This Is the Way the World Ends

Rating:
Summary: Thoughtful and Moving
Review: It is rare to find a book that is both intellectually and emotionally satisfying. James Morrow's vicious and honest indictment of human madness and the complicity of inaction acheives both. This is not an easy book, becuase it doesn't flinch or pull a single punch. Few writers have the courage to directly confront issues of morality and religon head on, but Morrow does. It is a testament to his skill that after reading three of his books, I still could not decide if he was a devout Christian or a devout Atheist. (I've since found out he is a devout skeptic, which is healthy enough, I guess). I haven't yet embarked on his "Godshead Trilogy," but after this book, "City of Truth," and "Only Begotten Daughter," I know the glass knife of his wit is no accident. In a way, it is a shame he gets shelved in science fiction, since his is every bit the literary child of Swift and Twain. Kids will read him in future High Schools, if he and his books aren't burned as heretical first...

Rating:
Summary: Accept the premise and it just takes off ...
Review: Not Morrow's best work--you need to read ONLY BEGOTTEN DAUGHTER or TOWING JEHOVAH for that--but a great read nonetheless. The set-up is brilliant (Nostradomas, with a little help from Leonardo da Vinci, looks at the end of the world). The story itself gets off to a rocky start, and you need to swallow the premise a bit, but it's worthwhile. The book quickly finds its legs and takes off on one of Morrow's most imaginative rides. Read it!

Rating:
Summary: Thermonuclear "Alice through the Looking Glass"
Review: One of the most original, entertaining and well-crafted books I've ever read. Morrow's use of language is elegant, witty and fun, while at the same time chilling your soul with a disturbing look at the end of the world through the eyes of a Nuclear Age Everyman. Morrow will leave you spooked, moved, heartbroken and occasionally make you laugh out loud. Highly Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: An odd, but interesting, post-pocalyptic novel
Review: Sandwiched between vignettes of Nostradamus, "This is the Way the World Ends" is the tale of George Paxton, and the five other remaining humans on Earth. Unfortunately for George, he and the others are being tried for war crimes stemming from the nuclear destruction of the planet by the "unadmitted"; basically unborn generations that have willed themselves into existence for a brief time in order to inquire why their potential will never be realized. Compounding George's dilemma is the fact that unlike his fellow defendants, who are all wizards of nuclear strategy, George is just a simple everyman (with the ironic profession of tomb stone carver) whose only "guilt" was in not carefully reading a sales contract for a free nuclear survival suit for his daughter.

As one can tell from this brief synopsis of the plot, this is not your ordinary work of post-apocalyptic fiction. Or rather, it covers the same ground, but from a completely different angle. The Nostradamus bookends offer an air of inevitability to the narrative, and introduce a major plot device, and Morrow's description of a nuclear war's aftermath is highly engaging. Where this novel really shines, however, is in the trial.

One might expect Morrow to be a staunch proponent of disarmament given the theme of his book, but that assumption is not entirely true. Through the mechanism of the trial, he rails against both the naiveté of the doves, and the hawks' disconnect from reality. As another reviewer so eloquently stated, he demolishes the generally accepted duality of nuclear politics, and demands the reader consider a third path of their own making. That's where George comes in; his real guilt is not in his action, but in his inaction.

While much of "This is the Way the World Ends" is written in the language of 1980's Cold War rhetoric, and the threat of a massive nuclear exchange has, if not passed, certainly lessened immensely, the novel still offers great insight. First of all, Morrow's discussion of deterrence versus disarmament is fascinating; in fact (and I say this with the benefit of a degree in the subject) they would be more than adequate points of departure for any undergraduate course in international security. Particularly fascinating are his statements within ten pages that (paraphrased) 1. You can't have deterrence without strength and 2. Strength leads to escalation leads to instability. Morrow doesn't offer any answers, but he does frame some fascinating questions. Around those questions he has built a novel of intense emotion and beautiful characters; the last time a book's ending moved me so intensely was another classic of the genre, "On the Beach". And while I wouldn't place it in quite the same league as Nevil Shute's masterwork, it is nonetheless a remarkable book that is eminently worth reading.

Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: An odd, but interesting, post-pocalyptic novel
Review: Sandwiched between vignettes of Nostradamus, "This is the Way the World Ends" is the tale of George Paxton, and the five other remaining humans on Earth. Unfortunately for George, he and the others are being tried for war crimes stemming from the nuclear destruction of the planet by the "unadmitted"; basically unborn generations that have willed themselves into existence for a brief time in order to inquire why their potential will never be realized. Compounding George's dilemma is the fact that unlike his fellow defendants, who are all wizards of nuclear strategy, George is just a simple everyman (with the ironic profession of tomb stone carver) whose only "guilt" was in not carefully reading a sales contract for a free nuclear survival suit for his daughter.

As one can tell from this brief synopsis of the plot, this is not your ordinary work of post-apocalyptic fiction. Or rather, it covers the same ground, but from a completely different angle. The Nostradamus bookends offer an air of inevitability to the narrative, and introduce a major plot device, and Morrow's description of a nuclear war's aftermath is highly engaging. Where this novel really shines, however, is in the trial.

One might expect Morrow to be a staunch proponent of disarmament given the theme of his book, but that assumption is not entirely true. Through the mechanism of the trial, he rails against both the naiveté of the doves, and the hawks' disconnect from reality. As another reviewer so eloquently stated, he demolishes the generally accepted duality of nuclear politics, and demands the reader consider a third path of their own making. That's where George comes in; his real guilt is not in his action, but in his inaction.

While much of "This is the Way the World Ends" is written in the language of 1980's Cold War rhetoric, and the threat of a massive nuclear exchange has, if not passed, certainly lessened immensely, the novel still offers great insight. First of all, Morrow's discussion of deterrence versus disarmament is fascinating; in fact (and I say this with the benefit of a degree in the subject) they would be more than adequate points of departure for any undergraduate course in international security. Particularly fascinating are his statements within ten pages that (paraphrased) 1. You can't have deterrence without strength and 2. Strength leads to escalation leads to instability. Morrow doesn't offer any answers, but he does frame some fascinating questions. Around those questions he has built a novel of intense emotion and beautiful characters; the last time a book's ending moved me so intensely was another classic of the genre, "On the Beach". And while I wouldn't place it in quite the same league as Nevil Shute's masterwork, it is nonetheless a remarkable book that is eminently worth reading.

Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: The Middle Lagged
Review: This book had the most wonderful, heart-wrenching beginning and ending I've ever read. If the whole book had been able to keep up that level of emotion and deft, then this book would deserve ten stars. However, between those two portions, the book lags and almost gets lost.

The reason for this is the passivity of the main character, George. <<SPOILERS AHEAD>> All George wanted at first was a Scopas suit for his daughter to protect her in case of a nuclear war. He finally finds a weird and almost unbelievable way to get her the suit, but he must sign a contract stating that he agrees with the nuclear arms race in order to get her the suit. He does, and on the way home to give it to her, the US is attacked by Russian nuclear weapons.

From this point on, George becomes a passive character. He's a prisoner on a submarine with a bunch of people that are not what they seem. Pages and chapters go by with George not taking any kind of action, he just sits back and allows himself to be lead around by others as events unfold. There is one chapter in the middle of the book where George becomes an active character, and that's when he gets off the submarine to try to get his fertility back. That chapter shines, it's vibrant and alive, but then he goes right back to being passive again.

The ending of the novel shines again, as George becomes active in taking care of his wife. What happens between them is written beautifully, sad but not melodramatic.

In conclusion, I'd say this book is definitely worth reading for that beginning and ending. And George's passivity might not bother most readers much because Morrow's style is very witty and funny, so the middle section may be enjoyable to most of you as well. The theme of the book may feel outdated to many readers, especially younger readers, in this age where terrorism is our main fear instead of a nuclear war with the Soviet Union.

