What do you think?
Rate this book
Such Good Work
A timely and provocative debut novel that Rivka Galchen calls “wisely comic and tremendously moving,” about a creative writing teacher whose efforts to stay sober land him in Malmö, Sweden, where drugs are scarce but the refugee crisis forces a very different kind of reckoning.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT TO DO GOOD
Jonas Anderson wants a fresh start.
He’s made plenty of bad decisions in his life, and at age twenty-eight he’s been fired from yet another teaching position after assigning homework like, Visit a stranger’s funeral and write about it . But, he’s sure a move to Sweden, the country of his mother’s birth, will be just the thing to kick-start a new and improved—and newly sober—Jonas.
When he arrives in Malmo in 2015, the city is struggling with the influx of tens of thousands of Middle Eastern refugees. Driven by an existential need to “do good,” Jonas begins volunteering with an organization that teaches Swedish to young migrants. The connections he makes there, and one student in particular, might send him down the right path toward fulfillment—if he could just get out of his own way.
Such Good Work is a darkly comic novel, brought to life with funny, wry observations and searing questions about our modern world, told with equal measures of grace and wit.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT TO DO GOOD
Jonas Anderson wants a fresh start.
He’s made plenty of bad decisions in his life, and at age twenty-eight he’s been fired from yet another teaching position after assigning homework like, Visit a stranger’s funeral and write about it . But, he’s sure a move to Sweden, the country of his mother’s birth, will be just the thing to kick-start a new and improved—and newly sober—Jonas.
When he arrives in Malmo in 2015, the city is struggling with the influx of tens of thousands of Middle Eastern refugees. Driven by an existential need to “do good,” Jonas begins volunteering with an organization that teaches Swedish to young migrants. The connections he makes there, and one student in particular, might send him down the right path toward fulfillment—if he could just get out of his own way.
Such Good Work is a darkly comic novel, brought to life with funny, wry observations and searing questions about our modern world, told with equal measures of grace and wit.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published February 5, 2019
41 people are currently reading
1941 people want to read
About the author
Johannes Lichtman
4 books60 followersJohannes Lichtman’s debut novel, Such Good Work, was chosen as a 5 Under 35 honoree by the National Book Foundation. His second novel, Calling Ukraine, will be published in 2023. His work has appeared in Tin House, The Sun, Travel + Leisure, Los Angeles Review of Books, Oxford American, and elsewhere. He lives in Washington, DC.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
March 28, 2019
Jonas Anderson is starting over. Again. He’s made some wrong turns and thinks Sweden is the ticket for a new life. It’s hard to find drugs there, and drugs are one of his vices.
Malmo, Sweden has its own challenges as a city and for Jonas. The first is the large number of refugees and how to help them. Jonas volunteers to teach Swedish to the young immigrants.
Jonas really connects to the students and is going down the right path. His only obstacle is himself.
Surprisingly, Such Good Work is filled with witty humor balanced with real questions about how to help others along with helping self in a modern world. The messages here are quite strong and impactful.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Malmo, Sweden has its own challenges as a city and for Jonas. The first is the large number of refugees and how to help them. Jonas volunteers to teach Swedish to the young immigrants.
Jonas really connects to the students and is going down the right path. His only obstacle is himself.
Surprisingly, Such Good Work is filled with witty humor balanced with real questions about how to help others along with helping self in a modern world. The messages here are quite strong and impactful.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
November 13, 2018
Jonas Anderson, a twenty eight year old drug addict and creative writing teacher, had been fired again. Could it be the current assignment...attend a stranger's funeral and write about it? He was proud of the quality work produced by a struggling student. Jonas tirelessly worked with her to help shape her creative submission only to find out that she was not creative at all. She had plagiarized her work. Time to get high on drugs. "I had always thought of getting high as taking a vacation from myself...". Something had to change!
Dual American-Swedish citizenship had its advantages. Jonas grew up in Los Angeles, CA where his American mother insisted he learn Swedish as well. Determined to kick his drug habit, he moved to Lund, a college town in Southern Sweden, to pursue a master's degree in literature. Sweden was arguably one of the most drug free countries. Would a change in "geography" produce clean living? "Sobriety was a continuous struggle to appear comfortable while tremendously uncomfortable". Perhaps if not hungover, Jonas's writer's block would dissipate and his creative juices would flow.
Living in Lund, then Malmo, Sweden was challenging in 2014-2015. The Syrian Civil War had created a refugee crisis. Sweden had open borders. Jonas found a new purpose, volunteering to teach Swedish to Middle Eastern refugees. His intent was to "do good". Would he understand the needs of the young refugees under his tutelage to "forget the past" and "live in the future"?
"Such Good Work" by Johannes Lichtman was a heartfelt, compassionate, debut novel. The challenges of achieving sobriety cannot be understated. Presenting the refugee crisis with utmost clarity, the "dissonance" created between believers in an open nation versus an anti-immigration policy is debated. A highly recommended read.
Thank you Simon & Schuster and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Such Good Work".
Dual American-Swedish citizenship had its advantages. Jonas grew up in Los Angeles, CA where his American mother insisted he learn Swedish as well. Determined to kick his drug habit, he moved to Lund, a college town in Southern Sweden, to pursue a master's degree in literature. Sweden was arguably one of the most drug free countries. Would a change in "geography" produce clean living? "Sobriety was a continuous struggle to appear comfortable while tremendously uncomfortable". Perhaps if not hungover, Jonas's writer's block would dissipate and his creative juices would flow.
Living in Lund, then Malmo, Sweden was challenging in 2014-2015. The Syrian Civil War had created a refugee crisis. Sweden had open borders. Jonas found a new purpose, volunteering to teach Swedish to Middle Eastern refugees. His intent was to "do good". Would he understand the needs of the young refugees under his tutelage to "forget the past" and "live in the future"?
"Such Good Work" by Johannes Lichtman was a heartfelt, compassionate, debut novel. The challenges of achieving sobriety cannot be understated. Presenting the refugee crisis with utmost clarity, the "dissonance" created between believers in an open nation versus an anti-immigration policy is debated. A highly recommended read.
Thank you Simon & Schuster and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Such Good Work".
January 11, 2019
First: thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an advance copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion.
So. This book. In a lot of ways, this book reminds me why I stopped reading literature by straight white men for a year.
Such Good Work tells the story of Jonas, from his time as a literature lecturer in Wilimington, NC, where he's cycling between sobriety and drug addiction, though a similar gig (and similar on-again/off-again relationship with the wagon) in Eugene Oregon, to his grad program in Sweden, where he finally finds sobriety, finds himself, and finds a new purpose in life as an advocate, mentor, and English tutor for young refugee boys fleeing the current Syrian (and broader Middle East) crisis.
There is a lot about this book that's good. I really enjoy Lichtman's writing style, which is so realistic, with such a well developed protagonist, that I was convinced this was a memoir (as another reviewer has said), rather than a work of fiction. I also admire Lichtman's ambition, in trying to tackle so many of the pressing issues of RIGHT NOW--the refugee crisis, crumbling/exploitative academic culture, drug addiction/opioid crisis, and the bigger theme of our time which, in my opinion, is the constant struggle between doing good, remaining informed, and getting burned out or horribly depressed/anxious, vs, becoming apathetic and willfully ignorant in an attempt at self-preservation and being able to get out of bed. To this last point, I particularly appreciate the honesty with which Jonas narrates these conflicting emotions and urges--at many points, I found myself screaming "YES! THIS!" in support, as he accurately described feelings I've grappled with, but have yet been able to label.
