Generosity: An Enhancement is the tenth novel by American author Richard Powers. Like other Powers novels it is idea-driven, strongly focusing on social alienation and scientific progress. The novel employs metafiction, including real-time intrusions by the narrator who explicitly sets the novel in a "parallel" Chicago.[1]
Generosity tells the story of Thassadit "Thassa" Amzwar, an Algerian refugee who seemingly has overwhelming happiness ("hyperthymia") written in her genes, and the confounding effects she has on those around her, both sincere and exploitive.
Thassa is taking a class in creative non-fiction writing taught by Russell Stone. Her boundless happiness leads the class to dub her "Miss Generosity", but puzzles and disturbs Stone, who discusses Thassa with a college counselor, Candace Weld.
A classmate tries to rape Thassa one evening, she cheerfully talks him out of it, and he turns himself in for attempted rape. Police questioning leads to news of Thassa's "condition" becoming known, and her story becomes an Internet hit. A media circus and a scientific frenzy, led by geneticist Thomas Kurton, converge on her. Stone and Weld become lovers.
Thassa agrees to be studied by Kurton and makes an appearance on "Oona" (a fictionalized Oprah). She then disappears, having returned home.
Major charactersedit
Russell Stone is a minor magazine editor, moonlighting as a writing instructor at the (fictional) Mesquakie College of Art. He suffers from writer's block. He is described by at least one character as "hapless".
Thassadit "Thassa" Amzwar is a student in his class who is perpetually upbeat despite growing up through the horrors of the Algerian Civil War. Her pseudonym in Kurton's study is "Jen", which is what she is known as on the Internet.
Thomas Kurton is the charismatic entrepreneur behind Truecyte, a genetics lab. He thinks he can find a "happiness" gene.
Candace Weld is a school psychologist. She is skeptical regarding a "happiness" gene.
Tonia Schiff is the host of a popular science show called Over The Limit.
Receptionedit
The Denver Post called it Powers's most accessible work to date. Michael Durda in The New York Review of Books cites Powers alongside Dostoevsky and Dickens in his review. The Telegraph, while generally favorable, criticized the novel's postmodernism, saying "the novel's cleverest trick is also what sucks its heart out."[2]
As it turns out, his new novel, "Generosity," is an excellent introduction to Powers's work, a lighter, leaner treatment of his favorite themes and techniques.
generosity, enhancement, tenth, novel, american, author, richard, powers, like, other, powers, novels, idea, driven, strongly, focusing, social, alienation, scientific, progress, novel, employs, metafiction, including, real, time, intrusions, narrator, explici. Generosity An Enhancement is the tenth novel by American author Richard Powers Like other Powers novels it is idea driven strongly focusing on social alienation and scientific progress The novel employs metafiction including real time intrusions by the narrator who explicitly sets the novel in a parallel Chicago 1 Generosity An EnhancementCover of the first edition hardbackAuthorRichard PowersCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishPublisherFarrar Straus and GirouxPublication date2009Media typePrint hardback Pages296ISBN978 0 374 16114 9Generosity tells the story of Thassadit Thassa Amzwar an Algerian refugee who seemingly has overwhelming happiness hyperthymia written in her genes and the confounding effects she has on those around her both sincere and exploitive Contents 1 Plot summary 2 Major characters 3 Reception 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksPlot summary editThassa is taking a class in creative non fiction writing taught by Russell Stone Her boundless happiness leads the class to dub her Miss Generosity but puzzles and disturbs Stone who discusses Thassa with a college counselor Candace Weld A classmate tries to rape Thassa one evening she cheerfully talks him out of it and he turns himself in for attempted rape Police questioning leads to news of Thassa s condition becoming known and her story becomes an Internet hit A media circus and a scientific frenzy led by geneticist Thomas Kurton converge on her Stone and Weld become lovers Thassa agrees to be studied by Kurton and makes an appearance on Oona a fictionalized Oprah She then disappears having returned home Major characters editRussell Stone is a minor magazine editor moonlighting as a writing instructor at the fictional Mesquakie College of Art He suffers from writer s block He is described by at least one character as hapless Thassadit Thassa Amzwar is a student in his class who is perpetually upbeat despite growing up through the horrors of the Algerian Civil War Her pseudonym in Kurton s study is Jen which is what she is known as on the Internet Thomas Kurton is the charismatic entrepreneur behind Truecyte a genetics lab He thinks he can find a happiness gene Candace Weld is a school psychologist She is skeptical regarding a happiness gene Tonia Schiff is the host of a popular science show called Over The Limit Reception editThe Denver Post called it Powers s most accessible work to date Michael Durda in The New York Review of Books cites Powers alongside Dostoevsky and Dickens in his review The Telegraph while generally favorable criticized the novel s postmodernism saying the novel s cleverest trick is also what sucks its heart out 2 As it turns out his new novel Generosity is an excellent introduction to Powers s work a lighter leaner treatment of his favorite themes and techniques Jay McInerney The New York Times 3 See also editIsaiah Eleven 2008 novel set in ChicagoReferences edit This place is some other Second City This Chicago is Chicago s in vitro daughter genetically modified for more flexibility Chapter 1 Brown Helen 2010 02 01 Generosity by Richard Powers Review Telegraph co UK Retrieved 2018 02 08 Jay McInerney 2009 10 01 Why Is She Smiling New York Times External links editListen to this article 3 minutes source source nbsp This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 17 August 2023 2023 08 17 and does not reflect subsequent edits Audio help More spoken articles Generosity An Enhancement Author s webpage Generosity Archived from the original on 2014 09 01 Retrieved 2014 07 08 Publisher s webpage Why Is She Smiling by Jay McInerney https www nytimes com 2009 10 04 books review McInerney t html pagewanted all amp r 0 Retrieved 2014 07 06 Generosity by Richard Powers review by Helen Brown https www telegraph co uk culture books bookreviews 7093977 Generosity by Richard Powers review html Retrieved 2014 07 06 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Generosity An Enhancement amp oldid 1170873042, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
