A review by lily_gracex
Rude Talk in Athens: Comedy, Democracy, and the Most Important Writer You've Never Heard of by Mark Haskell Smith

4.0

Ancient Greece is often attributed with founding the progressive and innate notions of society and democracy that we so heavily rely upon today. However, the still highly oppressive nature and resistance to change is frequently ignored. This novel addresses this through focusing on comedy writers within Ancient Greece, specifically Ariphrades. The author highlights how said writers were both resisted and embraced as they challenged the inherent foundations of society under the protection of comedy. This novels redefines sexuality and the basis of hedonism, with a deep exploration into how crucial comedy can be to the pursuit of both political and social change.