However, the biggest problem is that, well, I just don't care what Jonas thinks. The first half of the book, where Jonas flits from class to class, and from sobriety to using, reads a bit too much like the 'white boy who desires to be a writer struggles to write' trope, one which was recently employed far more successfully, in The Nix (which also features a Scandinavian-American washed-up writing wunderkind who struggles with alienation/addictions, gets dropped into something much bigger, and slowly pulls himself out). I keep remembering the saying that 'being a drunk/addict doesn't make you interesting'--since that's the only thing that makes Jonas a bit unique, and even that isn't that unique (the constant repeated comments of "I wish I was high/on drugs" etc. were so bland they seemed more like bored off-hand comments, rather than given the weight and urgency that would seem more appropriate). More than that, it's far too long---for a book to claim to be about responses to the refugee crisis, the fact that refugees don't even show up till almost two-thirds of the way through the book, is a disservice.
As a result, this book is far too much about Jonas, who, in my opinion, is the least interesting part of the story. I also can't tell if we're supposed to view (and call out) Jonas for the naive, slightly self-centered, prototypical 'privileged white dude' that he is, or if Lichtman is himself unable to see the flaws in his character. Though at several points, Jonas calls himself out for veering a bit too much into 'instagram activism'/'voluentourism,' that he still continues to carry out the very actions he chides himself for, makes me wonder if we're supposed to forgive him, or pity him. And the end result is that these call-outs read more like Lichtman's insertions to avoid future criticism from angry internet mobs, rather than core parts of Jonas' character.
All this being said, I definitely enjoyed this book more than I didn't, mostly due to Lichtman's strong writing style. And once I recover from all the eye rolling, I definitely look forward to reading future works by him.
So. This book. In a lot of ways, this book reminds me why I stopped reading literature by straight white men for a year.
Such Good Work tells the story of Jonas, from his time as a literature lecturer in Wilimington, NC, where he's cycling between sobriety and drug addiction, though a similar gig (and similar on-again/off-again relationship with the wagon) in Eugene Oregon, to his grad program in Sweden, where he finally finds sobriety, finds himself, and finds a new purpose in life as an advocate, mentor, and English tutor for young refugee boys fleeing the current Syrian (and broader Middle East) crisis.
There is a lot about this book that's good. I really enjoy Lichtman's writing style, which is so realistic, with such a well developed protagonist, that I was convinced this was a memoir (as another reviewer has said), rather than a work of fiction. I also admire Lichtman's ambition, in trying to tackle so many of the pressing issues of RIGHT NOW--the refugee crisis, crumbling/exploitative academic culture, drug addiction/opioid crisis, and the bigger theme of our time which, in my opinion, is the constant struggle between doing good, remaining informed, and getting burned out or horribly depressed/anxious, vs, becoming apathetic and willfully ignorant in an attempt at self-preservation and being able to get out of bed. To this last point, I particularly appreciate the honesty with which Jonas narrates these conflicting emotions and urges--at many points, I found myself screaming "YES! THIS!" in support, as he accurately described feelings I've grappled with, but have yet been able to label.
However, the biggest problem is that, well, I just don't care what Jonas thinks. The first half of the book, where Jonas flits from class to class, and from sobriety to using, reads a bit too much like the 'white boy who desires to be a writer struggles to write' trope, one which was recently employed far more successfully, in The Nix (which also features a Scandinavian-American washed-up writing wunderkind who struggles with alienation/addictions, gets dropped into something much bigger, and slowly pulls himself out). I keep remembering the saying that 'being a drunk/addict doesn't make you interesting'--since that's the only thing that makes Jonas a bit unique, and even that isn't that unique (the constant repeated comments of "I wish I was high/on drugs" etc. were so bland they seemed more like bored off-hand comments, rather than given the weight and urgency that would seem more appropriate). More than that, it's far too long---for a book to claim to be about responses to the refugee crisis, the fact that refugees don't even show up till almost two-thirds of the way through the book, is a disservice.
As a result, this book is far too much about Jonas, who, in my opinion, is the least interesting part of the story. I also can't tell if we're supposed to view (and call out) Jonas for the naive, slightly self-centered, prototypical 'privileged white dude' that he is, or if Lichtman is himself unable to see the flaws in his character. Though at several points, Jonas calls himself out for veering a bit too much into 'instagram activism'/'voluentourism,' that he still continues to carry out the very actions he chides himself for, makes me wonder if we're supposed to forgive him, or pity him. And the end result is that these call-outs read more like Lichtman's insertions to avoid future criticism from angry internet mobs, rather than core parts of Jonas' character.
All this being said, I definitely enjoyed this book more than I didn't, mostly due to Lichtman's strong writing style. And once I recover from all the eye rolling, I definitely look forward to reading future works by him.
September 18, 2018
This is one of my favorite kinds of novels. Such Good Work examines the life of a tortured soul within the context of relevant events and themes. As a white guy, it also reminded me that sometimes when I have the best intentions to help others, my privilege and socialization can make me clueless. In reading this, I found myself cringing at certain passages, but I believe that was the whole idea. I loved the multiple narratives at play in the book: The recovering drug addict, xenophobia amidst the refugee crisis, and the frustratingly confusing human nature to want to be left alone, but also yearn for companionship. The details about life and politics in Sweden were more interesting than I would've thought, and I found myself googling a lot of Swedish words. The writing is beautiful and thought-provoking, with passages that you read a few times to let them sink in and underline to revisit. There are also several passages that made me bust out laughing. A very enjoyable read.
February 9, 2019
I was invited to read this debut novel by Net Galley and Simon and Schuster, but when I first saw it in my inbox, I recoiled. Another addiction memoir! Another chance to live through someone else’s excruciating nightmare! But then I read a few early reviews—they didn’t bear the numbed courtesy of an obligatory write-up. And then my own sense of courtesy tipped me over the edge. I was, after all, invited. Did I not want to be invited anymore? Of course I should read it.
The story is Lichtman’s own written as autofiction, and his unusual writing style drew me in. I was surprised to see how quickly I went through it. At the outset, he is teaching creative writing and is crestfallen to find that a student he has championed has plagiarized her work for him, and not only is his anecdote written with great humor, it is immediately familiar to me, and most likely will be to all English teachers. We want to believe; we want to be supportive. And once in awhile, someone younger than ourselves comes along and manipulates the hell out of us. It is a humbling experience.
Jonas is half American, half Swede, and he finds that to get off of opiates and opiods, he needs to be in Sweden, where street drugs are much harder to procure. He is enrolled in a graduate program in Malmo, but his time is primarily consumed by the refugee crisis as he volunteers to teach in a language school. Young men from the Middle East come by the thousands, and he is proud that Sweden doesn’t close its border, doesn’t set a cap to the number of immigrants it will welcome. At the same time, the Swedish government has some double standards where race is concerned; the Roma people that set up an encampment are quickly swept away. Then the nightclub bombing in Paris provides officials with an excuse to shut it all down; it’s a tremendous blow to the refugees and to those that want to help them.
At times I fear for this writer, because he seems to have no filters with which to protect his own heart as he hurls himself into his volunteer work; he wants to make a difference so desperately. Many years ago I saw a short film that showed a Bambi-like deer grazing in a forest, and then the massive foot of Godzilla smashes it like a bug, and in his ragged, hungry quest for social justice, the author reminds me of that deer. Social justice work requires sacrifice to be sure, but a little care toward one’s own mental health is also essential. Lichtman’s master’s thesis focuses on a Swedish writer that ultimately succumbs to despair, turning on the car and closing the garage door, and I found myself urging this author to have a care, lest the same happen to him, a danger he refers to himself in the narrative. (From the acknowledgements at the end, I see that he appears to have emerged in one piece, at least so far.)
