Customer Reviews

Reporting the Universe (William E. Massey Sr. Lectures in the History of American Civilization)

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For those who have loved the delicious novels of this inordinately talented writer (eg 'Ragtime', 'The City of God', etc) here is the opportunity to read some illuminating thoughts by a man who is as fine a philosopher and thinker as he is a novelist. This collection of fourteen short essays range in topics from memoirs about what inspired Doctorow to become a writer, to probing and challenging forays into religion, to the sad state of our US government with suggestions on how we can regain control of a government no longer "of, by, and for the people". He frequently quotes Walt Whitman and Emerson and the Age of Enlightment, and embraces the idea of a God who is ever-changing as our society and world evolve. At times humorous, at times fearful of our direction as a country, Doctorow continues to reveal a fine mind as well as a consistly fine gift for writing. Recommended for the reader who wants to face universal questions.

E.L. Doctorow shoehorns a lot into this slim book, including snippets of memoir, thoughts on writing and storytelling, and ruminations (lectures, even) on how to live in a country with a secular religion in which ever-decreasing numbers of its citizens believe and in a world with ever-increasing fanaticism and fundamentalism.

Doctorow is somewhat of a polymath, with an impressive depth of knowledge in fields like physics, history, religion, and philosophy, as well as literature. He also is a serious and original thinker. Thus, regardless of what you think of his fiction, reading his essays is not a waste of time. But in REPORTING THE UNIVERSE (a title derived from an essay by Ralph Waldo Emerson) Doctorow tries to cover too much in too little space. When he goes beyond memoir, his ideas need more development and explication. In addition, at times the author's voice becomes cranky or curmudgeonly, and on a couple of occasions his lecturing tone comes too close to becoming a hectoring tone.

but parts are tedious. He makes some good points and the writing is rather entertaining in parts, but as a whole it seems to keep bogging down and becomes a difficult read. It starts with his early life which is rather fun to read but progresses to a series of lectures on the relationship between reality and theology. Although some of his points are good, others seem to get lost on tangents. I am glad I read it, but doubt I will pick it up again or recommend it to a friend.