What do we do with the work of monstrous artists? Can we separate it from their reprehensible actions and the suffering they cause? Claire Dederer doesn’t have an exact answer, but boy, was it thrilling to see her try to work it out on the page, using figures like Roman Polanski, JK Rowling, Woody Allen, Pablo Picasso, and others as her sparring partners. My favorite kind of nonfiction: thoughtful writing about tough stuff through the lens of the personal. More, please!
Monsters by Claire Dederer, (List Price: $17, Vintage, 9780525564188, April 2024)
Reviewed by Rachel Knox, Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg, Florida