The sub title is: What Do We Do With Great Art By Bad People.
You don't have to have follwed this sub for long to get why this is an issue. Recent times have shown that some very talented people have actually been deeply dodgy as individuals. what then do you do with the work that they produced? Claire Dederer deserves some credit for tackling the issue.
Her core case studies are no great surprise: (Roman Polanski and Woody Allen). Clearly picked because they fit the spec but are among Dederer's favourites if you took away their well documented abusive behaviour. The start of the book explores a lot of the debate from the perspective of the film media's flexible standards around them, particularly the general defense of Polanski.
Where the book fails is in trying to get to the 'so what?' I don't think she can actually get to a clear opinion other than being very divided about it: Love the art. Hate the person.
Then she tries to equate her own experience of taking time out to complete a peice of writing at the expense of family life. I am sorry, but needing to work away from home in order to do your job really doesn't make you a monster. Women and men in all walks of life have to do this and always have. It does make life hard on families but in no way is it on a par with abusers and rapists. It just doesn't. Nor does it shed any light on the central problem.
In terms of the book, the whole 'went away' story prevents Dederer from coming to a real conclusion.
Overall: Brave to stand up and attempt it – but a swing and a miss in my view.
by TabbyOverlord