political commentary (particularly one with left-leaning politics who comes to this book with knowledge of the authors at hand) will get far more out of the essays than I did.
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