Miss Lonelyhearts by Nathanael West
Author: Nathanel West
Title: Miss Lonelyhearts
Original Publication date: 1933
Original Language: English
Edition: 2011 Ebook Edition
Publisher: Green Light
# of pages : 80
Source: Amazon Kindle
Summary (From Goodreads): Miss Lonelyhearts, published in 1933, is Nathanael West's second novel. It is an Expressionist black comedy set in New York City during the Great Depression.
Review:
What a strange book this is. I'm not quite sure why it was on the 1001 books to read before you die list, as I didn't reckon much. I understand the theme of it - a man who writes a column in a newspaper responding to personal letters from the public is dissatisfied with life and is looking for the meaning behind it all. It's a brief look at unhappy people. Or that's the way I saw it.
But when you look deeper you realise that none of these people are all that likeable. The main character, Miss Lonelyhearts as he is known, is the most unlikeable of them all. He treats others terribly, spends a lot of time moping around feeling sorry for himself, and surrounds himself with equally unlikeable people.
I found myself glad that this book was just a short one, as by the end I could not take any more of this unnamed character or his so-called friends.
Also, I didn't see much comedy in it. Maybe I just don't get black comedies, but this was just not funny at all. It was dark and kind of depressing, and it ended quite abruptly. Not one I'd recommend.
Title: Miss Lonelyhearts
Original Publication date: 1933
Original Language: English
Edition: 2011 Ebook Edition
Publisher: Green Light
# of pages : 80
Source: Amazon Kindle
Summary (From Goodreads): Miss Lonelyhearts, published in 1933, is Nathanael West's second novel. It is an Expressionist black comedy set in New York City during the Great Depression.
Review:
What a strange book this is. I'm not quite sure why it was on the 1001 books to read before you die list, as I didn't reckon much. I understand the theme of it - a man who writes a column in a newspaper responding to personal letters from the public is dissatisfied with life and is looking for the meaning behind it all. It's a brief look at unhappy people. Or that's the way I saw it.
But when you look deeper you realise that none of these people are all that likeable. The main character, Miss Lonelyhearts as he is known, is the most unlikeable of them all. He treats others terribly, spends a lot of time moping around feeling sorry for himself, and surrounds himself with equally unlikeable people.
I found myself glad that this book was just a short one, as by the end I could not take any more of this unnamed character or his so-called friends.
Also, I didn't see much comedy in it. Maybe I just don't get black comedies, but this was just not funny at all. It was dark and kind of depressing, and it ended quite abruptly. Not one I'd recommend.