 Waiting for the Barbarians by J.M. CoetzeeMy rating: 5 of 5 stars How am I just finding this now? Mike read a review on a top 100 novels list, and boy was they right–this is a brutal reflection on evil in the world. I like the universal nature of this–like it can be about Nazis, Apartheid, or any other social injustice–unlike Scarlet Letter or Crucible, which seem more directly tied to a specific social ill, this one is universal. And bleak. And just a fantastic book by an utterly untrustworthy narrator who admits his literary ambitions. And sexism–there is a lot of graphic sexual weirdness in this and prisoner torture–not for the squeamish, but first-rate writing. Highly recommended–wish I had read it 30 years ago! View all my reviews |
David Given Schwarm
Married, Father, Optum
David Given Schwarm 
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