John Safran

A messy but unsettling read -- and a good one, too. If you're not familiar with Safran's somewhat loose style, this might not be the best primer, but his true-crime investigation of the slaying of a confused white supremacist by a down-on-his-luck black youth is quite startling. The killer's identity is never in question, but almost everything else is.

As I said, the book is messy -- that is, a lot of it comes across as taken directly from Safran's notes; it's not edited or overly thematic like, say, that of Capote; and the difference between earlier true-crime works and those of the 21st century - where bureaucracy has more power to elude but social media threatens to devour the truth and make us all masters of our own narratives - sometimes obscures what really happened. Indeed, Safran walks away with only glimmers of insight.

Yet, "Murder in Mississippi" is ultimately a success. That's partly because self-avowed "Race Trekkie" Safran refuses to let the uneasy questions go unasked (and in this, his status as not just an outsider but a foreigner - and a Jewish one at that - makes things much easier, in some ways). But it's also because what we find in the killing of Richard Barrett is a nasty, nasty situation. Barrett was undoubtedly a loathsome man, but as we gradually realise, every impression of him was different - and some were determined not to see racism at all. And the killer, Vincent, is undoubtedly a victim of his society - yet it gradually becomes clear that for all his victimhood, the young man is also severely messed up. More to the point, as Safran's investigation takes in the wider community of Mississippi, he inadvertantly stumbles on much greater questions like: how much does it really take to bring about change? Integration may have been forced on these people by a Yankee government, but every page brings us to new areas of discrimination and petty power plays, a lot of it hidden between an awkward silence and a smile.

As a Melbournian myself, my response to many of the local issues is as bewildered as Safran's; if there are answers, I don't claim to know them. And that's ultimately what this book does well: it asks the questions and lets the murky haze of non-sequiturs hang there, illuminated for at least a moment by his flashlight.… (més)

This is the most on-point thing that I've read about the outer edge of the bell curve of Australian politics. The level of mental gymnastics on display to justify some people's sincerely-held beliefs is breathtaking. The disparity between what many people (say they) believe and what others think they believe is also pretty stark. Something about John's descriptions of all the dumb little cock-ups they make is a bit endearing. Every Aussie should read this, and maybe take a look at themselves before throwing around some hyperbole online.… (més)

Puff Piece by John Saffran is a truly Saffranesque traversal of the linguistic chicaneries of purveyor of tobacco products, Philip Morris.

As a former law student, I am aware of the importance of finely tuned language when arguing a matter. As a Talmudic student, Saffran is similarly schooled.

Philip Morris, after many decades and perhaps centuries of being a purveyor of cigarettes, is now presenting itself as seeking to end cigarette consumption by presenting us with the heat stick and its attendant equipment that heats but does not burn said sticks, which they claim are not cigarettes despite similarities of appearance. The story Saffran presents is necessarily far more convoluted.

Saffran is somewhat of an acquired taste, but as the reader of this audio version, he is ideally placed to present his idiosyncratic approach to exploring and dissecting the issue.

Definitely recommended.… (més)

The last book for 2021 helped me achieve my reading goals, given that I needed one more book by an Australian male author in order to complete my Aussie Author reading challenge. (See what else I read here).

In John Safran Vs The Occult, Australian satirist John Safran explores his interest in religion, expanding his research to include witchcraft, black magic, satanism and the occult.

If you're expecting to learn more about what these practices are and their brief history, this isn't that book. Rather, Safran researches and then investigates current cases and crimes specifically attributed to witchcraft, black magic, satanism and the occult and takes the reader along for the experience. This makes for an individual case perspective rather than an analysis of these practices as a whole.

Written before the pandemic and published in 2019, Safran travels to Los Angeles, Texas and Vanuatu, and even meets a Muslim woman seeking an Islamic exorcism in his hometown of Melbourne.

Originally published as an Audible Original, Safran's unassuming personality and genuine interest in people and their beliefs enables him to get locals to open up and talk to him. I'll admit I got lost in the sea of people in Vanuatu and the myriad ways in which they were connected to the case, but hearing directly from the people being interviewed via excerpts was definitely a highlight. Safran's interview techniques build trust and rapport and listening to the stories it's clear the interviewees trust Safran to represent them honestly and with respect.

John Safran Vs The Occult is a solid introduction to the author's research style, varied fields of interest and unique delivery. As always, Safran manages to find the lighter moments and there are many chuckles along the way.… (més)