The stories of the refugee boys are searing ones. A young man told of walking through Iran, followed by Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, Germany, and Denmark on his way to Sweden. The whole journey was done on foot. So many families were dead that the boys’ tutors learned it was sometimes better not to inquire too deeply about those left behind. At one point, Jonas decides to become a mentor to one person, but things go amiss and he ruefully recalls his own role as that of “clumsy Samaritan.”
Lichtman’s prose is gently philosophical in a style that is slightly reminiscent of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, though in no way derivative. His perceptive commentary regarding the events that unfold around him, along with the lessons he learns about himself, is witty and absorbing. Along the way I picked up a little knowledge about Swedish culture and society that I didn’t have before.
The title has sharp edges.
Recommended to those interested in Swedish culture, the refugee crisis, and addiction issues, as well as to anyone that just enjoys a good memoir.
The story is Lichtman’s own written as autofiction, and his unusual writing style drew me in. I was surprised to see how quickly I went through it. At the outset, he is teaching creative writing and is crestfallen to find that a student he has championed has plagiarized her work for him, and not only is his anecdote written with great humor, it is immediately familiar to me, and most likely will be to all English teachers. We want to believe; we want to be supportive. And once in awhile, someone younger than ourselves comes along and manipulates the hell out of us. It is a humbling experience.
Jonas is half American, half Swede, and he finds that to get off of opiates and opiods, he needs to be in Sweden, where street drugs are much harder to procure. He is enrolled in a graduate program in Malmo, but his time is primarily consumed by the refugee crisis as he volunteers to teach in a language school. Young men from the Middle East come by the thousands, and he is proud that Sweden doesn’t close its border, doesn’t set a cap to the number of immigrants it will welcome. At the same time, the Swedish government has some double standards where race is concerned; the Roma people that set up an encampment are quickly swept away. Then the nightclub bombing in Paris provides officials with an excuse to shut it all down; it’s a tremendous blow to the refugees and to those that want to help them.
At times I fear for this writer, because he seems to have no filters with which to protect his own heart as he hurls himself into his volunteer work; he wants to make a difference so desperately. Many years ago I saw a short film that showed a Bambi-like deer grazing in a forest, and then the massive foot of Godzilla smashes it like a bug, and in his ragged, hungry quest for social justice, the author reminds me of that deer. Social justice work requires sacrifice to be sure, but a little care toward one’s own mental health is also essential. Lichtman’s master’s thesis focuses on a Swedish writer that ultimately succumbs to despair, turning on the car and closing the garage door, and I found myself urging this author to have a care, lest the same happen to him, a danger he refers to himself in the narrative. (From the acknowledgements at the end, I see that he appears to have emerged in one piece, at least so far.)
The stories of the refugee boys are searing ones. A young man told of walking through Iran, followed by Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, Germany, and Denmark on his way to Sweden. The whole journey was done on foot. So many families were dead that the boys’ tutors learned it was sometimes better not to inquire too deeply about those left behind. At one point, Jonas decides to become a mentor to one person, but things go amiss and he ruefully recalls his own role as that of “clumsy Samaritan.”
Lichtman’s prose is gently philosophical in a style that is slightly reminiscent of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, though in no way derivative. His perceptive commentary regarding the events that unfold around him, along with the lessons he learns about himself, is witty and absorbing. Along the way I picked up a little knowledge about Swedish culture and society that I didn’t have before.
The title has sharp edges.
Recommended to those interested in Swedish culture, the refugee crisis, and addiction issues, as well as to anyone that just enjoys a good memoir.
February 12, 2019
Such Good Work is the inspiring tale of addiction and recovery based on a true story.
Jonas works as an adjunct creative writing teacher in the US. When he isn’t being fired. And if he isn’t high on oxy or another opiate. When Jonas hits rock bottom, he makes the unusual decision to get a Master’s degree, and hopefully teach in, Sweden. He has dual citizenship so the paperwork is simple. Once there, he works with Middle Eastern refugees teaching them Swedish while also going to school.
This is autofiction, or a fictionalized autobiography. It is a story of overcoming addiction and replacing it with Such Good Work. It is recommended to literary fiction readers and those struggling with addiction issues. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Jonas works as an adjunct creative writing teacher in the US. When he isn’t being fired. And if he isn’t high on oxy or another opiate. When Jonas hits rock bottom, he makes the unusual decision to get a Master’s degree, and hopefully teach in, Sweden. He has dual citizenship so the paperwork is simple. Once there, he works with Middle Eastern refugees teaching them Swedish while also going to school.
This is autofiction, or a fictionalized autobiography. It is a story of overcoming addiction and replacing it with Such Good Work. It is recommended to literary fiction readers and those struggling with addiction issues. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 24, 2019
I wouldn’t typically have read this – young straight white male writer writing about a young straight white male writer with a drug addiction – but Garth Greenwell awarded Lichtman his 5 under 35 vote and I’m glad he did. This book really hits its stride when our protagonist sobers up and moves to Sweden. What Lichtman does well is explore how we’re implicated in our best intentions. He’s asking how to live and it’s a question I want to see interrogated in fiction.
January 29, 2019
SUCH GOOD WORK is an autofiction novel, a fictionalised autobiography. Jonas Anderson, our protagonist, is a creative writing teacher who has been battling drug addiction and drinking for most of his adult life. After yet another dismissal from a school, since he has dual American-Swedish citizenship, he decides to go to Sweden to pursue his Master's degree and try to sober up in a country where drugs are not so easily accessible.
Written from a first person point of view, SUCH GOOD WORK is unlike other books I have read on the subject of drug addiction. Its aim is not to sensationalise or titillate, but to tell the story of a man who is dissatisfied with his life but doesn't quite know how to go about it. Jonas relates his withdrawal attempts in a matter-of-fact, and sometimes chilling way. I felt mostly neutral about Jonas: I didn't dislike him but I didn't like him either. He doesn't know who he is, and I don't feel I got to really now him ether. Jonas is defined by his addictions, and even when he tries to sober up, he doesn't really want to; it's what he knows he ought to do. Until he finds something that shakes him up. Even though I am in no way qualified, it eventually occurred to me that Jonas falls somewhere in the sociopathic spectrum and doing drugs is his way of trying to feel.
SUCH GOOD WORK is very well written, it's fast-paced, but Jonas' head is a strange place to inhabit. He's selfish, unfeeling and human interactions are always a trial for him. However, these traits make him an excellent observer, and his insights on Sweden, Malmö, and immigration are most enlightening because of this. What began as a story about addiction ends with the plight of Muslim immigrants. SUCH GOOD WORK feels like a very long short story because, in the end, nothing is really settled for Jonas.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Written from a first person point of view, SUCH GOOD WORK is unlike other books I have read on the subject of drug addiction. Its aim is not to sensationalise or titillate, but to tell the story of a man who is dissatisfied with his life but doesn't quite know how to go about it. Jonas relates his withdrawal attempts in a matter-of-fact, and sometimes chilling way. I felt mostly neutral about Jonas: I didn't dislike him but I didn't like him either. He doesn't know who he is, and I don't feel I got to really now him ether. Jonas is defined by his addictions, and even when he tries to sober up, he doesn't really want to; it's what he knows he ought to do. Until he finds something that shakes him up. Even though I am in no way qualified, it eventually occurred to me that Jonas falls somewhere in the sociopathic spectrum and doing drugs is his way of trying to feel.
