Customer Reviews

The Art of the Public Grovel: Sexual Sin and Public Confession in America

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First off, let me state that I enjoy books that are both entertaining and that make me think. Susan Wise Bauer's The Art of the Public Grovel fulfills my expectations on both counts. Her writing style is succinct yet flowing, while her knowledge of both historical events and religion is impressive. As a casual Catholic, I found what Bauer details of the American evangelical movement and the development of public confession - as compared to the Catholic non-public privacy of the confessional - fascinating. I never realized how important public confession is for most Protestants. Readers with a Protestant background may find equally informative her detailing of the Catholic stance on confession as a private event - and how this difference in perception of confession played a large part in how Catholics like Ted Kennedy and Cardinal Law
failed to meet the public demand for a full confession.

This book, which covers not only how Kennedy and Law (and others) lost their opportunities to salvage their careers, but how Clinton (the
master!) and others (from Grover Cleveland to Jim Swaggart (at first)) succeeded would make a good primer for public figures in how to make the best of a bad situation and, via public confession, save their careers. For the rest of us, it is simply a fascinating book!

I have to say that I got quite a bit out of this book. I'm fairly ignorant when it comes to religion and much of what Bauer says here is based on religious doctrine in regards to the act of confession. Thus, most of the narrative was new to me. Indeed, I knew nothing previously about Grover Cleveland's indiscretions or the scandals of Aimee Semple McPherson. With Senator Kennedy I've never respected or liked him for political reasons but morally he's a horror show. His so called "confession" over Chappaquidick was a travesty. With an ego like that we should be very glad he never became President. The Jimmy Swaggart chapter was truly perplexing. He mastered the right formula for confession and then told his flock to go to blazes two times thereafter. That scenario surprised me. I also appreciated her explanation of Oprah mania and just how much her shtick relies on public confession. Overall, this is a strong work.

I have been a fan of Susan Wise Bauer for quite some time. Her book, "The Well-Educated Mind", is excellent, and I have read it a number of times. However, I am perplexed, not to say a bit disappointed, with this work. I was fully prepared to enjoy this look into the public grovel, but two obstacles could not be easily overcome in my case.

First, this book is shamefully edited. There are misspellings, typographical errors and punctuation problems throughout the book. It is difficult to give credibility to a text riddled with such ubiquitous mistakes. I realise this criticism may seem trivial to some, but Susan Wise Bauer is an accomplished writer who should know better.

Second, the section on Bill Clinton's problems inexpicably omits entirely the ONLY reason he came to his public confession, i.e. the discovery of the infamous stained dress. I agree that this fact is prurient and unseemly, however, Susan Wise Bauer cannot ignore this critical component to her narrative and still maintain the reader's respect for her argument. Why she does not mention the dress, the turning point in the entire scandal, even once is a mystery begging for an answer.

Now, as for the rest of the book, it is quite good. Susan Wise Bauer has researched her topic thoroughly, and she allows the words of the grovellers to speak for themselves - there are numerous lengthy quotes throughout. Her book is certainly not an attack on any of her subjects, rather she objectively examines each case in detail (except for the Clinton case, of course.)

I will continue to read Susan Wise Bauer's books, but I must admit to not being as impressed by this offering as her other works.