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courtcat's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
aaroncbabcock's review against another edition
4.0
More accurately 3.5/5 stars.
A bizarre melange of style and form The Hanging On Union Square is indebted primarily to socialist realism/revolutionary romanticism and agitprop drama (both contemporary to Tsiang in New York where he was living as a leftist agitator and student). I'm not sure I'd call the novel a success -- it is, however, at the very least an interesting mess of a book. The plot meanders in fits and starts, the characters are (unsurprisingly) fairly one-dimensional with names like "Mr. Nut," "Mr. System," and "Miss Digger" that clue you in to what their deal is pretty quickly. The main character "Mr. Nut" is a fairly typical everyman character and Tsiang works hard to make him as broad as possible. Whereas his previous books (especially China Has Hands) were focused on racial identification as well as class issues, here Tsiang largely drops the former in favor of the latter. Though its possible to read "Mr. Nut" as a version of the author himself, its probably much easier to read him as generically "American" and, by extension, presumably white. Tsiang's message about class and capitalism is at the forefront of the novel and its possible he wished to avoid turning away any potentially sympathetic working class readers.
The mix of humor and grotesque imagery and scenes makes for a novel that reads as more "modern" than its 1935 publishing date. A weird book -- its hardly a surprise that Tsiang had to self-publish his books. Nevertheless a partial triumph of sorts for a book its author ambitiously subtitles: "An American Epic."
A bizarre melange of style and form The Hanging On Union Square is indebted primarily to socialist realism/revolutionary romanticism and agitprop drama (both contemporary to Tsiang in New York where he was living as a leftist agitator and student). I'm not sure I'd call the novel a success -- it is, however, at the very least an interesting mess of a book. The plot meanders in fits and starts, the characters are (unsurprisingly) fairly one-dimensional with names like "Mr. Nut," "Mr. System," and "Miss Digger" that clue you in to what their deal is pretty quickly. The main character "Mr. Nut" is a fairly typical everyman character and Tsiang works hard to make him as broad as possible. Whereas his previous books (especially China Has Hands) were focused on racial identification as well as class issues, here Tsiang largely drops the former in favor of the latter. Though its possible to read "Mr. Nut" as a version of the author himself, its probably much easier to read him as generically "American" and, by extension, presumably white. Tsiang's message about class and capitalism is at the forefront of the novel and its possible he wished to avoid turning away any potentially sympathetic working class readers.
The mix of humor and grotesque imagery and scenes makes for a novel that reads as more "modern" than its 1935 publishing date. A weird book -- its hardly a surprise that Tsiang had to self-publish his books. Nevertheless a partial triumph of sorts for a book its author ambitiously subtitles: "An American Epic."
merrrry's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Genuinely do not know how to rate this book. If nothing else, it was interesting. Unique tone and style. And gotta respect the author for really believing in his work even when no one wanted to publish him. I enjoyed this read as a whole. It's really nothing like anything else I've read.
jynaito's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
imor43's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
tombomp's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
<blockquote>“If I can’t straighten out a professor-back, how am I going to straighten out this crooked world?”
“That is great. Sounds heroic. Oh, gee!” commented Miss Digger jokingly.
“I’m sorry. I meant how are we going to straighten out this crooked world,” added Stubborn apologetically.
“That’s right! We . . . the people . . .” Mr. Wiseguy interrupted with his Oxford and Harvard accent.
“No, I mean we, the WORKERS, are going to straighten out this crooked world,” said Stubborn scientifically.
“Don’t you see I am a Socialist. Here is the New Leader,16 our paper.”
“No, I would not read that yellow sheet,” replied Stubborn, revolutionarily.
“That is the trouble with you Communists. You’re so fanatic!” said Mr. Wiseguy.</blockquote>
This is a fascinating communist propaganda novel (with play elements?) from 1935 written by an exile from China in NYC that's also often very funny. It's good to read anyway as a novel but your enjoyment will be much higher if you're interested in the communist and history element. There's some gentle poking fun at the communist milleu (the groups of people insistent you donate For The Cause, the incredibly insistent and pushy paper seller, the educated people who slot themselves in as bureaucrats and don't do the work) that's very recognisable today, but it's obviously always done with love.
