--- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, "davezeltserman" <Dave.Zeltserman@...> wrote:
>
> Mario,
>
> Merriam-Webster's definition of nihilism:
>
> 1 a : a viewpoint that traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and that existence is senseless and useless b : a doctrine that denies any objective ground of truth and especially of moral truths
> 2 a : a doctrine or belief that conditions in the social organization are so bad as to make destruction desirable for its own sake independent of any constructive program or possibility b capitalized : the program of a 19th century Russian party advocating revolutionary reform and using terrorism and assassination
>
> I think anyone who has read James M. Cain's "Double Indemnity" would have to say it takes a nihlistic viewpoint, and I'd argue the same about "Postman Always Rings Twice", and many other noir novels, including those by Jim Thompson, Jason Starr, Charles Willeford, etc..
>
Jason's latest novel is definitely nihilistic. The writer takes on the suburbs (which is to say, a large chunk of present-day America) and takes them, everyone in them, and the environment where that type of life thrives... and blows everything up, literarily speaking. I consider this to be a very healthy book -- something of a departure for Jason, but one of his best works, definitely, as well as his most disturbing one.
mrt
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