13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Buy This Book, July 16, 2010
This review is from: The Fiddler in the Subway: The Story of the World-Class Violinist Who Played for Handouts. . . And Other Virtuoso Performances by America's Foremost Feature Writer (Paperback)
Seriously, I'm the first reviewer? I find that surprising, as I know I'm far from the only member of The Cult of Weingarten. I've been an ardent fan of Gene's Post chats for years, and pre-ordered this book months ago, ignoring the ridicule of my husband ("Why are you buying a collection of stories that you've already read?"). I received it a few days ago, and naturally he's already started stealing my copy to read for himself. We've both been skipping around, finding new essays that we missed and re-reading old favorites, and different pieces have been a topic of conversation every single day since it arrived - it's that good. I actually contend that while he's a gifted humorist, Mr. Weingarten's talent truly shines when he's writing features (and the Pulitzer committee agrees). This is a collection you'll come back to again and again. Poop.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Without passion, you have nothing.", July 27, 2010
This review is from: The Fiddler in the Subway: The Story of the World-Class Violinist Who Played for Handouts. . . And Other Virtuoso Performances by America's Foremost Feature Writer (Paperback)
Good writing is difficult to define, but you'll know it when you see it. It looks easy, but it's not. An effective essay has a central theme that is crisply expressed, with no extraneous words. An essay may be humorous, persuasive, powerful, moving, or all of the above. Gene Weingarten's "The Fiddler in the Subway" is a collection of twenty feature stories that originally appeared in the Washington Post. Weingarten is a reporter, editor, and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner who touches on a wide range of topics.
Weingarten starts off with a bang. "The Great Zucchini," is about "Washington's preeminent preschool entertainer." Zucchini commands big fees, but lives like a pauper. He has a magical ability to relate to children, partly because he is a big kid himself. He also harbors a shocking secret identity which is at odds with his public persona. Other notable chapters are: "The Armpit of America," about a Nevada town with little to boast about; "Snowbound," a visit to "a flyspeck island off the coast of Alaska"; "Doonesbury's War," in which Weingarten profiles cartoonist and political satirist Gary Trudeau; and "Fatal Distraction," about parents who inadvertently leave their small children in locked cars and forget about them. The final essay, "The Fiddler in the Subway," is about former child prodigy Joshua Bell, one of the world's premier violinists who, without fanfare, sets up shop in the Metro at L'Enfant Plaza. Will anyone notice that a renowned musician is playing for them?
The author's philosophy is that "a feature story will never be better than pedestrian unless it can use the subject at hand to address a more universal truth." He goes on to say that "it is not enough to observe and report. You must also think." Weingarten gives us much to ponder, including why some people stubbornly refuse to vote, the sick feeling that doting parents sometimes have when their grown children leave home, and whether it is really necessary to unearth every secret and scandal in the lives of famous people. "The Fiddler on the Subway" is an impressive, entertaining, and enlightening compilation by a man who has the ability to transform feature stories into works of art.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding, August 26, 2010
This review is from: The Fiddler in the Subway: The Story of the World-Class Violinist Who Played for Handouts. . . And Other Virtuoso Performances by America's Foremost Feature Writer (Paperback)
Only 2 reviews? Surprising. OK, I will not summarize the pieces that make up this volume. You can find that elsewhere, or you can just be surprised (if you have not read them before). Instead, I will just spit out a bunch of superlatives. This is the best collection of short non-fiction pieces that I have ever read. It really is that good. I am a sucker for great writing about everyday subjects. If you are too, then this is a must-read. These stories never once insult your intelligence; they are constantly giving you dots and you are connecting them in your mind as you read. And you don't even realize it. This is not writing for people that see the world in B&W - as good v. evil. There are no good guys or bad guys in here, just real people. If you are not convinced yet, I think you can find some of these stories online at the Washington Post. Read a few, then you will want to buy the book.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
