robbo_c's review against another edition
An interesting story but terribly marred by lazy, postmodern prose. The longer it went on, the less engaged I became, until my frustration with the writing overcame my need to see how the tale played out.
tony_t's review against another edition
1.0
I didn't finish this book. I thoroughly enjoyed a short story by this author and was very disappointed that reading this novel turned into such chore. Anyone who has ever worked for a large organization will recognize the accuracy of the project meeting scenes in this novel. In the end, to my dismay, there were too many meetings and discussions and a decided lack of plot and action.
bormgans's review against another edition
5.0
(...)
Thematically, Scholz pairs a character that is realistic and sees human politics for what it is – inevitable, Machiavellian, out of control, conflicted – and one that is naive, in search for truth. But in the novel – as in life – truth is problematic, as even smart men can’t agree. It is not much of a spoiler to say the tragedy of Quine is that he eventually makes ‘moral’ mistakes like Highet too. Yet, morality is in the eye of the beholder, and while Scholz has written an indicting, political book, it steers clear of easy judgements or finger pointing. Democratic oversight is very hard to get right, and bureaucracy unavoidable. Decisions are “taken in the absolute vacuum of procedure and contingency”, and humans have complex, differing motivations. We all need to eat.
(...)
Full review on Weighing A Pig Doesn't Fatten It
Thematically, Scholz pairs a character that is realistic and sees human politics for what it is – inevitable, Machiavellian, out of control, conflicted – and one that is naive, in search for truth. But in the novel – as in life – truth is problematic, as even smart men can’t agree. It is not much of a spoiler to say the tragedy of Quine is that he eventually makes ‘moral’ mistakes like Highet too. Yet, morality is in the eye of the beholder, and while Scholz has written an indicting, political book, it steers clear of easy judgements or finger pointing. Democratic oversight is very hard to get right, and bureaucracy unavoidable. Decisions are “taken in the absolute vacuum of procedure and contingency”, and humans have complex, differing motivations. We all need to eat.
(...)
Full review on Weighing A Pig Doesn't Fatten It
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