Powers’ tenth novel is somewhat shorter than most of his previous efforts and may seem, at least in summary, more lightweight in its focus. (Of course, if “more lightweight” is simply a comparative measure limited to Powers’ own body of work, rather than a broad literary assessment, then the novel can be assumed to be much weightier in its themes than the works of most other novelists.) The central thematic question that

explores is the nature of happiness, and the novel features characters who are determined to find answers to that question that can be packaged and sold both as entertainment and as a medical or pharmaceutical commodity—or, more precisely, as a commodity that can be marketed through the dumbed-down infotainment programming that dominates cable…

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Citation: Kich, Martin. "Generosity". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 23 April 2024 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=41603, accessed 23 November 2024.]