Perspective

This collection is written from the perspective of Tony Judt, in his mid-sixties, looking back on his life in what he knows are the final years before his death. The fact that Judt suffers from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) greatly impacts his perspective on his memories. The disease has nearly paralyzed him - at the time of publication Judt had lost all movement except in his face (including vocal chords), which allowed him to document his thoughts only through the use of a transcriber. For a writer, having to dictate one's essays rather than write them with a pen and paper would have a profound impact on the creation and editing of thoughts. Judt admits to the reader that these essays were never meant to be published and that he compiled them without the hindrance (or benefit) of an internal editor. Essentially, these essays are highly styled but...