The Kindly Ones

The Kindly Ones by Jonathan Littell. It’s an incredibly well researched historical fiction that explores bureaucracy and the darkness of human nature, particularly how intelligent, capable, ordinary, and deeply flawed people can be swept up into genocide and hypocrisy vis-à-vis the Holocaust. It is revolting, offensive, sepulchral, demoralizing, profoundly human, and a cascade of other powerful emotions I couldn’t even name, all at the same time. During my first read through, I recall being angry and disgusted by it at several points. It would weigh heavy on my mind even days after I had set it down, and a few times I would be unable to help but sob uncontrollably at work, the gym, supermarket, etc. I went through a long stretch of deep depression after reading it. Ultimately, it triggered a long examination of some of my values, how I perceived and treated others, and some of the negative influences in my life, and lead to a lot of positive changes. Later read throughs felt much more profound and even beautiful.