SUCH GOOD WORK is very well written, it's fast-paced, but Jonas' head is a strange place to inhabit. He's selfish, unfeeling and human interactions are always a trial for him. However, these traits make him an excellent observer, and his insights on Sweden, Malmö, and immigration are most enlightening because of this. What began as a story about addiction ends with the plight of Muslim immigrants. SUCH GOOD WORK feels like a very long short story because, in the end, nothing is really settled for Jonas.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 21, 2019
I loved living in this book. I didn't want it to end. I also felt sort of strange -- I'm a TA/MFA student at the university in Wilmington where the author (and the protagonist) taught, so it was all very 'meta.' In a nice, somewhat self-affirming way ("oh, this person who was in my situation 6 years ago has now published a book that I'm reading and enjoying!") (Sorry to have sort of made this review about myself...)
Anyway. I loved it all and underlined several parts (including the one about wanting to write a line good enough for someone to underline it). Some other favorites of mine were:
"When I was reading a good book, I couldn't wait to get to the end -- to be done with it, so that I could think about it and maybe write about it." (Also very ~meta~ that I'm including that in this review, since a part of me couldn't wait to finish Such Good Work and then digest what everyone else had said about it on this site.) Then: "I started the dryer and tried to think of something that I enjoyed more when it was happening than when it was over. / It took a while, but I finally came up with one thing: I enjoyed being high much more when it was happening than when it was over."; "(there should be a name for the sadness that comes from catching yourself skimming your own writing)"
Then there were the physical descriptions I loved, that I was slightly jealous of for not getting to first: "coats branching out from their hooks"; "leaned into the wind like it was a couch I was pushing across the floor"; "He laughed and measured out my hair by lifting a handful of it straight out, then dropping it to the side."; "pacing little laps around the table"; "The first line of his email glowed bold and black in my inbox."; "Red ground beef shining brightly in its plastic"
I've been avoiding writing Goodreads reviews lately because I'm fearful of not being able to properly communicate my feelings about the book -- which is also how I feel when I'm asked to comment on my classmates' creative writing pieces in workshop. But I'm writing this (review) anyway because I feel that any (good) review is better than none. And maybe the act of writing will make a dent in my perfectionism.
Anyway. I loved it all and underlined several parts (including the one about wanting to write a line good enough for someone to underline it). Some other favorites of mine were:
"When I was reading a good book, I couldn't wait to get to the end -- to be done with it, so that I could think about it and maybe write about it." (Also very ~meta~ that I'm including that in this review, since a part of me couldn't wait to finish Such Good Work and then digest what everyone else had said about it on this site.) Then: "I started the dryer and tried to think of something that I enjoyed more when it was happening than when it was over. / It took a while, but I finally came up with one thing: I enjoyed being high much more when it was happening than when it was over."; "(there should be a name for the sadness that comes from catching yourself skimming your own writing)"
Then there were the physical descriptions I loved, that I was slightly jealous of for not getting to first: "coats branching out from their hooks"; "leaned into the wind like it was a couch I was pushing across the floor"; "He laughed and measured out my hair by lifting a handful of it straight out, then dropping it to the side."; "pacing little laps around the table"; "The first line of his email glowed bold and black in my inbox."; "Red ground beef shining brightly in its plastic"
I've been avoiding writing Goodreads reviews lately because I'm fearful of not being able to properly communicate my feelings about the book -- which is also how I feel when I'm asked to comment on my classmates' creative writing pieces in workshop. But I'm writing this (review) anyway because I feel that any (good) review is better than none. And maybe the act of writing will make a dent in my perfectionism.
November 24, 2018
An Interesting story about a teacher that was half Swedish and half American. His life in America trying to ween himself off alcohol and drugs and teaching at the same time. Then going to live in Sweden and settling in Malmo. Working on his next degree he is always talking about drugs which he stays off but he still drinks alcohol when he dances with women. Then with some guilt he volunteers to teach boys that come from Iran, Syria, and Afghanistan, Swedish with the help he has with English. He works with the people that have set up the program with open eyes he find himself wanting to have a boy live with him so he can teach him how to live. This goes south when thew boy is taken to another camp. The group now has to make itself under the campus to work the following year. Meantime, he gets a invite to a wedding of the girl and guy he lived with in Austin. This then takes him to California where he meets a former student which takes them back to when he first taught. It's an interesting story that has a lot of scenes with girlfriends, dances, and buddies with their quibbles and other oddities. This is a general fiction story and I gave it a 3.5 out of 5.
January 29, 2019
I was sorry to come to the end of “Such Good Work”. Jonas has become a friend. I was cheering him on in his low moments, and holding my breath to help him stay sober. I wanted him to find a job of work that he would find satisfying to his hyper-self-critical soul. Although I understand and respect the self-reflective doubt that accompanied every good thing he did for the immigrant community, he was still doing good in the best way he knew how. Our best impulses may not be perfect, but they are our best, and should be honored as such, at least by ourselves, even if not by the world at large.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 11, 2018
This is a bicontinental story of self discovery. No, that isn’t right. Although technically this is a story of a young man with a dual (Swedish and American) citizenship who lives in both countries and speaks both languages while trying to navigate life and newly found sobriety. Or is this a story of an addict who desperately tries to get clean and stay clean, which requires finding other more natural stimulants in life. Or possibly this is a story of a young liberal man steeped in white privilege who gets involved in the refugee crisis and desperately tries to help. Ok it’s all of those things. And surprisingly enjoyable, despite the fact that it can be easily dismissed as a naïve well meaning do gooder quest by a clichéd naïve well meaning moralistic character. But really the protagonist, Jonas, is an immensely likeable person despite his many faults, the narrative was immensely readable and both were completely engaging. From an international reading perspective for me it was fascinating to learn about Swedish politics (their extremist party which was recently in the news is named Swedish Democrats oddly enough and there are 9 parties altogether) and social mores, particularly in the wake of the recent refugee crisis, which Jonas finds himself involved with. So not only there is some amusement drawn from Jonas trying to readjust his mentality from American to Swedish and some tragicomedic comparisons of Europe to USA, but also there are interesting meditations of the nature of assistance when offered. Sweden took in a disproportionate share of refugees at the time before safety concerns forced them to rethink their welcome arms policies. Jonas and his oversized social conscience as it works to eliminate his need for chemical stimulation plunges right in, forming an attachment to one of the boys, but finds his efforts limited, thwarted by policies and regulations. It is fascinating to see how a traditional homogenous society such as Sweden absorbs such a large flood of foreigners, actually it’d be even more fascinating to see the effects of this in the future, the demographic shifts and all that. So depending on where you stand on this very timely matters, this book might be either enlightening or frustrating for you. But, as Jonas mentions, it is unlikely to change anyone’s mind, because all the minds are made up and then the information is sought out to accommodate those opinions. I personally didn’t find my position on the matter changing, but it did offer some food for thought. And then of course the addiction is such a hot button subject nowadays also (the author really did a two for one current affairs bonanza here) and that was pretty edifying to behold, Jonas is, after all, an educated man, an educator himself, with friends, prospects, etc. and his chosen method of coping with the world is just so sad. Then again as a character it gives him an arc and something for the reader to cheer him on as he strives to become free of his dependencies. So yeah, many things to say about this book, but what really makes you want to read about Jonas, what makes him a compelling narrator, is that despite various obstacles, he strives, he actively tries to be good and do good.it’s difficult and it’s vital and it’s just…Such Good Work. And that’s really about as much as you can ask of a person. Or of a literally character. So yeah, I enjoyed this book very much. The author did very well, particularly for a debut. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
April 11, 2019
SUCH GOOD WORK: Volunteering Neurotically
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
How does society treat addicts — how do we treat people in crisis?
