Baseless

This is Nicholson Baker at his meticulous best. Written in relaxed style, the content contrasts sharply with daily diary entries. Abs the sheer frustration through lack of official cooperation is breathtaking.

[Lu en anglais] Baseless porte sur les expériences menées par les Américains pendant les années 1940, 50 et 60 sur des armes chimiques et bactériologiques. Nicholson Baker se demande si les États-Unis ont employé ces armes nocives en temps de guerre. Il fait de nombreuses demandes auprès de départements fédéraux afin d’obtenir des documents qui pourraient l’aider dans sa recherche, mais il se trouve frustré du fait que les documents sollicités se font longtemps attendre et, quand ils arrivent enfin, les informations les plus propices à l’intéresser en ont été retirées.Baseless a le format d’un journal que Baker tient quotidiennement du 9 mars au 18 mai 2019. Ce journal est agrémenté de quelques passages sur la vie de l’auteur au Maine. Par cette approche, Baker démontre que, si on s’y met, on peut compléter le premier jet d’un livre assez long au bout de trois mois de travail régulier.Je recommanderais Baseless surtout aux amateurs de Nicholson Baker qui aiment sa personnalité et son style singuliers. Pour les autres, il existe des livres plus conventionnels sur les armes chimiques et biologiques développées aux États-Unis.

Dazzling because the writing is so adroit and varied, because the author's voice is so distinct. Heartbreaking not only in relation to the book's documentation of how hard it is to get the government to reveal the truth, but also, and still more so, because of all the wretched, cruel, inhumane things scientists have done to create biological and chemical weapons.

I made it to page 61 before giving up and returning this drivel. The author belabors us with his dogs activities/inactivities. The spend a lot of time sleeping. Of course, they are rescue dogs which seemingly makes him a better person.He incorrectly ties Frank Wisner to Operation Paperclip. I have every book published on the subject and cannot find Mr. Wisner in any of them. Maybe he has been redacted.He bemoans the "horror" of using guinea pigs in experiments. Guess we should use humans?The narrative is full of maybe, I presume, could have been, probably was, I assume to be, could have, should have, etc.The thesis of this thing is the author thinks the US government should give him every document he requests without redactions. It is psychological warfare against him every time he sees a redaction. He is special and should be privy to every morsel of data he asks for. I suggest he send similar requests to any other nation and see what the reply is.This thing is an absolute waste of good paper.

I not only bought the hard copy of this book, but I listened to it on audible books!! This is one of those books that is packed with incredible information and worth every penny! It discusses this gentleman's journey down the road of germs and germ warfare and his FOIA troubles with the government. I would recommend this book to everyone right now to get an idea of how much biowarfare is out there even to this day! Loved this book and so glad I found it!!