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Larissa MacFarquhar
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Strangers Drowning: Voyages to the Brink of Moral Extremity Hardcover – 29 Sept. 2015

by Larissa MacFarquhar (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars 304 ratings
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SUNDAY TIMES and GUARDIAN BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2015

What does it mean to devote yourself wholly to helping others? In Strangers Drowning, Larissa MacFarquhar seeks out people living lives of extreme ethical commitment, and tells their intimate stories: their stubborn integrity and their compromises; their bravery and their recklessness; their wrenching dilemmas.

A couple adopts two children in distress. But then they think: if they can change two lives, why not four? Or ten? They adopt twenty. But how do they weigh the needs of unknown children in distress against the needs of the children they already have?

Another couple founds a leprosy colony in the wilderness in India, living in huts with no walls, knowing that their two small children may contract leprosy or be eaten by panthers. The children survive. But what if they hadn't? How would their parents' risk have been judged?

We honour such generosity and high ideals; but when we call people 'do-gooders' there is scepticism in it, even hostility. Why do moral people make us uneasy? Between her stories, MacFarquhar threads a lively history of the novels, philosophy, social science, and self-help that have contributed to a deep suspicion of do-gooders in Western culture.

Through its sympathetic and beautifully vivid storytelling, Strangers Drowning confronts us with fundamental questions about what it means to be human. In a world of strangers drowning in need, how much should we help, and how much can we help? Is it right to care for strangers even at the expense of those we are closest to? Moving and provocative, Strangers Drowning challenges us to think about what we value most, and why.

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  1. Print length
    336 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Allen Lane
  4. Publication date
    29 Sept. 2015
  5. Dimensions
    16.1 x 3.2 x 24.1 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    1846143985
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1846143984
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Product description

Review

For Christmas, I'd be overjoyed to receive a copy of Strangers Drowning by Larissa MacFarquhar (Curtis Sittenfeld, Books of the Year Guardian)

Beautifully written, MacFarquhar's book digs deep into the awkward questions raised by ultra-morality, yet keeps a light touch (Books of the Year Sunday Times)

Superb... The author's tone throughout Strangers Drowning is that of a serious and wide-awake novelist... If her book does not provoke and unsettle you, you may not have a pulse (New York Times)

Chilling and utterly absorbing... Combining critical analysis with compassion, the book's treatment is reminiscent of Oliver Sacks, who explored the more extraordinary aspects of ordinary lives (Frances Wilson Daily Telegraph)

Strangers Drowning is a book written in a deceptively simple and clear voice about people, about how morality lodges itself in a person not as an abstract idea, or even a value, but as a direction for life... Impressive (Financial Times)

Larissa MacFarquhar's facinating encounters with the relentless logic of extreme do-gooders pose important questions for all of us (Observer)

MacFarquhar writes beautifully and makes us think intensely about the tormenting question of how to balance inequality and injustice against privilege... (Sunday Times)

Narrated with such even-handed curiosity, such compassion for human endeavour and forgiveness of fallibility, that you cannot help but share MacFarquhar's admiration and see that these predicaments matter (Spectator)

Excellent... The strength of this insightful and grown-up book is to leave the discomfort in place without succumbing to a new sentimentality or absolutism (Rowan Williams Literary Review)

Profound, absorbing, and utterly brilliant. The stories unfold like parables. Larissa MacFarquhar shows us people who are devoted to simply trying to do the most good they can in their lives. And in the process she gets us to think about some of mankind's deepest, most ancient questions-like how you should live and what life is for. It is a work of philosophy, journalism, and beautiful storytelling all in one. Read this book (Atul Gawande, author of Being Mortal)

Daringly conceived, brilliantly executed - may change not just how you see the world, but how you live in it (Katherine Boo, author of Behind the Beautiful Forevers)

Inspiring yet deeply unsettling... These arresting anecdotes from the shadowland between altruism and masochism are told in glowing, evocative prose and with polemical urgency. Few books throw one's personal moral universe into question, but this one does, and it does so powerfully and monumentally and with a near infinity of nuance and compassion (Andrew Solomon, author of Far from the Tree)

Strangers Drowning is a beautiful, unique book, full of astonishing and sometimes wild tales of extraordinary altruism. MacFarquhar avoids sentimentality or simple lessons. She shows; she doesn't tell. Prepare for prose that's often like poetry -- and for some remarkable portraits of the human spirit (Cass R. Sunstein, co-author of Nudge)

