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Liked It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “I almost never give 5 stars, but this is the best book I've read that was written after 1960 (Fowles, Stegner, Eco et al. move over), so that's 5 stars. The premise sounds impossible: a book about a man who runs around writing letters to characters fictional and real, living and deceased. How...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “I have a really hard time following Bellow's stream of consciousness. I dunno, maybe because Herzog was such a mess as a character; but it was almost a little too contrived. Not my favorite, to be sure, but I'd give Bellow another chance (I read the Adventures of Augie March and that was...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“I love Bellow's prose, and the character Valentin Gersbach is a memorable portrait of the kind of empty person who gets along very well in our particular culture.”
Ry R wrote this review Saturday, November 21 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I love Bellow, and would rank several as my favorites. This being one of them, and a fine representative for my shelf.”
Dave M wrote this review Friday, September 25 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Woaw. This is one of the most enchanting book about failure I've read. Herzog is charming and romantic underneath his first layer of boring-frustrated-old-professor, he's nostalgic, childish, innocent. He writes and writes and write hoping that he'll change something, in the people he writes to, in the world.
Andy wrote this review Saturday, April 25 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
However, I think the book doesn't have enough letters and memories. Herzog doesn't seem like a person to live in the present, so there's too much of the present in the book.”
“Originally I gave Herzog only three stars. I thought that I couldn't wait to be done with the book, however since reading it a bit over a week ago, I cannot stop thinking about this novel. It grows on you. The first half is bleh even, but hold out for the second half, and then let ole Moses Herzog win you over long after the final pages. ”
Melissochka wrote this review Tuesday, March 17 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Saul Bellow has more of a book on one page of (nearly) any of his novels than most writers have in their entire book. This is one of his finest works, I think, although Augie March and Humboldt's Gift are my favorite reads.”
moik wrote this review Sunday, January 18 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I took on reading this book because of Bellow´s reputation as a great humorist and a Nobel winner, but it was not funny at all - simply boring.”
Svjetlana S wrote this review Wednesday, December 17 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No1 of 1 members found this review helpful“I almost never give 5 stars, but this is the best book I've read that was written after 1960 (Fowles, Stegner, Eco et al. move over), so that's 5 stars. The premise sounds impossible: a book about a man who runs around writing letters to characters fictional and real, living and deceased. How would THAT be interesting? It's gripping precisely because Bellow is peerless at creating a compelling character. And he just MILKS it. Herzog is terrific, his "women" are terrific, the situations he gets himself into are tragic and comic and ridiculous and make you want to laugh and cry. Seize the Day was a kind of practice run, but this book is as good as literature gets. And the fact that its premise is so unlikely just makes it all the more remarkable. With this book, Saul Bellow can take his place alongside Steinbeck and Hemingway (and who else?) as the best American novelists of the 20th Century. I can't wait to read more of his stuff...”
Crescent V wrote this review Monday, May 5 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“An uneventful book about a relatively normal guy who complains too much. ”
Jeff wrote this review Monday, February 18 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“A wonderful book, but definitely a heavy read. Not everybody will enjoy reading Herzog. Moses Herzog, not atypical of Bellow's charachters, in his struggle, provides great insight to human nature, but gives an epic account of struggle of Jewish people in America.
Shailesh K wrote this review Friday, January 4 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Frequent references to philosophers and thinkers make the book a difficult read as Herzog condemns Hobbes, Freud, Shapiro and Banowitch. He attacks Dewey and Nietzche and identifies the philosophy of Spinoza in his colleagues predicament. Eisenhower and Binova Bhave share the same pages in the book. So, I agree, the book definitely shortens its outreach. I do believe best literature is the simplest one as it can be enjoyed by everyone. But great writers write two kinds of books - one they want people to read, the other that they always wanted to write. Herzog falls in the second category and I'm sure it represents the writer's own philosophical beliefs. Those who find it complex should read "Seize the Day" by Bellow.”
