The Accursed

I have long been a fan of Joyce Carol Oates, who's almost as prolific as Danielle Steele. My favorite work is We Were the Mulvaneys. Oates talent lies in illuminating the darkness of the human heart. If you want to have an uplifting read, her books are not for you.

The Accursed, her latest novel, attracted me because it takes place in Princeton, New Jersey at the turn of the century (1905). It's a gothic novel, a genre I happen to know a lot about, although the curse in this novel came across as mumbo-jumbo to me. The descriptions of the eating clubs at Princeton University (disgusting), of Woodrow Wilson and other luminaries of the time, including Grover Cleveland and Teddy Roosevelt were surprising, especially the descriptions of their faults.

What I liked best about the book was Oates's take on Upton Sinclair, who wrote The Jungle in a decrepit shack just outside Princeton. Sinclair idolizes Jack London as a writer. Both are involved in socialist issues. One night at Carnegie hall, the party they'd helped to form was having a rally, at which London was to be the keynote speaker. After showing up hours late and visibly drunk, he ranted for an hour or so and didn't stay to hear the other speakers. Sinclair was horrified by his idol's behavior. Who knew that London was such a violent pig?

Overall, the book was disappointing. I happened to be in Princeton last weekend. I tried to spot the old mansions described in the book, but we only drove through the downtown area and through the university campus. It is a beautiful town.