

Pussy: A Novel
F**X
An intense satire of Trump written before he was Prez
I agree with the author’s sentiments and am impressed with how well he captured the character before he became President. I can only read his intense satire about 10-12 pages at a time. I may come back to it as we approach 2023.
A**R
REAL OR IMAGINARY....?!?!
WELL WRITTEN AND VERY ENTERTAINING BOOK! A WHIMSICAL TALE OF SOMEONE WHO WE HAVE BECOME ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH! IT MADE ME SMILE DESPITE THE DARK TIMES WE FACE WITH OUR CURRENT LEADER. ITS AS CLOSE TO FACT AS ANY FICTION BOOK I HAVE READ. PUTS SOME SUNSHINE (LIGHT) ON A DARK AND DREARY SITUATION. WORTH READING FOR THE FUN OF IT. MOST WILL ENJOY THE HUMOR AND SATIRE.
K**R
Reads like sci-fi.
Definitely a guilty pleasure because the text is dissociation as an literary style. It is cathartic because the presentation requires a subtle understanding of otherwise hollow space.
E**U
Disappointing. Probably written in 10 minutes.
What a disappointment. With all the available subject matter to work with, this book was a let-down. The best part is the cover. And the construction of the book is horrible, too. It literally cracked when I opened it and the pages are on the verge of falling out. Fortunately, it won't be getting a lot of handling.
S**A
Disappointing
I did not like this book and did not finish it.
S**R
A quick, pleasurable, and rewarding read
First, Amazon, if you want a thoughtful yet concise book review, stop demanding answers to multiple choice offerings that sound like points a third grade teacher requires from book reports from her students as the price of posting a review. Some of us have a workmanlike command of the English language and can get our thoughts across without your demands. They are insulting.Jacobson's book may be remembered as being to Trump what 1984 was to Stalin. No character or group gets a pass, though some are less repellant, and more witty, than others. The first 150 pages of this book are the best, as Jacobson describes, and encapsulates with wonderfully compact language, the trends, left and right, rich and poor, progressive and regressive, that grow into an electorate that shares, across spectrums a "my way or the highway" frame of reference that bars reflection and dialogue, and encourages polarization, in matters political and cultural. It is a great mirror on Western politics in the last few years.One advantage of the Kindle edition is the ability to, with slight pressure of a digit, to look up the definition or origin of an unfamiliar name, imaginary place, or word on Wikipedia or in a dictionary. Part of the pleasure of reading this book was quickly discovering the the meanings behind the names of the lands or cities or homes Jacobson assigned to them, as well as the not excessive amount of $3 words he uses to compress his narrative while coloring in a scene or thought.
B**Y
Entertaining and amusing easy read.
This was a gift for my husband who'd read a review about it. He wasn't disappointed! Entertaining and amusing easy read.
B**N
Funny, scary
Funny, until you think of the possible things he could do.
M**N
Mob Rule or Democracy?
"The game of politics is the same. Tomorrow you will all be employed - you promise. The day after tomorrow you will all have free healthcare. The day after that you will pay no taxes. Who really believes any of that is going to happen? Not the people, much as they would like to. And while they love me for telling them what they want to hear, they love me even more for the theatre of illusion I give them."Howard Jacobson wrote his bitterly funny Trumpian satire, Pussy, before the British General Election was a twinkle in our eyes. As I read it I was seeing the same wanton gullibility of the mob, here in England.Elegant and eloquent, may I suggest you read it now to see how relevant it is to the UK, or choose to read it afterwards, regardless of the result, to see how its specific story is universal, whether or not we live in a democracy.Churchill: "Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."
T**Y
Where reality is even more bizarre.
Howard Jacobson’s satirical novel has been said to not go far enough. That reality is more bizarre than fiction, but the novel only deals with the run-up to the election, not the Presidency itself.Fracassus is a spoilt brat brought up as Prince and heir apparent, despite being the younger son. His knowledge and use of language is limited, his actions designed to provoke rather than inspire. His words for women are unrepeatable and his disdain apparent. He has no use for formal academic education, as his parents feel this may corrupt his vast intellect. Living in the highest tower behind gilded golden gates he looks down on the ordinary folk in the pig sty.Fracassus is in his late teens before he leaves the country. There he meets Spravchick, who has a benevolent authoritarian approach to his people as well as an interest in wrestling. He makes an indelible impression on the young Fracassus who sees his strength as something to admire and his vacillating treatment of indigenous people, first as artisans then as foreigners, as something to emulate.The young radical that he meets back home, also makes an impression due to his oratory, not for its content but the influence it has over the people. This leads to a job in reality TV called Stopit! A bit like Jerry Springer, getting people to admit to their wrongdoing and then telling them to stopit!The ending suggests that people woke up and saw who Fracassus really was, but then the wind changed.
G**I
Down with Trump
It was a very careful condemnation of mr Trump and took a long time to readI had to put aside my immediate disgust of mr Trump but mustadmit that I felt better for the analysis.It makes me feel better.It's spot on
R**S
Pussy footed
Amusing but a bit disappointingTrump needs to be skewered, sliced up and sent to the back of the class
P**.
Not one of Howard's best
Stick to writing great novels and leave the politics to others!
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