Dangling Man by Saul Bellow - 2 stars (Subdue)

[Joy D]

Dangling Man by Saul Bellow - 2* - My Review

Published in 1944 and set in 1942-1943, narrator and protagonist Joseph is a Canadian married to an American. They live in Chicago. He has quit his job and enlisted in the U.S. Army to join the fighting forces during WWII. His enlistment has stalled for numerous bureaucratic reasons, so he finds himself at loose ends. He and his wife move into a rooming house to save money. The storyline follows his waiting period where the waiting causes him to change. He gets angry and flies off the handle at the slightest provocation.

The best thing about it for me is the time period it was written, providing a contemporaneous glimpse at the home front during WWII. Other than that, I found it unpleasant. Joseph is a disagreeable person. He gets into arguments with his wife and extended family members. He rejects everyone who tries to help him. I don’t need every character to be likeable, but this is one of the most unsympathetic characters I’ve ever read. Themes include alienation, existential angst, and indecision.

This is the third book I’ve read by Saul Bellow, and I have not enjoyed them very much. I think he is just not my kind of author. The prose is fine, but the storyline, characters, and messages are not at all appealing. Even though this book is short it felt like a chore to finish it.