Some years ago I read a book called Making Rent in Bed-Stuy by Brandon Harris. It’s one of those quintessential first-book essay collections, of the type where the titular theme of the book is effectively explored and then a set of mostly-unrelated essays is wedged in to make the project book-length. My Goodreads review read “When it’s about making rent in Bed-Stuy, it’s good. When it isn't, it’s... less.” I did think there was a lot of good in the book, but I had to sift too much to find it. It’s a problem common to a lot of nonfiction, especially that which has a memoiristic bent - maintaining focus when the dictates of publishing so often prioritize padding. I thought of this issue more than once when reading Patrick Bringley’s new book
This does sound like an intriguing read. Kind of like that memoir a decade ago by an NYC taxi driver. The quintessential insider’s look. I love the MET and visited a few times when I lived in Manhattan between 2019-21.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention! The Met has a special place in my heart. My first real job was there. I was a Visitor Services Assistant, meaning I sold tickets, or little metal buttons at the time. The obelisk behind the Met was also one of my high school drinking spots.
I like how Freddie takes apart a piece of text like a professional. I once watched a football game with a guy who was involved with coaching on collegiate level. His take was a lot more nuanced than "this dude is awesome" or "this dude sucks".
I agree that his writing doesn't quite hit the mark when describing the armor, but I I can't deny how much suits of armor have fascinated me through the years.
In fact, Bringley might have missed the obvious connection with his wondrous title. Rather than the "cold, hard honesty" he sees in Sir Giles' helm, what stands out for me is the ornamentation on all of the suits of armor I've seen in museums.
They were designed for protection and the sheer force of hand-to-hand combat. That's real and it's practical.
So they didn't need to be beautiful.
But they are. Granted I've only seen them in museums, and I imagine not all of them were for the greatest of the nobility. But the enormous effort to make them glorious stuns me every time. Same with swords and shields and armor for the horses.
Nothing says more about humanity than the fact that for centuries of bloody, gory war, people worked hard to make something beautiful for the battle.
Perhaps a problem in publishing is lack of flexibility. I've been speculating that Lord of the Rings would never be published today because it's too long, flowing off on tangents, wordy. But I wonder if Animal Farm would also not be published because it's too short.
I've read books that I thought were padded. The last was Sarah Chayes book on corruption. I loved her book Punishment of Virtue about Afghanistan. There were some fascinating things in her last book, but for it to be a coherent whole it needed to be shorter.
I love the MET. When I'm in NY I go at least twice.
I dunno Freddie. That knight description worked for me. I saw the "killing machine" part as more "automated and cannot be stopped". Like. put your hand in a thresher and it just keeps running and threshes your hand. Get near this tank and he just clubs you and keeps trundling on. That kind of thing.
I don't quibble with your other points tho. Sounds like a good book, thanks for the review.
I think I’ll pick this up too (like the first commenter).
I have to admit to some discomfort reading your take on the room of armor section. It seemed, well, a little harsh. But this IS a book review and the reader does (presumably) want to know what you think. My discomfort has me thinking if I would be as direct. I’m thinking I wouldn’t - and that would be a little cowardly. So, thanks for for your bravery, if that’s not too strong a word.
(As an aside, I was reading some Walter Pater this morning. So, the books topic is a nice coincidence. I know this sounds relentlessly pretentious, but <shrug>. On the other hand, I did put it down pretty quickly.)
This does sound like an intriguing read. Kind of like that memoir a decade ago by an NYC taxi driver. The quintessential insider’s look. I love the MET and visited a few times when I lived in Manhattan between 2019-21.
The Black Snake of Wounded Vanity
https://blacksnakeofvanity.substack.com/
Thanks for bringing this to my attention! The Met has a special place in my heart. My first real job was there. I was a Visitor Services Assistant, meaning I sold tickets, or little metal buttons at the time. The obelisk behind the Met was also one of my high school drinking spots.
I like how Freddie takes apart a piece of text like a professional. I once watched a football game with a guy who was involved with coaching on collegiate level. His take was a lot more nuanced than "this dude is awesome" or "this dude sucks".
I found Sir Giles's helmet on the Met's website: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/21997?sortBy=Relevance&ft=giles&offset=0&rpp=40&pos=1 .
I agree that his writing doesn't quite hit the mark when describing the armor, but I I can't deny how much suits of armor have fascinated me through the years.
In fact, Bringley might have missed the obvious connection with his wondrous title. Rather than the "cold, hard honesty" he sees in Sir Giles' helm, what stands out for me is the ornamentation on all of the suits of armor I've seen in museums.
They were designed for protection and the sheer force of hand-to-hand combat. That's real and it's practical.
So they didn't need to be beautiful.
But they are. Granted I've only seen them in museums, and I imagine not all of them were for the greatest of the nobility. But the enormous effort to make them glorious stuns me every time. Same with swords and shields and armor for the horses.
Nothing says more about humanity than the fact that for centuries of bloody, gory war, people worked hard to make something beautiful for the battle.
This sounds delightful and I’ll put it on my list. I always enjoy your book reviews.
Perhaps a problem in publishing is lack of flexibility. I've been speculating that Lord of the Rings would never be published today because it's too long, flowing off on tangents, wordy. But I wonder if Animal Farm would also not be published because it's too short.
I've read books that I thought were padded. The last was Sarah Chayes book on corruption. I loved her book Punishment of Virtue about Afghanistan. There were some fascinating things in her last book, but for it to be a coherent whole it needed to be shorter.
I love the MET. When I'm in NY I go at least twice.
I dunno Freddie. That knight description worked for me. I saw the "killing machine" part as more "automated and cannot be stopped". Like. put your hand in a thresher and it just keeps running and threshes your hand. Get near this tank and he just clubs you and keeps trundling on. That kind of thing.
I don't quibble with your other points tho. Sounds like a good book, thanks for the review.
I think I’ll pick this up too (like the first commenter).
I have to admit to some discomfort reading your take on the room of armor section. It seemed, well, a little harsh. But this IS a book review and the reader does (presumably) want to know what you think. My discomfort has me thinking if I would be as direct. I’m thinking I wouldn’t - and that would be a little cowardly. So, thanks for for your bravery, if that’s not too strong a word.
(As an aside, I was reading some Walter Pater this morning. So, the books topic is a nice coincidence. I know this sounds relentlessly pretentious, but <shrug>. On the other hand, I did put it down pretty quickly.)
Thanks. Now I have a book to add to my list and another reason to get to the Met.