With the inquisitive mind of a philosopher, the observant eye of a reporter, and the ability to write like the finest novelist, Larissa MacFarquhar has created an extraordinary work of nonfiction. Strangers Drowning helps us to understand not only what it means to be good but also human. A profound and deeply original book, Strangers Drowning will hold you in its grip and not let you go (David Grann, author of The Devil and Sherlock Holmes and The Lost City of Z)

Larissa MacFarquhar has composed a compelling, lyrical saga of the saintly types who inspire both awe and puzzlement. These fascinating stories and Larissa MacFarquhar's own wise, funny meditations force you to inquire into your own sense of charity (or lack thereof). Easily the best book on both prescriptive and applied ethics I've read in a decade - mandatory reading for the examined life (Mary Karr, author of Lit and The Liar’s Club)

Fascinating and terrifying portraits of saints and ministers of grace (Kirkus)

Gripping... A scrupulous study of people selflessly devoted to helping others... Engrossing and thought provoking (Publishers Weekly)

In a series of sensitive case studies, acclaimed journalist MacFarquhar examines lives of the full-time do-gooders who give it their all and then some... MacFarquhar's book is a careful meditation on what it means to fully commit to moral living-and whether the all-out commitments of this kind are, in the grand scheme of things, worth it (Los Angeles Magazine)

Gripping... The aim of the book is neither to urge readers to change their lives nor to suggest that do-gooders are deluded. Instead, MacFarquhar draws attention to a fact of life that we often prefer to sweep under the psychological rug: sometimes we prioritize our moral duty to others, and sometimes we prioritize ourselves. Everyone draws that jagged line somewhere (Pacific Standard)

About the Author

Larissa MacFarquhar has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1998. Her subjects have included John Ashbery, Barack Obama and Noam Chomsky, among many others. Before joining the magazine, she was a senior editor at Lingua Franca and an advisory editor at The Paris Review. She lives in New York.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Allen Lane
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 29 Sept. 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1846143985
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1846143984
  • Item weight ‏ : ‎ 580 g
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 16.1 x 3.2 x 24.1 cm
  • Best Sellers Rank: 826,762 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 304 ratings

About the author

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Larissa MacFarquhar

Larissa MacFarquhar

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Larissa MacFarquhar is a staff writer at The New Yorker magazine. Her profile subjects have included Barack Obama, the novelist Hilary Mantel, the poet John Ashbery, the philosopher Derek Parfit, and the internet icon Aaron Swartz, among many others. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. In the spring of 2016 she will be teaching in the creative writing department at Stanford University.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
304 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book to be a great non-fiction read with lots of insights in various areas. One customer notes that it is supported by real-life examples and research.

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5 customers mention ‘Reading quality’5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a great non-fiction read.

"Amazing book with lots of insights in various areas, supported by real life examples and research. Loved it. Not the easy reading though." Read more

"Thought provoking, superbly written and fascinating. A reall great non fiction read." Read more

"Interesting book ." Read more

"...For anyone interested in ethics, this is, as they say, compulsory reading." Read more

4 customers mention ‘Knowledge’4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insights across various areas, with one customer noting it is supported by real-life examples and research, while another finds the wartime comparisons particularly helpful.

"Amazing book with lots of insights in various areas, supported by real life examples and research. Loved it. Not the easy reading though." Read more