This is a contemporary novel about very real, very contemporary issues, and how people respond to issues collectively and individually. The main character is Jonas who seems to best manage his addiction after years of trying to be sober via traditional methods, through the use of alcohol. He is also the example of how very well-educated, well-meaning person can be an addict. It’s easy to dismiss the addicted when they seem “other,” but so much harder to when the addict is someone with the advantages we may have had ourselves.
This contemporary novel reminds me of the Raymond Carter book I tried to get through last year. But this was more interesting as I felt it was more concrete, immediate and I understood better what was happening. I actually became engaged in the story and characters. I did want to reach through my head[hones and shake the guy a few times.
This man’s real salvation comes in helping others and this is where the larger issue, how we treat other humans as a species. He’s still stuck in what feels like an adolescent rut with women (Does she like me, how can I impress her?), but he seems to decrease his need for drugs when he starts to become truly involved in helping Syrian refugees arriving in Sweden.
I don’t know if there’s a link to seeing and helping these refugees, and it diminishing his self-pity and the need to feel better about himself. He is also moved by how the feelings of the traditionally welcoming society of Sweden are changed through fear. Are we all addicted to our ability to pretend the things happening in the world are not; is that how we make ourselves feel okay, feel the way an addict does after a hit? This man is an addict but he is not a total loss: he contributes to society.
It is a profound book but it doesn’t feel “profound” as you listen to/read it.
The narration is simple, easy, maybe even lackadaisical. It’s a pleasant voice; easy to listen to.
It’s definitely literary fiction but not hard to hear and with a happier outcome than is often the case. The book has lingered in my mind, and reminds me that we can strive to be perfect before we act or we can help.
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
How does society treat addicts — how do we treat people in crisis?
This is a contemporary novel about very real, very contemporary issues, and how people respond to issues collectively and individually. The main character is Jonas who seems to best manage his addiction after years of trying to be sober via traditional methods, through the use of alcohol. He is also the example of how very well-educated, well-meaning person can be an addict. It’s easy to dismiss the addicted when they seem “other,” but so much harder to when the addict is someone with the advantages we may have had ourselves.
This contemporary novel reminds me of the Raymond Carter book I tried to get through last year. But this was more interesting as I felt it was more concrete, immediate and I understood better what was happening. I actually became engaged in the story and characters. I did want to reach through my head[hones and shake the guy a few times.
This man’s real salvation comes in helping others and this is where the larger issue, how we treat other humans as a species. He’s still stuck in what feels like an adolescent rut with women (Does she like me, how can I impress her?), but he seems to decrease his need for drugs when he starts to become truly involved in helping Syrian refugees arriving in Sweden.
I don’t know if there’s a link to seeing and helping these refugees, and it diminishing his self-pity and the need to feel better about himself. He is also moved by how the feelings of the traditionally welcoming society of Sweden are changed through fear. Are we all addicted to our ability to pretend the things happening in the world are not; is that how we make ourselves feel okay, feel the way an addict does after a hit? This man is an addict but he is not a total loss: he contributes to society.
It is a profound book but it doesn’t feel “profound” as you listen to/read it.
The narration is simple, easy, maybe even lackadaisical. It’s a pleasant voice; easy to listen to.
It’s definitely literary fiction but not hard to hear and with a happier outcome than is often the case. The book has lingered in my mind, and reminds me that we can strive to be perfect before we act or we can help.
March 6, 2019
It sure why others found this story so interesting. The main character is not all that likable, certainly not reliable, and shows little if an6 growth over time.
April 1, 2019
I think calling true first-person stories "auto-fiction" or "novels," as is proclaimed on all their covers, including this one, is problematic. But perhaps only for me. If it's a memoir or an autobiography, I read it differently, and perhaps more forgivingly, than I do if it's a novel. And Such Good Work seems to be auto-fiction autobiography, and a very thinly disguised true story. In the book, Jonas is working to overcome his addictions to pills and sniffing heroin and teaching creative writing at a small college in the US; and, like the author, Jonas holds dual citizenship in the US and Sweden. Jonas leaves the US for Sweden, mostly because Sweden is one of the few countries where it is very hard to get drugs and Jonas thinks his sobriety will be safer there. In Sweden, he goes to graduate school, drinks, but doesn't do drugs, tries to figure himself out, finds himself crying about the refugees from so many countries seeking safe haven, many arriving in Sweden, and wanting to help. If this were properly labeled, I would find myself more forgiving of Jonas' self-absorption, the lack of plot, and the lack of the creation and development of the other characters. But it's billed as a novel, and, for me, that means it must reach much higher. I felt at times that I was reading the author's journals, reworked into a 288 page piece of writing. Still, there are funny elements here: Jonas teaching creative writing, or trying to - he assigns his writing students to attend funerals of people they don't know - taking himself to AA meetings though he should be in NA meetings, but prefers the former, and interacting with a few "wise" souls there; he tries to find some place of peace within himself; takes himself to Sweden, meets girls, thinks about the ways relationships with these girls might go, doesn't really want to give of himself unless its on his terms, is a confident/unconfident bro who possesses sensitivity and internal thought processes, and when Jonas wonders why his Swedish pal Bengt is always drawing girls to him, when Jonas himself can't draw girls so easily, and realizes it's because Bengt is simply better-looking, that was wonderful and ended Jonas's worries. Jonas is a writer, but his addictions have curtailed his ability to write, and he is always thinking that he's glad he's not doing drugs, but wishes he were doing drugs. But he's not really the interesting character in this book. Others are: Anja, the German girl he's with for a while, and her ability to know what's right for her, meaning dumping Jonas because she knows he's not sure he wants to be with her; those working at the language center in Lund to help the Afghani boys who have made it over the border into Sweden, before the terrorism in Paris shuts down the Swedish borders; the Afghani boys he meets. I greatly appreciate Jonas' thoughtfulness at trying to understand what he cares about and why, and his acknowledging that often what he cares about is what makes him feel more whole than he normally does. The book is most interesting when Jonas delves into the Swedish political system, with its 9 parties, into the Swedish ways of doing things, into identifying the fallacies about other countries and their responses to the refugee crisis, into the way we ask questions of those in turmoil, thinking we're asking the right things, but are often not, not only because of insensitivity (and not intending to be insensitive), but because their experiences are far from our own reality, our own privileges. There are meta aspects to the book as well. A student in the first writing class we see Jonas teaching writes about the jellyfish that lives forever, and then Jonas writes a story about the students he's teaching, one of whom wrote about a jellyfish that lives forever, and Jonas' story is published in the Sun, and it's the way this book begins. An essay he writes feverishly about helping the refugees is suddenly meaningless when the terrorist attack happens in France. The story of his that the Sun publishes garners responses that Jonas is excited about: but one is from a murderer in maximum security prison, the other from a professor who set fire to the cereal aisle in Walmart in order to score prescription drugs, and I could feel Jonas's excitement, then upset. At the outset, the book completely engaged me, then I was less interested, but I kept going, and I'm glad I did.