As for other Morrow books, I'd recommend City of Truth, which although short, is a really great piece of writing. Maybe that's what This is the Way the World Ends needed...a little editing to cut down on the padded middle section. Also, Morrow's short stories are excellent, and you can find them in Bible Stories for Adults.

Rating:
Summary: The Middle Lagged
Review: This book had the most wonderful, heart-wrenching beginning and ending I've ever read. If the whole book had been able to keep up that level of emotion and deft, then this book would deserve ten stars. However, between those two portions, the book lags and almost gets lost.

The reason for this is the passivity of the main character, George. <<SPOILERS AHEAD>> All George wanted at first was a Scopas suit for his daughter to protect her in case of a nuclear war. He finally finds a weird and almost unbelievable way to get her the suit, but he must sign a contract stating that he agrees with the nuclear arms race in order to get her the suit. He does, and on the way home to give it to her, the US is attacked by Russian nuclear weapons.

From this point on, George becomes a passive character. He's a prisoner on a submarine with a bunch of people that are not what they seem. Pages and chapters go by with George not taking any kind of action, he just sits back and allows himself to be lead around by others as events unfold. There is one chapter in the middle of the book where George becomes an active character, and that's when he gets off the submarine to try to get his fertility back. That chapter shines, it's vibrant and alive, but then he goes right back to being passive again.

The ending of the novel shines again, as George becomes active in taking care of his wife. What happens between them is written beautifully, sad but not melodramatic.

In conclusion, I'd say this book is definitely worth reading for that beginning and ending. And George's passivity might not bother most readers much because Morrow's style is very witty and funny, so the middle section may be enjoyable to most of you as well. The theme of the book may feel outdated to many readers, especially younger readers, in this age where terrorism is our main fear instead of a nuclear war with the Soviet Union.

As for other Morrow books, I'd recommend City of Truth, which although short, is a really great piece of writing. Maybe that's what This is the Way the World Ends needed...a little editing to cut down on the padded middle section. Also, Morrow's short stories are excellent, and you can find them in Bible Stories for Adults.

Rating:
Summary: The cautionary tale to end them all.
Review: This book holds a special place in my heart, as it was the first James Morrow book I read. Others I have spoken to about Mr. Morrow, and reviews I have read here and elsewhere, appear to confirm that those touched once by his magical imagination remain lifelong converts. This book manages in turns to entertain with humour whilst simultaneously highlighting the madness surrounding military strategic thinking at the height of the Cold War. It also contains some of the most poignant imagery I have encountered in literature, especially the hero's attempts to come to terms with the loss of his young daughter. A number of excellent cameo appearances by Nostradamus round off a book for all serious-thinking literature fans.

Rating:
Summary: Boring
Review: This book proves that anyone can put words down on paper, attempt to sound sophisticated by writing gibberish, and have the American public sucked into reading it. The story starts off with some potential for an intersting plot but fails completely before halfway finished. It is one of only four books I haven't finished in my life and I don't foresee me wasting anymore time on it.

Rating:
Summary: An insane romp through insane subject matter
Review: Though the summary might suggest I did not enjoy this book, very little could be further from the truth. I thought this book was poignant and meaningful. Its subject-matter is a bit dated since the fall of the Soviet Union, but it is still a tale that packs a moral punch for today's society. As with most apocalyptic novels, the book seems to be a bit far-fetched in places. However, instead of trying to defend this as realism, Morrow goes overboard in his insanity for maximum potency. George Paxton, an average everyman, is thrown into a group of military personnel and technological geniuses responsible for the end of the world by signing a contract pledging his complicity in the nuclear arms race, and must answer for the crimes against humanity and against those who never had the chance to live. The references to Nostradamus as the narrator are lively and cleanse the literary palate quite effectively. I would not say that this is Morrow's best work to date, but perhaps the one of his works that deals most effectively with the frail yet arrogant human society.