Dwight Macdonald, as Louis Menand assures us in his entertaining Introduction, could be a pain in the butt. Macdonald was a rebel writer, constantly challenging societal norms. In his heyday, in the Fifties and the Sixties, Macdonald wrote for The New Yorker, The Partisan Review, Commentary, and other intellectual journals. In his most famous essay, “Masscult and Midcult,” Macdonald correctly identifies the movement that resulted in the dumbing down of culture that we’re experiencing today. This New York Review of Books volume brings together Macdonald’s best essays. My favorite is Macdonald stunning attack on the then brash youngster, Tom Wolfe. I found Macdonald’s essay on James Agee both insightful and poignant. Macdonald’s essay on Hemingway, judged as too harsh by many, is followed by a defense of Hemingway by George Plimpton. All in all, this book brings the forgotten Dwight Macdonald back to life. GRADE: B+
Table of Contents:
Masscult and Midcult
James Agee
Ernest Hemingway
Book of the Millennium Club
Updating the Bible
The String Untuned
The Triumph of the Fact
Parajournalism, or, Tom Wolfe and His Magic Writing Machine.
I was supposed to tell you how much Phil enjoyed that book about WW 2, can’t think of the title and he’s still asleep. I know he’ll like this one too.
You’re referring to INFERNO by Max Hastings, Patti. It’s the best book about WWII that I’ve read in a long time. I also enjoyed the new season of STORAGE WARS last night, but don’t tell Phil about that!
Ah, Dwight MacDonald. I remember reading his essays back in my grad school days. Thanks for the reminder.
Dwight MacDonald was quite a character back in the day, Bill. This is a solid collection of his best work.
I suspect I’d give it a much better grade than you have, George. He had his crotchets, but most of them had some solid inspiration, and a tendency to try to work at removing his own blind spots…as well as those of those around him, which helped make him an arse-pain to those around him, often rather more complacent sorts…
You’re right, Todd. MacDonald had his crotchets. This collection brings together his most notable essays. Much of his edgier stuff will have to wait for a more daring collection.
Just PARTISAN REVIEW, btw…no article. Edited there after being the pet Trotskyite at FORTUNE (!) and before striking out to found POLITICS magazine.
He was at the Tiger’s game, watching them lose, so all is well.