January 10, 2019
This reads at times like a gripping memoir. Honestly I didn’t know what to expect here but I ended up loving the writing and story. Poor Jonas was so lost but never let himself go under. I found myself constantly surprised and touched by his insightfulness about even the smallest things. Jonas was a great narrator.
I’ve wondered quite a bit about addiction such as Jonas suffers from, and this is one of the first books that has left me feeling conflicted on the topic. I’ve never suffered from the same addictions as Jonas but while reading this I felt as though I were right there with him experiencing everything he did and recalling all of his memories.
Lichtman really brings Jonas to life here. In short I felt this was a surprisingly emotional read.
I’ve wondered quite a bit about addiction such as Jonas suffers from, and this is one of the first books that has left me feeling conflicted on the topic. I’ve never suffered from the same addictions as Jonas but while reading this I felt as though I were right there with him experiencing everything he did and recalling all of his memories.
Lichtman really brings Jonas to life here. In short I felt this was a surprisingly emotional read.
March 3, 2019
A young man, Jonas, a teacher, gets fired from his job. Well, actually, he's been fired from a few. He is also an addict. He wants to start on a new path, one without drugs. Having dual citizenship, with Sweden, he heads overseas. He can speak the language and drugs are harder to get in Sweden. His journey engages him in the refugee crisis there and it's young people and he finds new challenges and satisfaction in giving back. This book is a fictionalized autobiography. Jonas is endearing in an odd sort of way, and being involved in teaching the refugees gives him a purpose as he struggles with recovery. A very well written book!
Thank you to NetGalley, and Simon and Schuster for this an ARC for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley, and Simon and Schuster for this an ARC for an honest review.
November 30, 2019
"The sick passengers beg Dagerman's German guide for help. The guide tells them that he's just here to give a tour to the nice Swedish journalist. Later, Daegrman wrote that he tried to impart kindness while gathering material to share the refugees' plight with the world. But he wondered what good it is visiting the suffering when one has no medicine to offer, only empathy.
'Journalism is the art of coming too late as early as possible,' he wrote to a friend while touring Germany. 'I'll never learn that'" (101).
'Journalism is the art of coming too late as early as possible,' he wrote to a friend while touring Germany. 'I'll never learn that'" (101).
Want to read
January 19, 2019Such Good Work addresses the topic of opioid addiction. Obviously, this has become an epidemic, so it's refreshing to read a story about it. The struggle of getting and staying clean is terrible. This book shows the protagonist going through many trials and trying to also help others. It's a fast read and the story is engaging and informative. I recommend for anyone interested in the subject of addiction. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2019
This took a few turns I simply didn't expect, which was really nice. Would recommend to anyone looking for fiction about contemporary issues or anyone who gets a little Ikea-ish thrill every time they see a Swedish word in print.
September 22, 2019
There are a lot of really compelling observations made by the narrator that I’d never heard expressed so concisely before, and I found myself reading them aloud and taking photos for memory.
May 31, 2019
There’s just something magical about reading a contemporary work of fiction. The way this book stitches together themes of white guilt and drug addiction all without a sense of pity and self righteousness is remarkable in and of itself. However, the characters are also charming and complex in a way that makes you really feel for them. It’s a quick read, and one that’s well worth it.
July 19, 2021
This really is a beautiful story to read. Jonas may not be the most riveting character to read about, and the book does focus on him a lot, but I loved this book because it was the story of a real person. Jonas was flawed, made a lot of poor decisions, and often left me wishing he could've acted more heroically. However, his small changes, relapses, and occasional victories communicate what real life can be like. When people are struggling (and honestly even when they aren't struggling) they don't miraculously become heroes or solve massive world problems. This book demonstrates the power of Jonas's consistent work to be better and the modest improvements that work awards him. As a person who believes strongly in consistent work, redemption, and a no-nonsense writing style, I really enjoyed this.
August 25, 2020
"I knew that missing someone only when you were sad or lonely was not really missing them at all" (133).
"The position of devil's advocate did exist to offer a reason to speak without the prerequisite of belief. It was a way to say something without having to face the consequences of having said it. When I thought about it, I had a hard time remembering when I'd heard anyone but a white male use it" (136).
"The position of devil's advocate did exist to offer a reason to speak without the prerequisite of belief. It was a way to say something without having to face the consequences of having said it. When I thought about it, I had a hard time remembering when I'd heard anyone but a white male use it" (136).
December 25, 2018
3.5-4 ARC received for review
This novel has taken me three months to read and its mostly because Jonas isn’t a love-able character and I really didn’t want to keep reading into his mind.
The first part before Sweden takes you through the mind of an addict. Jonas, the main character, is a teacher and recovering addict who traces back and forth through the present and the past. Although the writing style isn’t my favorite and the topic is difficult to go through, you really are able to see the complexity of everyday struggles.
Once in Malmö, we’re given a full description of why we should feel threatened and have our guards up as Jonas is there, but I had an overarching feeling that amongst the chaos, he’d find himself.
“Right back where I started but having accomplished one more day of life. There was no great excitement, but there was contentment. I rarely felt the need to escape my life or myself. It was the first time I could remember feeling this way.”
When he started seeing the refugees arriving, he wanted to help not out of the goodness of his heart, but for the gratification he’d receive. I’m not too sure if I’m supposed to like him or not because as of right now, I don’t. It’s really difficult to sympathize with him at times because he sits and tries so hard, and you want to acknowledge the fact that he’s done so well with his addiction. But the fact of the matter is that he’s still not fully there yet. He definitely understands that he’s doing that, and when looking at others and discussing immigration and refugee policy, he’s still very fond of how Sweden tries to help, and I think we can start to see a shift in his character at this point.
It’s really interesting to see how different cultures come into contact with one another, and especially interesting to see how American culture is depicted. I had a laugh when it talked about Trump’s presidency campaign and I like that it doesn’t feel historically written, it’s very much so in the present even if it’s within the last 5 years. Really well done in that respect!
Jonas clearly wants to do more than just a basic aid, he wants to really dig deep into their minds but he keeps being shut down and I think with good reason. He’s trying too hard to fix something when he hasn’t even fully fixed himself. Jonas even says:
“I wanted to correct the world. But I was angry with myself for feeling the need to be right more strongly than I felt empathy for the victims of the attacks. I longed for drugs.”
Coming back to LA, there’s a sense of peace that’s flooded over Jonas and I genuinely appreciated the calm that he’s finally received.
This novel has taken me three months to read and its mostly because Jonas isn’t a love-able character and I really didn’t want to keep reading into his mind.
The first part before Sweden takes you through the mind of an addict. Jonas, the main character, is a teacher and recovering addict who traces back and forth through the present and the past. Although the writing style isn’t my favorite and the topic is difficult to go through, you really are able to see the complexity of everyday struggles.
Once in Malmö, we’re given a full description of why we should feel threatened and have our guards up as Jonas is there, but I had an overarching feeling that amongst the chaos, he’d find himself.
“Right back where I started but having accomplished one more day of life. There was no great excitement, but there was contentment. I rarely felt the need to escape my life or myself. It was the first time I could remember feeling this way.”
When he started seeing the refugees arriving, he wanted to help not out of the goodness of his heart, but for the gratification he’d receive. I’m not too sure if I’m supposed to like him or not because as of right now, I don’t. It’s really difficult to sympathize with him at times because he sits and tries so hard, and you want to acknowledge the fact that he’s done so well with his addiction. But the fact of the matter is that he’s still not fully there yet. He definitely understands that he’s doing that, and when looking at others and discussing immigration and refugee policy, he’s still very fond of how Sweden tries to help, and I think we can start to see a shift in his character at this point.