"...Astonishing writing and observation...." Read more

"an important topic...." Read more

"...I thought the comparison with war time was particularly helpful,...." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • GPL
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for anyone interested in what it means to live a good life
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 October 2015
    Verified Purchase
    One of the most profound books I have ever read. Astonishing writing and observation. My life was changed when as a young and impressionable philosophy student, I became convinced of the importance of negative utilitarianism. This made me feel guilty if I did anything that did not actively try to relieve suffering. I changed my whole career and lifestyle to accommodate this philosophy. If only I had been able to read this book at that time, which gives a more balanced and realistic picture of what a sustainable moral life could look like. I consumed this book like a hungry person at a feast. For anyone interested in ethics, this is, as they say, compulsory reading.
    10 people found this helpful
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  • Sammydavies
    4.0 out of 5 stars Thought provoking
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 May 2019
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    This has made me think hard about what attracts me and scares me about living altruistically, and has made me question some of my preconceptions. I thought the comparison with war time was particularly helpful,. I thought the last minute comment about luck was not explored enough, but maybe it’s good to be left with something unfinished to ponder! Definitely read this book, especially if you’ve ever thought you should ‘do more’ or wondered why you don’t.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Hector
    5.0 out of 5 stars a strange but good book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 February 2016
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    an important topic. some of the book is too linked to a few case studies, but the conclusion is interesting; hard to fault altruism, unusual as it is. so don't feel weird if you do it; your aim is good.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • nicola
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great food for thought
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 August 2021
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Interesting book .
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  • Martin Shepherd
    5.0 out of 5 stars Deeply thoughtful
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 January 2016
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    A book that often stops you in your tracks. Especially when you look at yourself against some of the people who are the case studies.
    One person found this helpful
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  • EVITA BERGMANE
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book with lots of insights in various areas
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 December 2015
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Amazing book with lots of insights in various areas, supported by real life examples and research. Loved it. Not the easy reading though.
    Helpful
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  • Jerry
    5.0 out of 5 stars A reall great non fiction read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 October 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Thought provoking, superbly written and fascinating. A reall great non fiction read.
    Helpful
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  • Jamie Runbold
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 October 2016
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Very satisfied in all respects.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Johannes Ackva
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great exploration into altruism and extraordinary people
    Reviewed in Germany on 9 April 2017
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    A nuanced and fascinating examination of the life of altruists who made it their life goals to help as much as they could, in different ways.

    Beyond providing a potrait of the underlying beliefs and convictions, the book excels at illustrating the difficulties and the skepticism that mainstream society displays against altruism. This makes it a superb psychological as well as cultural study.
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  • Placeholder
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book, nice hard bound copy with clear print
    Reviewed in India on 12 February 2016
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Beautiful book,nice hard bound copy with clear print,I loved it.
    Report
  • Robbie Kellman Baxter, author of The Membership Economy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Bookclub Book
    Reviewed in the United States on 25 February 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I was surprised at what a page turner this book was. MacFarquhar skillfully weaves stories of extreme altruists with thoughtful, well-researched analysis of the philosophy and history of this type of moral life. Many people start off their lives as do gooders, believing that they should share their food with the hungry, money with the needy etc, but somehow as we grow up, we become pragmatists, justifying some kind of middle ground between generosity and self-interest. But some people are compelled to do everything in their power to relieve suffering. How do these people go being the abstract philosophy and into the messiness of implementation? That's what this book is about. I can't stop thinking about it. I'm going to have to read it again!
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  • eylul ece
    5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely recommend
    Reviewed in France on 12 May 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This book is one of the most interesting ones I’ve ever read. The stories are awe-inspiring but also a little intimidating. Inside, you’ll meet some very dedicated people who made helping others their first priority and the lengths they’ll go to will shock you. You’ll tell their stories to your friends and you’ll try to convince them to read the book too. This is a good book. On top of its interesting subject matter, Larissa MacFarquhar being very articulate makes it easy to read. I almost didn’t want this book to finish. I could read this over and over for years to come.
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  • Michael Bennett
    4.0 out of 5 stars The epitome of the altruist ideal.
    Reviewed in the United States on 10 May 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This book offers stories that are the epitome of altruism. It doesn't judge or provide a hard line on morality (except for a shallow summary at the end), only presents the stories as they exist, for the reader to consider on his own.

    The stories, then, shows what happens when your duty is to give up your own life for the sake of others. The people in these stories give up any intellectual component of values and simply pursue the existential, resulting in a megalomaniac-like activism without any foundation of objective morality to rely upon in their decision making, or to help them understand the consequences and outcomes. Each story is unique enough in its saintly depravity to illuminate the Kantian ideal while keeping the reader invested.

    The result is a collection of idealists with an emotional, confused, meandering way of life where the activists must convince themselves that suffering equates to happiness to make it pay off.

    The book was wonderful in its examples and will appeal both to altruists as well as rational egoists, the former marveling at the depths their spiritual neighbors go to help mankind, while the latter will observe it as a stark reminder of how not to live your life.

    I really did enjoy this book, shaking my head from side to side the whole time. What a world.
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