Ruin of Kasch

Calasso is one of the greatest modern writers, and his work defies all generic conventions: a fascinating blend of history, poetry, scholarship, and philosophy. The era of great artists and masterpieces has perhaps passed, but there is still room for a genius like Calasso to write this postmodern pastiche. This work is a profound meditation on modernity, which he considers as beginning with the French Revolution. He considers the history of the French Revolution and its aftermath, and especially the role of Tallyrand, whom Calasso find fascinating for many reasons. Beyond the French Revolution, however, Calasso ranges far and wide, from Max Stirner to Marx to Nietzsche to Dostoevsky to Melville and even back to Hindu mythology. The coherency of this book is at the level of poetry or an epic novel such as Moby Dick, not at the level of logical argument. Those looking for a tightly focused argument or linear history should go elsewhere; those capable of appreciating a poetic and philosophic historically-informed mediation on the problem of our identity as moderns will read and savor this unique performance.