Joe bedford

Miranda July’s “All Fours” starts out great, gets increasingly more tedious to read by the middle of the book and then falls flat during the latter chapters. The end was massively disappointing and made me feel cheated. Perhaps I am too shallow to understand or feel the power of her words. Or maybe I am used to books that come to a conclusion or at least a satisfying ending of some sort. I found this book to be insightful, funny and clever early on. As it progressed it got boring. It became one feigned deep passage after the next that seemed artificial and unrealistic. The main character became too self-focused, emotional and outrageous to be believable. To me, she became a burden. Kind of reminded me of too many people today who are selfish, narcissistic and overly emotional about life in general. “All Fours” was most disappointing to me because it reflects a “me” culture, a type of shallow self absorbance manifested by “stressed out” adults who falsely believe that happiness comes from exploring their own individuality and personal journey. In reality true personal growth and happinesses, perhaps even enlightenment comes from interaction with others, by accepting what you cannot change, finding pleasure in the small things in life, and living harmoniously and consciously in a larger environment than one’s own life. Knowledge of “others” not oneself and living in the present is what liberates people and helps them reach enlightenment and happiness. That’s what July and others don’t seem to understand. And because they don’t understand that, they fall into this helpless, vulnerable and self absorbing act of self indulgence which becomes their own psychic torture chamber. That’s exactly what happens to the protagonist in “All Fours.” Too bad July falls into that same trap in “All Fours.” And that’s why this book feels shallow and “put-on” to people like me. Of course, I can be wrong and maybe I’m missing something. I’ll need others — not self insights— to realize it.