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Simon Leys
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The Hall of Uselessness: Collected Essays Paperback – December 2, 2012

by Simon Leys (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 88 ratings
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Simon Leys' cultural and political commentary has long been legendary for its profundity and acerbic wit. In The Hall of Uselessness his most significant essays are finally gathered together, on subjects ranging from China to Orwell, from Quixotism to the sea.

Leys feuds with Christopher Hitchens, ponders the popularity of Victor Hugo and analyses whether Nabokov's unfinished novel should ever have been published. He dissects Mao's Cultural Revolution and the Khmer Rouge, and discusses Waugh, Simenon and Confucius. He considers Chinese art, culture and politics, the joys and difficulties of literary translation and the fate of the university.

The Hall of Uselessness is an illuminating compendium from a brilliant and highly acclaimed writer - a long-time resident of Australia who is truly a global citizen.

Praise:

'a rich and richly rewarding book' - Sydney Morning Herald

'Everyone knows the usefulness of what is useful, but few know the usefulness of what is useless.' - Zhuang Zi

Awards:

Shortlisted for the Non-Fiction Prize in the 2012 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards

Shortlisted for the Non-Fiction Prize in the 2012 NSW Premier's Literary Awards

Author:

Simon Leys is a writer, sinologist, essayist, literary critic and author of The Hall of Uselessness, Other People's Thoughts, The Death of Napoleon, The Wreck of the Batavia & Prosper.

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  1. Print length
    464 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Black Inc.
  4. Publication date
    December 2, 2012
  5. Dimensions
    5.51 x 0.94 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1863955852
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1863955850
  8. See all details
Next slide of product details

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Black Inc. (December 2, 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1863955852
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1863955850
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.06 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.51 x 0.94 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 88 ratings

About the author

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Simon Leys

Simon Leys

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
88 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book very insightful, erudite, and uplifting. They also describe it as interesting and lucid. Readers appreciate the wit and delightful turns of phrase. They praise the writing style as superb, precise, and sublime.

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Select to learn more
IntelligenceReadabilityWitWriting styleAuthor's humanity
18 customers mention "Intelligence"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful, erudite, and brilliant. They say it's a reproduction of an intelligent mind. Readers also mention the essays are interesting, sophisticated, and honest.

"...Mr. Leys' essays are provocative and insightful, his writings are succinct and critical, and his words are so precise, biting, and yet sometimes..." Read more

"What I liked the most about this book is the coherence, lucidity, honesty, and humanity displayed by the author (Simon Leys) in each of the..." Read more

"...He also provides his own interesting, balanced and nuanced perspectives on major literary figures, including Andre Gide, Victor Hugo, George Orwell..." Read more

"...heroes, and the fact that he writes with unmissable clarity and constant truth gives me, too, faith in Our Lord Don Quixote." Read more

18 customers mention "Readability"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the book interesting, great, and entertaining. They describe it as an extraordinary compilation of lucid, honest, and brilliant essays. Readers also mention the author is a great thinker about literature.

"...After previewing this sample chapter, it convinced me this book is one-of-a-kind and worth further reading." Read more

"Great set of readings by a person with whom I was not familiar. Soon after my purchase I learned that he had died. A brilliant critic." Read more

"This is an outstanding collection of essays...." Read more

"...book is a reproduction of a most intelligent mind' Reading it is uplifting for its insights." Read more

12 customers mention "Wit"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the thoughts in the book sharp enough to make them laugh. They appreciate the delightful turns of phrase and intelligent words. Readers also mention that the writing style is highly educative and precise.

"...Mr. Leys' essays are provocative and insightful, his writings are succinct and critical, and his words are so precise, biting, and yet sometimes..." Read more

"...Simon Leys has a writing style that is highly educative...." Read more

"...Therefore, his thoughts are sharp enough to make you laugh, to bring the who and why of an author to bear...." Read more

"...Simon Leys (pen name of Pierre Ryckmans) wrote with a dignified restraint and an abiding sense of compassion...." Read more

10 customers mention "Writing style"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing style superb, precise, and humorous. They also say the book is clear and elegant.

"...and insightful, his writings are succinct and critical, and his words are so precise, biting, and yet sometimes humorous...." Read more

"...are interested to know more about China, or enjoy clever, honest writing you certainly will not be disappointed with this book." Read more

"...scholar is one of my great heroes, and the fact that he writes with unmissable clarity and constant truth gives me, too, faith in Our Lord Don..." Read more

"clear, elegant writing. The book is a reproduction of a most intelligent mind' Reading it is uplifting for its insights." Read more

4 customers mention "Author's humanity"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the author thoughtful and enjoyable. They appreciate the nuanced perspectives on major literary figures.