It’s really interesting to see how different cultures come into contact with one another, and especially interesting to see how American culture is depicted. I had a laugh when it talked about Trump’s presidency campaign and I like that it doesn’t feel historically written, it’s very much so in the present even if it’s within the last 5 years. Really well done in that respect!
Jonas clearly wants to do more than just a basic aid, he wants to really dig deep into their minds but he keeps being shut down and I think with good reason. He’s trying too hard to fix something when he hasn’t even fully fixed himself. Jonas even says:
“I wanted to correct the world. But I was angry with myself for feeling the need to be right more strongly than I felt empathy for the victims of the attacks. I longed for drugs.”
Coming back to LA, there’s a sense of peace that’s flooded over Jonas and I genuinely appreciated the calm that he’s finally received.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2019
After losing his teaching job at a college because of his very peculiar assignments, Jonas Anderson moves to Sweden to change perspective and to have a fresh start. Even though he is some years older than the students there, he socialises with them easily and leads the life he had in his early 20s. After the break-up with his German girlfriend, he moves from Lund to Malmö, the town where 2015 masses of immigrants from the Middle East arrived. Seeing the hottest political topic in front of his own door, Jonas decides to get active and to volunteer in the work with the migrants, too. He soon realises that all that is meant to be supportive and good, doesn’t necessarily turn out to be such a good idea in the end.
Johannes Lichtman’s novel isn’t easy to sum up or to describe since his protagonist goes through tremendous changes throughout the novel which also affect the plot and the tone a lot. I really enjoyed the first part a lot when we meet Jonas trying to be a creative writing teacher. The tone here is refreshing and the character’s naiveté makes him sympathetic and likeable. With moving to Sweden and becoming a stranger and outsider, his role changes, yet, he still needs more time until he actually grows up and does something meaningful with his life.
The last part, his work with the unaccompanied minors, was for me personally the most interesting because I could empathise with him easily. Having myself worked with those youths when they came to Germany in 2015 and 2016, I went through the same emotions that Jonas went through. And I had to do exactly the same learning process: you want to help and you have good ideas, but actually they sometimes go past the needs of the refugees. The struggle between the news where all the immigrants were treated as a homogeneous mass and where the focus was put on the danger that came with them, and the everyday experiences with real people made it often hard to cope with the situation. In this respect, Lichtman did a great job because he depicted reality as it was back then.
All in all, a novel that addresses so many different topics with a lively and highly likeable style of writing, a great read not to be missed.
Johannes Lichtman’s novel isn’t easy to sum up or to describe since his protagonist goes through tremendous changes throughout the novel which also affect the plot and the tone a lot. I really enjoyed the first part a lot when we meet Jonas trying to be a creative writing teacher. The tone here is refreshing and the character’s naiveté makes him sympathetic and likeable. With moving to Sweden and becoming a stranger and outsider, his role changes, yet, he still needs more time until he actually grows up and does something meaningful with his life.
The last part, his work with the unaccompanied minors, was for me personally the most interesting because I could empathise with him easily. Having myself worked with those youths when they came to Germany in 2015 and 2016, I went through the same emotions that Jonas went through. And I had to do exactly the same learning process: you want to help and you have good ideas, but actually they sometimes go past the needs of the refugees. The struggle between the news where all the immigrants were treated as a homogeneous mass and where the focus was put on the danger that came with them, and the everyday experiences with real people made it often hard to cope with the situation. In this respect, Lichtman did a great job because he depicted reality as it was back then.
All in all, a novel that addresses so many different topics with a lively and highly likeable style of writing, a great read not to be missed.
October 10, 2019
Lichtman's writing style is personal, sharp, and best of all, funny. Dark humor chaperones the reader into the unsteady melancholy that is protagonist Jonas's reality as a college Creative Writing TA. Jonas progressively materializes into a convoluted character - one whose chauvinistic and unbecoming tendencies make it increasingly harder for the reader to empathize with.
Where it was once effortless to fall into the narrative, identifying not only with Jonas's soaring highs and abrupt (and at times, embarrassing) comedowns (we're talking the exploration of young love, not just his prominent drug use), as the story evolves, Jonas seems to regress. Depictions of love interests become tedious - reduced to hair color and amiable facial features. It becomes obvious that while Jonas is thoroughly engrossed in his addiction to women (and heroin .. and MDMA .. and any other pills he can conjure up, tangible, or not), his regard for his obsessions is fleeting.
While I enjoyed the majority of the book, it felt that Jonas became stunted. His fixation on sex and drugs leaves him underdeveloped, leading to his failure to advance as a socially conscious citizen. His attempts to provide aid to refugees during his time in Sweden are harshly overshadowed by his desire to emphasize the "right" aspects of why he finds himself caring strongly for this cause, in the first place.
Lichtman's writing style is initially captivating, peppered with witty exchanges between characters, and extensions of Jonas's cynical take on society (be it American, Swedish, or other). Beyond the resemblance in first names (Johannes Jonas), the story frequently borders on presenting itself as a memoir, drawing the reader in with highly personalized commentary. It makes it difficult to decipher whether Lichtman intends for Jonas to become increasingly disagreeable as the story progresses.
Overall, I enjoyed Lichtman's writing style, but felt that (whether intentional or not) the strength of the novel began to fall away and taper off. While Jonas was in search of his own life goal's, it seemed the book began to search for meaning, as well. The book ends ambiguously, and readers are left feeling just as confused as Jonas, as to whether there were lessons learned.
Where it was once effortless to fall into the narrative, identifying not only with Jonas's soaring highs and abrupt (and at times, embarrassing) comedowns (we're talking the exploration of young love, not just his prominent drug use), as the story evolves, Jonas seems to regress. Depictions of love interests become tedious - reduced to hair color and amiable facial features. It becomes obvious that while Jonas is thoroughly engrossed in his addiction to women (and heroin .. and MDMA .. and any other pills he can conjure up, tangible, or not), his regard for his obsessions is fleeting.
While I enjoyed the majority of the book, it felt that Jonas became stunted. His fixation on sex and drugs leaves him underdeveloped, leading to his failure to advance as a socially conscious citizen. His attempts to provide aid to refugees during his time in Sweden are harshly overshadowed by his desire to emphasize the "right" aspects of why he finds himself caring strongly for this cause, in the first place.
Lichtman's writing style is initially captivating, peppered with witty exchanges between characters, and extensions of Jonas's cynical take on society (be it American, Swedish, or other). Beyond the resemblance in first names (
Overall, I enjoyed Lichtman's writing style, but felt that (whether intentional or not) the strength of the novel began to fall away and taper off. While Jonas was in search of his own life goal's, it seemed the book began to search for meaning, as well. The book ends ambiguously, and readers are left feeling just as confused as Jonas, as to whether there were lessons learned.
May 9, 2022
It’s not entirely clear what Such Good Work actually wants to be about. The title and the description on the back cover would have you believe it’s about a dude teaching English to Syrian refugees and grappling with the complexities of “doing good,” but A) it takes well over half the book to get to that point, and B) the ending of the book seems to have very little to do with it. I don’t know that it’s fair to say the section about teaching Syrian refugees is treated as an afterthought—while it’s happening, it’s treated as the most important thing in the world. But it’s only happening for slightly less than a third of the story, and the bit that “force[s] Jonas to question whether ‘doing good’ can actually help another person” is toward the end of that section, so saying that’s what the book’s about just seems like a stretch. Also I would argue he doesn’t really question it all that much.
