A review by manda2491
We Learn Nothing by Tim Kreider

5.0

I bought this book immediately after reading Kreider's NY Times piece "The Summer That Never Was." I felt an eerie connection to the sentiments he described in his essay which, to my delight, was echoed in this collection. Kreider's writing is deeply humanistic and self-conscious fueled by his own doubts, insecurities, and skepticism. It is balanced between being hilarious/clever and philosophical/wise - managing to really get to the heart of the human experience with brutal honesty. Unfortunately, the essays do lack a claim to longevity as people will forget about the specific political fears surrounding the Bush Administration and hope of the early Obama years. Likewise, Kreider writes from the distinct perspective of a New York liberal which may not appeal to all audiences (but is due, in part, to why I find him so charming). I truly, truly loved this collection.