"...about this book is the coherence, lucidity, honesty, and humanity displayed by the author (Simon Leys) in each of the essays...." Read more

"...He also provides his own interesting, balanced and nuanced perspectives on major literary figures, including Andre Gide, Victor Hugo, George Orwell..." Read more

"...wrote with a dignified restraint and an abiding sense of compassion...." Read more

"...Very good recommendation. A very interesting and thoughtful man, and a very enjoyable read...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Azaz
5.0 out of 5 stars inspired collection.
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2024
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clear, elegant writing. The book is a reproduction of a most intelligent mind' Reading it is uplifting for its insights.
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M Yeung
5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely worth reading. Highly recommended!
Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2013
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Simon Leys' book "The Hall of Uselessness" is a collection of his essays written over a period of several decades. Unlike similar books of essays, the author presents a wide range of unlikely and unexpected subjects in a single volume. His book introduces me to topics I normally would not dare to venture into such as Don Quixote, Mao Zedong and Christopher Hitchens. Born and raised in Hong Kong, I can visualize the nondescript place he describes at the beginning of the book, the hut in the shantytown of Hong Kong, where nobody expects to find anything cultural. Yet, hanging on the wall of this hut is a superb work of calligraphy in which "The Hall of Uselessness" is written. The author helps me rediscover this long-forgotten Chinese art. It reminds me of the small place I lived in my childhood, with a potpourri of Chinese calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls that my father so proudly collected over the years.

I'm hardly a scholar, and English is not my native language, but I can truly appreciate the intense emotion and humility reflected in his writings. For example, in his essay "An Empire of Ugliness," in defense of Mother Teresa, Mr. Leys strongly disapproves of the criticism directed at her by Mr. Hitchens, who wrote in his book, "The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice." Mr. Hitchens attacks Mother Teresa for accepting money from criminals and secretly baptizing the dying, to which Mr. Leys retorts that the only crime Mother Teresa committed is that she endeavors to be a Christian. I thoroughly enjoy the sharp exchanges between Mr. Leys and Mr. Hitchens. It's like watching two highly competent rivals dueling to settle a dispute with their swords, except that their words are their swords. Mr. Leys' essays are provocative and insightful, his writings are succinct and critical, and his words are so precise, biting, and yet sometimes humorous. After previewing this sample chapter, it convinced me this book is one-of-a-kind and worth further reading.
40 people found this helpful
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Frank J. Costa
4.0 out of 5 stars Great set of readings by a person with whom I ...
Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2014
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Great set of readings by a person with whom I was not familiar. Soon after my purchase I learned that he had died. A brilliant critic.
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Bernardo Gutierrez
5.0 out of 5 stars An extraordinary compilation of lucid and honest essays
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2017
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What I liked the most about this book is the coherence, lucidity, honesty, and humanity displayed by the author (Simon Leys) in each of the essays.

About half of the book is devoted to literary reviews of mostly French, English and Chinese writers, while the other half contains essays on China. These topics serve Leys as scaffolds to give us his humanistic view on aesthetics, art creation, honest reasoning, democracy and totalitarianism, as well as education.

Simon Leys has a writing style that is highly educative. While reading this book, I couldn't keep myself taking notes about authors and writing names of books that I wish to read (or re-read) from pens like Orwell, Balzac, Confucius, Chekhov, Liu Xiaobo, Cardinal Newman.

So if you love literature, are interested to know more about China, or enjoy clever, honest writing you certainly will not be disappointed with this book.
One person found this helpful
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Herman Cost
5.0 out of 5 stars Honest, informed, and willing to skewer sacred cows
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2023
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This is an outstanding collection of essays. Mr Leys is particularly good when confronting the naivety and intellectual dishonesty of the Western sinologists and other academics who were either unable or unwilling to tell the truth about Mao and the Cultural Revolution in China. It is to his great credit that in general he is never afraid to directly and strongly confront hypocrisy in its various forms. He also provides his own interesting, balanced and nuanced perspectives on major literary figures, including Andre Gide, Victor Hugo, George Orwell, Georges Simenon, and a number of others.

Highly recommended!
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T
5.0 out of 5 stars The most interesting essay collection I’ve read
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2024
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Simon Leys (the author) was a fascinating guy. His essays on Chinese calligraphy and painting are stunningly beautiful. His one of Confucius, I find myself thinking about constantly, and I read this book over a year ago. He writes about literature extensively, so I’ve taken to reading some of the authors he esteems in this collection, and of course I found out he is dead right about them. I’m considering buying his other work of fiction by NYRB or his biography next. Highly, highly recommend this book — if you’re interested in China, literature, art, spirituality… just get it. This guy was a weird genius.
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P. McCormack
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant for Balzac.... alone.
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2013
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Erudite. Clever. Learned. Pithy. These short reviews are each very entertaining, a way into the literature as much as a set of literary reviews.

The author, Simon Leys, can flat out THINK, and then flat out write. Therefore, his thoughts are sharp enough to make you laugh, to bring the who and why of an author to bear. I had not read much French literature, which I never thought much of a mistake, until I read this book. I found myself downloading Balzac on my kindle, then others, and enjoying the authors within the view of Mr. Leys...

Not just the French, but his Chinese insights, his speeches on Orwell. This is a great read, because he is a great thinker about literature.
19 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Arvo Marits
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in Germany on September 26, 2024
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Arrived in perfect condition. Would buy again from vendor.
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Mathijs van den Bergh
5.0 out of 5 stars Like an erudite ray of light
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 7, 2014
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This is a wonderful book, each essay stands by itself and all have appeared in other places. Whenever I need an antidote to vulgarity and brutality this book is there for me.
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Marcel Van Lysebetten ; Flanders
5.0 out of 5 stars you find a lot more of this ......
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 2, 2013
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"Half of the misery in this world is caused by people whoze only talent is to worm their way into positions for which they have no competence."
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George Hughes
5.0 out of 5 stars The charming and intelligent Simon Leys
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 25, 2013
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A delightful and fascinating book. All the essays are worth reading, and it is very well written. Definitely a good buy.
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