Aside from that, there were parts that really resonated with me, parts that felt very Dead Poets Society, and parts where I couldn’t tell the difference because honestly I kind of like Dead Poets Society. Not just in the class scenes—for better or worse, creative writing classes are often emotionally vulnerable spaces where people can feel like they’re part of a tight-knit group, even if they never talk to each other again once the semester ends—but in the whole Oscar-bait melodrama of it all. It just felt kind of contrived at times.
Ultimately I have really no idea how to feel about it. The parts that I like are thrown in doubt by the parts I didn’t, but I don’t know if my dislike of those parts is fair, especially given the novel seems to be in some ways autobiographical, and I don’t know what, if anything, the novel actually wants me to be thinking about at the end of it all. I guess I can see why the Syrian refugee bit is the focus of the marketing, it is the part that sticks out the most, but it’s really just a (weirdly specific and topical) subplot in the story of an addict achieving some degree of getting his life together. And that’s not a bad story. It’s just not clear that Such Good Work is satisfied with being that story, which leaves me unsatisfied as well.
Aside from that, there were parts that really resonated with me, parts that felt very Dead Poets Society, and parts where I couldn’t tell the difference because honestly I kind of like Dead Poets Society. Not just in the class scenes—for better or worse, creative writing classes are often emotionally vulnerable spaces where people can feel like they’re part of a tight-knit group, even if they never talk to each other again once the semester ends—but in the whole Oscar-bait melodrama of it all. It just felt kind of contrived at times.
Ultimately I have really no idea how to feel about it. The parts that I like are thrown in doubt by the parts I didn’t, but I don’t know if my dislike of those parts is fair, especially given the novel seems to be in some ways autobiographical, and I don’t know what, if anything, the novel actually wants me to be thinking about at the end of it all. I guess I can see why the Syrian refugee bit is the focus of the marketing, it is the part that sticks out the most, but it’s really just a (weirdly specific and topical) subplot in the story of an addict achieving some degree of getting his life together. And that’s not a bad story. It’s just not clear that Such Good Work is satisfied with being that story, which leaves me unsatisfied as well.
April 15, 2019
I enjoyed the writing style of this one so I kept with it. But found the protagonist unlikeable and often uninsightful when he seemed to be trying to demonstrate self-awareness.
He has a white savior thing going throughout the novel. He calls himself on it, sure, but that doesn’t nullify the fact he does most things out of a narcissist urge to feel like he is Good. It’s interesting that his college student gf 8 years his junior is much more mature and levelheaded than he is, though it’s never apparent that he knows this. He is primarily interested in how he appears, to himself and to others. He’s quick to assume others trying to offer aid or write about refugees are at least as self-interested as he evidently is.
He acknowledges this hypocrisy, at least for the reader to catch, in his treatment of global crises and in everyday things (like being embarrassed to be seen trying different outfits for a party and later mentally noting the “shameless intentionality” of another male partygoer’s put-together outfit). But he doesn’t actually address or even own his contradictions. If anything he actually tends more toward self flagellation, the result being a whiney indulgent mess. At one point the protag tells a student, “I try to reveal my flaws before anyone else can” and that to me is basically the theme of this superficial and self indulgent book/memoir. I had an urge to write THAT’S A MIRROR, BUD! in the margins of several pages.
I realize now I didn’t mention addiction in this review. I think that’s probably appropriate because, while this is supposedly a book about addiction, there isn’t anything added by his happening to be a person who struggles with that. Jonas is not particularly insightful about the typical rules, patterns, mental comorbidities clearly displayed in the way he leads his life. In my opinion that theme goes mostly untapped, aside from a few sprinklings of insight gleaned from others in recovery.
In short I did not like Jonas and did not perceive him to have grown, as I might have expected, beyond phony superficial self reflection.
He has a white savior thing going throughout the novel. He calls himself on it, sure, but that doesn’t nullify the fact he does most things out of a narcissist urge to feel like he is Good. It’s interesting that his college student gf 8 years his junior is much more mature and levelheaded than he is, though it’s never apparent that he knows this. He is primarily interested in how he appears, to himself and to others. He’s quick to assume others trying to offer aid or write about refugees are at least as self-interested as he evidently is.
He acknowledges this hypocrisy, at least for the reader to catch, in his treatment of global crises and in everyday things (like being embarrassed to be seen trying different outfits for a party and later mentally noting the “shameless intentionality” of another male partygoer’s put-together outfit). But he doesn’t actually address or even own his contradictions. If anything he actually tends more toward self flagellation, the result being a whiney indulgent mess. At one point the protag tells a student, “I try to reveal my flaws before anyone else can” and that to me is basically the theme of this superficial and self indulgent book/memoir. I had an urge to write THAT’S A MIRROR, BUD! in the margins of several pages.
I realize now I didn’t mention addiction in this review. I think that’s probably appropriate because, while this is supposedly a book about addiction, there isn’t anything added by his happening to be a person who struggles with that. Jonas is not particularly insightful about the typical rules, patterns, mental comorbidities clearly displayed in the way he leads his life. In my opinion that theme goes mostly untapped, aside from a few sprinklings of insight gleaned from others in recovery.
In short I did not like Jonas and did not perceive him to have grown, as I might have expected, beyond phony superficial self reflection.
October 14, 2020
Jonas is a twenty eight year old creative writing teacher, who has quitted drugs and has been fired again. He decides to go to Sweden to have a fresh start and remain sober.
"Such Good Work" by Johannes Lichtman is a really interesting book. It is filled with humor, it depicts addiction in a honest way and it raises the question about how to help others. There is a lot to like about this novel. The writing is incredible and really honest, I felt like I was reading a memoir or someone's dairy. The humor is really clever, sarcastic and ironic at times but it is not pretentious or unrelatable. I was afraid that the character was going to be annoying, pessimist and would criticize everything, but Litchtman's writing was filled with warm, it kind of reminded me of "The Idiot" by Elif Batuman (which is one of my favorites books).
This book was a 4.5/5 for me, the only two things that I disliked about where the background of the character, there was not much information about him or his past, which I would have liked to dig more so the reader could understand and relate to the main character. Also, the storyline at the end and the last chapters felt a little stretched out to me and would have liked the author to have cut at least 20 pages, as the story got a bit repetitive. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this novel and highly recommend it, I would be checking Johannes Lichtman next projects.
"Such Good Work" by Johannes Lichtman is a really interesting book. It is filled with humor, it depicts addiction in a honest way and it raises the question about how to help others. There is a lot to like about this novel. The writing is incredible and really honest, I felt like I was reading a memoir or someone's dairy. The humor is really clever, sarcastic and ironic at times but it is not pretentious or unrelatable. I was afraid that the character was going to be annoying, pessimist and would criticize everything, but Litchtman's writing was filled with warm, it kind of reminded me of "The Idiot" by Elif Batuman (which is one of my favorites books).
This book was a 4.5/5 for me, the only two things that I disliked about where the background of the character, there was not much information about him or his past, which I would have liked to dig more so the reader could understand and relate to the main character. Also, the storyline at the end and the last chapters felt a little stretched out to me and would have liked the author to have cut at least 20 pages, as the story got a bit repetitive. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this novel and highly recommend it, I would be checking Johannes Lichtman next projects.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews