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Ezra Slefas, kitas Nobelio literatūros premijos laureatas
Oksfordo literatūros profesorius Humbertas Botkinas savo gyvenimą paskyrė postmodernisto Ezros Slefo kūrybai. Botkinas ryžtasi rašyti Slefo biografiją (žinoma, nepraleisdamas pratarmės, išnašų ir glosarijaus), bet knyga apie literatūros meistrą netrunka tapti pasakojimu apie patį autorių: jo įtartinai prasidėjusią akademinę karjerą, nerealizuotas rašytojo ambicijas ir kelti antakį priverčiančius asmeninio gyvenimo pasirinkimus.
Šis šmaikštus, netikėtas formas įgaunantis pasakojimas – tai ir literatūrinis žaidimas. Knygoje netrūksta nuorodų į skirtingų autorių kūrybą, netikėtų žanrinių jungčių, postmodernistinio pastišo ir sveikai ironiško žvilgsnio į literatūros pasaulio gyventojus.
Šis šmaikštus, netikėtas formas įgaunantis pasakojimas – tai ir literatūrinis žaidimas. Knygoje netrūksta nuorodų į skirtingų autorių kūrybą, netikėtų žanrinių jungčių, postmodernistinio pastišo ir sveikai ironiško žvilgsnio į literatūros pasaulio gyventojus.
- GenresFiction
304 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2023
4 people are currently reading
200 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Komarnyckyj
10 books7 followersMarathon D’Écriture is the captivating new dark romance from Andrew Komarnyckyj, a masterful storyteller whose genre-defying fiction pulses with intellectual depth and raw authenticity.
Andrew’s eclectic life—spanning roles as a lawyer, hospital porter, PR consultant, and kitchen porter—infuses his work with a unique perspective, described by the author as a “happy accident.” This kaleidoscope of experiences lends his novels a rare blend of emotional resonance and narrative innovation.
Andrew is the acclaimed author of several works, including Marathon D’Écriture, The Revenge of Joe Wild, and Ezra Slef, The Next Nobel Laureate in Literature. Renowned for his literary fiction, he also crafts gripping psychological thrillers and horror under the pen names Jack D. McLean and A.K. Reynolds.
His writing resists easy categorization, blending postmodernist and alt-lit sensibilities into a singular genre: Komarnyckyj.
Dive into his world on https://andrewkomarnyckyj.substack.com or https://komarnyckyj.substack.com, and experience fiction that challenges, provokes, and enchants.
https://bookcybirdy.com/products/mara...
Andrew’s eclectic life—spanning roles as a lawyer, hospital porter, PR consultant, and kitchen porter—infuses his work with a unique perspective, described by the author as a “happy accident.” This kaleidoscope of experiences lends his novels a rare blend of emotional resonance and narrative innovation.
Andrew is the acclaimed author of several works, including Marathon D’Écriture, The Revenge of Joe Wild, and Ezra Slef, The Next Nobel Laureate in Literature. Renowned for his literary fiction, he also crafts gripping psychological thrillers and horror under the pen names Jack D. McLean and A.K. Reynolds.
His writing resists easy categorization, blending postmodernist and alt-lit sensibilities into a singular genre: Komarnyckyj.
Dive into his world on https://andrewkomarnyckyj.substack.com or https://komarnyckyj.substack.com, and experience fiction that challenges, provokes, and enchants.
https://bookcybirdy.com/products/mara...
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
January 26, 2022
ESTNNLiL was an inventive synthesis of every Modern and Postmodern great of the twentieth century. Hence it was at once Kafkaesque, Eliotesque, Beckettian, Barthian, Barthelmian, Borgesian, Burgessian, Joycean, Murnanian, Nabokovian, Ballardian, Poundian, Pynchonesque, Selfian, Careyan, Calvinonian, O’Brienian, Johnsonian, Lethemian, Sternian, Wallacean, and more.
Ezra Slef The Next Nobel Laureate in Literature is a biography of the great author, as well as the title of his masterwork, hailed by many as the 21st Century's equivalent of Joyce's Ulysses.
Slef's is an author with which I was. previously, ashamedly unfamiliar, but from what the biography reveals of his style and approach, he sounds like my perfect writer:
The reader who comes to Slef expecting entertainment is in for a disappointment. The acclaimed author’s aims are far loftier than mere diversion. His objective is not to entertain or educate, or even to enlighten. His purpose is nothing less than to challenge the reader. The effort and willpower required to force oneself to digest even a half-page of Slef’s writing cannot be over-estimated.
He is to be commended on his purity of purpose. A lesser writer would have pampered to the whims of the public by making his work accessible to the point where it might actually be readable; not Ezra Slef. He has far too much in the way of literary integrity for any feeble compromise of that nature.
His is a style characterised by gargantuan sentences lacking in punctuation. Readers fall on the full stops in his work as eagerly as parched and weary travellers crossing a vast desert fall upon an oasis.
