Customer Reviews
admirable boobs - By: Madly Bobbington-Blythe, 10 Apr 2007 
There are those who might suggest that this novel is lacking in certain things that could be deemed necessary to a novel - a significant plot, for example. I say, & it's robbed from Heller himself, that the object of debate is not debate - that is to say that the object of a novel is not necessarily to be a typical novel. This could be seen to be a didactic novel, a exercise in politics, in philosophy, in humanity. And it's damn funny! For those in the know, those with a keen sense of the absurd, & those with a sense of humour, not depressaholic to be sure, this is packed, loaded & bursting with inimitable Heller magic. Rembrandt is genuinely pathetic & cringeworthy, Socrates is one of the most admirable boobs ever portrayed, & Aristotle stands apart as a commentator of the sharpest intellect.
If you love Heller, hate Heller, or have never heard of him, this is a very funny & clever novel. If you want to learn about Rembrandt, screw Sarah Emily Miano, Tracy Chevalier or even Simon Schama - read this instead.
Not just for Heller fans. - By: Chris P. Coffey, 02 Feb 2007 As the reviews before mine have already stated more accurately then i could the premise of this book i wont deal with that aspect. I will however tell you that this book is a far reach (intentionallly of course) from Catch 22 so do not expect even a similar style of writing, this book is only periodicallly satirical & is more about the author humorous insight into a set of histories so in depth & long that for most people would have no starting point. This is a highly enjoyable book but is not as easy to read as Catch 22, its a tougher subject but in the end is worth every moment. It would be easy & obvious for me to recommend this book only to Heller fans who understand his writing or history buffs who understand the subject but i will however recommend it to everyone as its a hidden gem that anyone with even a passing interest in industrial, hellenic or artistic history should give a go.
Enjoy.
A cautious recommendation - By: Depressaholic, 06 Sep 2002 
Picture This is, for me, one of a triumverate of great novels penned by Heller (Catch-22 & Something Happened being the others), but also shows why many consider him a one novel wonder. It is a wry look at the 20th century western world, which is examined by implicit contrast to the warmongering of pre-Hellenic Greece & the rampant capitalism of Rembrandt's Holland. The focal 'action' is Rembrandt's attempts to paint his 'Aristotle contemplating a bust of Plato' (or something similarly titled - I can't quite remember) & Heller uses this as a tableaux to examine these distant yet not too different worlds. And that is about it.
Those who appreciate Heller's humour can hear him chuckling away in the background as he deconstructs modern America. The wit is acerbic, dark & dry & there are no 'laugh out loud' moments. He views ancient Greece & renaissance Holland not as historical entities but as contemporaries, alive & well in the twentieth century. For him the past is most certainly not another country, & this book is, for me, a beautiful exposition of our modern way of government & society. As in his other books, Heller manages to be both poignant & funny. Despite being a very clever work, it is not immensely scholarly & is very readable & accessible to anyone, I think, prepared to put up with Heller's usual slow & relentless pace.
These are both the joys and, for many, the problems with Heller. There is no plot to speak of, a humour that could easily bypass people not familiar with him, a very pedestrian pace, a potentiallly disorientating jumping between scenarios & periods, & repetition of material. Fans of Heller's other work will be familiar with this & know that this is where his strength lies. People less familiar (or perhaps those who have only read Catch-22)can quickly get annoyed with it.
I would recommend this book to anyone, but with caution. It is not 'a good laugh' & it is not 'a good story' & if you have struggled with Heller in the past I don't think that this is the one to convert you. For His fans it is a must.
history rewritten - By: , 12 Oct 2000 Socrates drunk the coneum,Rembrandt end up broke,Plato is a fascist,and poor Aristotles is about to die in exile.The story of a painting,a journey into history,Ancient Greece,the flying Dutchmen,the modern times.History repeated as a joke.