The characters are all archetypes: Mr Nut starts out as very similar to the IWW's Mr Block, believing that even while he's poor, soon he'll be a success story, before having a Damascene conversion and joining the side of the communists. Mr System is the landlord, the boss, the capitalist class in general. Mr Wiseguy a chancer, not wealthy but willing to do anything and scam his fellows to get thrown a dime by the capitalists. Miss Digger is probably the dodgiest portrayal, although it's not too bad - she's a courtesan/sex worker who refuses to show solidarity with other workers in the hopes that by sucking up to rich men she can earn a living in some way or another. Mr Ratsky is a gangster (he identifies himself as Al Capone on his introduction). Stubborn is the struggling communist, a hard party worker who struggles along looking after her ill family, committed to the struggle, in some ways *the* hero of the novel.
There's a lot of very funny parts here - the ending section of it (cw for hanging/suicide talk - there's also a suicide 2/3 of the way through) is absurd and hilarious and yet feels not far off what actually happens, A Modest Proposal for Depression-era America. The section where a boy tries to sell Mr Nut the communist newspaper for kids is very funny. There's lots of it scattered throughout the book and I laughed out loud quite a bit, especially the first third. There's also some serious talk about the horror of living in poverty in the era - lots of talk of suicide, people selling sex, evictions of dying people, doing anything for their next meal. And also surprisingly a couple of gay encounters - none consummated, but it's played off as fine, just Mr Nut not understanding the signs (he's often pretty naive).
Overall I really enjoyed my time with this book. There's some minor issues but it's a fascinating and funny look at a particular moment in history with a rousing, absurd, inspiring communist conclusion.
“That is great. Sounds heroic. Oh, gee!” commented Miss Digger jokingly.
“I’m sorry. I meant how are we going to straighten out this crooked world,” added Stubborn apologetically.
“That’s right! We . . . the people . . .” Mr. Wiseguy interrupted with his Oxford and Harvard accent.
“No, I mean we, the WORKERS, are going to straighten out this crooked world,” said Stubborn scientifically.
“Don’t you see I am a Socialist. Here is the New Leader,16 our paper.”
“No, I would not read that yellow sheet,” replied Stubborn, revolutionarily.
“That is the trouble with you Communists. You’re so fanatic!” said Mr. Wiseguy.</blockquote>
This is a fascinating communist propaganda novel (with play elements?) from 1935 written by an exile from China in NYC that's also often very funny. It's good to read anyway as a novel but your enjoyment will be much higher if you're interested in the communist and history element. There's some gentle poking fun at the communist milleu (the groups of people insistent you donate For The Cause, the incredibly insistent and pushy paper seller, the educated people who slot themselves in as bureaucrats and don't do the work) that's very recognisable today, but it's obviously always done with love.
The characters are all archetypes: Mr Nut starts out as very similar to the IWW's Mr Block, believing that even while he's poor, soon he'll be a success story, before having a Damascene conversion and joining the side of the communists. Mr System is the landlord, the boss, the capitalist class in general. Mr Wiseguy a chancer, not wealthy but willing to do anything and scam his fellows to get thrown a dime by the capitalists. Miss Digger is probably the dodgiest portrayal, although it's not too bad - she's a courtesan/sex worker who refuses to show solidarity with other workers in the hopes that by sucking up to rich men she can earn a living in some way or another. Mr Ratsky is a gangster (he identifies himself as Al Capone on his introduction). Stubborn is the struggling communist, a hard party worker who struggles along looking after her ill family, committed to the struggle, in some ways *the* hero of the novel.
There's a lot of very funny parts here - the ending section of it (cw for hanging/suicide talk - there's also a suicide 2/3 of the way through) is absurd and hilarious and yet feels not far off what actually happens, A Modest Proposal for Depression-era America. The section where a boy tries to sell Mr Nut the communist newspaper for kids is very funny. There's lots of it scattered throughout the book and I laughed out loud quite a bit, especially the first third. There's also some serious talk about the horror of living in poverty in the era - lots of talk of suicide, people selling sex, evictions of dying people, doing anything for their next meal. And also surprisingly a couple of gay encounters - none consummated, but it's played off as fine, just Mr Nut not understanding the signs (he's often pretty naive).
Overall I really enjoyed my time with this book. There's some minor issues but it's a fascinating and funny look at a particular moment in history with a rousing, absurd, inspiring communist conclusion.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
tmc331's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
reinrifu's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ihfdayton's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0