The Diagnosis : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Stick your tongue out and say "Blah."
Review: A disappointment. "The Diagnosis" tells the Kafka-esque story of Bill Chalmers, a 40-something financial analyst in Boston who, unable to keep pace with the overload of information modern society requires of him, slowly loses all of his physical senses. The modern story is offset by a parallel tale set in ancient Greece concerning Anytus, the executioner of Socrates, during the final days before the execution.

The relation between these two seemingly disparate stories is this: Socrates introduced Western society to the practice of acquiring knowledge through public discourse and communication, and both Anytus and Chalmers suffer for their irrational rejection of the "information revolutions" of their time. Each of their sons, however, embrace the free exchange of ideas enabled by public discourse and technology and are rewarded for it.

So what? It's a superficially clever conceit, but it's not sufficient to sustain a book. It's not even sufficient to sustain a "Twilight Zone" episode, as no diagnosis for Chalmers' condition, however farfetched, is ever revealed. The characters are woodenly written and unconvincing. (Why, for example, did Chalmers flee the hospital during his initial memory loss?) Moreover, Lightman's attitude towards the rejection of modernity is never made clear. On the one hand, Lightman's portrayal of Chalmers' degeneration (and Anytus' parallel tale) suggests that it's a fool's strategy; on the other, Lightman's horrific depiction of modern life (as an unending clutter of car horns, emails, phone calls and red tape) suggests that it's the only rational reaction. Pick one, Mr. Lightman, then write a book.

There's no gnosis in "The Diagnosis." You're better off reading Socrates.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I agree with another reviewer who says this book started strong but then lost momentum. I finished it to keep my word, having told someone I would read it and share what I think ... which is the following: there is no resolution to the conflict (it is left hanging, abandoned); characters are not fully developed; and the juxtaposiiton of Anytus's story is more irritating than illuminating.

The story could have been rendered more effectively as a novella. The theme, though compelling certainly in this information and computer age, becomes cloying by the end of the book. We get it, Mr. Lightman. Human health and personal interactions are more fragile, indeed, than man's creations to improve both. They flourish while we founder.

What we don't get is the engaging storyline, the simple "what's-going-to-happen-next" delight in reading a story that entertains as it instructs, and reassures as it reveals. On this count, the novel fails committed readers who read on, faithfully, watching Bill Chalmers' mysterious condition deteriorate, undiagnosed. Then the book ends.

Rating:
Summary: Special reason to read this book
Review: I'll get to the very special reason to read this book in a moment...

If you're familiar with what DiLlilo tried to do in his novel White Noise then you're ready for a better example of that effort here. This is a much more readable and entertaining story of modernity (post-modernity?) overtaking life. If there's anything annoying about the novel it might be the sense that it was written hastily by someone just getting out of a postmodern theory course. You can talk about fragmented identity, hyperreality, hypertexts, intertexts, pastiche, white noise, simulacra and all that. But it works here. Don't think too much while you're reading this book. You're supposed to feel a jostled and displaced from time to time. You should also find a somewhat predictable narrative running through it all. It's part of the experience.

The story of Anytus? Just a foil to Chalmers, don't you think? The protagonists in the Anytus segments face some disconcerting options in their lives just like Chalmers and his gang do. Compare and contrast. How do the slaves in Athens compare to the corporate slaves in 21st century Boston? Compare father-son relationships. Etc.

Ok...Now the real special thing about this novel: Unlike every flipping novel that I've read that has been written in the last 10 years, this novel does not -- DOES NOT -- include the word condom once! Hurray for Lightman! I am not kidding...there's no mention of condoms. That's enough for a star. This book is five stars if you've had it with condoms, 4.5 stars if condoms matter not a whit to you.