Monsters What Do We Do with Great Art by Bad People?

Reading Claire Dederer feels less like reading and more like listening to someone think. Monsters is a sharp and thought-provoking exploration of the fraught relationship between artistic genius and moral failings. Dederer dives into the complexities of grappling with the legacy of creators like Roman Polanski, Woody Allen, and others whose personal lives provoke outrage while their art remains influential. With wit, vulnerability, and intellectual rigor, she questions whether we can or should separate the art from the artist, unpacking the emotional and ethical dilemmas that arise when their transgressions come to light. The book balances personal anecdotes with cultural critique, making it an engaging and necessary read for anyone who has ever felt conflicted about enjoying art tainted by its creator's actions. Could have done without the excerpt on her own „monstrosity", but this is the only fault I can find with this incredible piece of writing.

I listened to the audiobook original, read by Claire Dederer herself. It's a fantastic piece of reflection, research and analysis which was really fun to follow. Obviously, the book touches on horrible things committed by a number of artists, but if you really want to dive into someone's analysis of what to do with the art of people who did bad things, this book is an absolute recommendation. Even though this is non-fiction, it's very well written and not at all dry.

This book is a great starting point for everyone whose life was changed by a piece of art ... only to find out that the artists of that work was/is - well, a monster in one way or another. Claire Dederer takes a long and honest look at a variety of these "monster"artists and their art - and at herself, her dilemma as a fan. What I liked most about this book is that it holds a lot of room for the painful (moral) ambiguities that this topic holds by nature. This book does not try to find THE ONE RIGHT MORAL SOLUTION, it's more of an exploration that takes a look at everything between "i can't look at this person's art anymore because of their horrible deeds" and "you should separate the art from the artist". and encourages every reader to explore their own attitudes (and biases), maybe even case by case. I can't recommend it enough.

I bought this book because it was on sale and I thought why not? Maybe Claire Dederer will finally answer my question on whether I'm allowed to read (and like!) Harry Potter or whether I'm allowed to like Picasso's art and still call myself a feminist. What I got was so much more. It was written with humor and self-awareness but without having a holier-than-though tone. This book was exactly what I needed.