Slef hopes to one day write a novel so good no publisher will touch it with a barge-pole.
And given the mysterious lack of pictures and indeed almost all conventional biographical details from the work, I couldn't help but wonder if Slef is a pseudonym for another mysterious Ezra, that greatest of artists Ezra Maas, himself subject of another unconventional but quite brilliant study, The Unauthorised Biography of Ezra Maas
The biography is written by his most expert academic champion, Humbert Botekin, Regius Professor of Postmodern Literature at Balliol College, Oxford - a title he is fond of spelling out in full to women he is attempt to chat-up and even to shop assistants. He's rather less fond of admitting that the "Regius" donates not royal patronage, but rather sponsorship, secured in a literal Faustian pact, and channelled by a donor called Regius.
That Botekin is not interested in the conventional biographical form is clear from the opening to his work:
Chapter 1: Origins and Early Life
Ezra Slef was born in 1960, or something like that. To be frank, I am not interested in his date of birth, and nor should you be.
Proceeding to his university career, studying law in Russia, he comments:
I could at this point proceed with a dry account of Slef’s experiences as an undergraduate studying law.[2]
To me, that would be altogether too sterile an approach for documenting the life of a literary titan. Instead, I propose exploring the far more interesting terrain opened up by asking the following hypothetical question: how would Slef have fared, had he been granted his wish to go to Oxford to study English Literature?
[2] This unimaginative path has been far too well-trodden by lesser biographers.
Here Botekin's approach becomes clearer, as his "hypothetical" re-imagination of Slef's life draws rather heavily on the experience of someone who did go to Oxford to study English Literature, namely himself.
And indeed much of the story tells of Botekin's own misadventures and machinations, including one directed at Slef himself.
My reviews tend to be rather quote heavy at the best of times. Here I highlighted most of the book on the Kindle but a few highlights:
A Glossary (which as a frequent user of the phrases Sebaldian and Bernhardesque for the influence of my favourite authors, rather struck home):
Slef: The author Ezra Slef; A book written by the author Ezra Slef—as in ‘I am currently reading the latest Slef.’
Slefs: The collective noun referring to two or more books written by the author Ezra Slef—as in ‘I am taking some Slefs to read during my holiday in the Seychelles this year. They will make me look highly intelligent on the beach, and if I am extremely lucky, perhaps help me land a handsome young Professor of Literature as my boyfriend.’
Slefesque: Writing which appears to have been inspired by, or have much in common with, the writing of Ezra Slef.
The experience of reading an addictive page-turning pulp novel versus the feeling after one has finished (for me perhaps Mordew):
I finished my cognac at the same time as I finished the first chapter, so I poured another, turned to chapter two (as chapter one had finished on something of a ‘cliff-hanger’), and continued my perusal of the contents. For five further frantic hours I kept company with demons, succubi, evil spirits, fallen angels, fiends, black cats, hounds from hell, and the rest of the infantile paraphernalia associated with the horror genre. During the course of all this frenetic reading I drank several more brandies, and, at three in the morning, bleary-eyed and somewhat the worse for wear, turned the final page.
Well, I thought, after I had brought my ordeal to an end, that was the biggest load of guff any author has ever had the effrontery to inflict upon me.
And this which I may borrow for my next unsatisfactory Netgalley:
I was obliged to read the book out of a sense of duty, having been given a free copy for the purpose of writing this review. Had it not been free, I would be asking for my money back. I may yet contact my lawyers to seek compensation for the time I have wasted ploughing through its turgid pages.
----
Now of course, I know neither Botekin nor Slef exist (although, for the avoidance of doubt, Ezra Maas clearly does) and Andrew Komarnyckyj, the real author, provides this disclaimer at the end:
Having read this far, you’ll be aware that my novel Ezra Slef is a pastiche influenced by, and referencing, many authors in different ways. I’ve listed them below, along with relevant literary works. My parodies are intended as a playful and affectionate homage to these writers and others. I owe them all a debt of gratitude. It behoves me to add that some of them are favourites of mine.
The references that follow include Borges, Nabakov, Goethe, B.S. Johnson, Kafka, McEwan, Amis, Will Self, Beckett, David Foster Wallace, Pynchon, Joyce, Laurence Stern and Calvino, among others. To give one example, Slef ends up re-writing a book by another author, a book itself clearly based on Time's Arrow in a way strongly reminiscent of Pierre Menard, autor del Quijote.
A lot of fun, and great for literature-spotting. At times the novel comes close to Francis Plug: Writer in Residence territory, but this is very much the novel that book could only aspire to be.
A link to DS Lewis's wonderful real-time review, a companion to the novel in its own right: https://dflewisreviews.wordpress.com/...
Ezra Slef The Next Nobel Laureate in Literature is a biography of the great author, as well as the title of his masterwork, hailed by many as the 21st Century's equivalent of Joyce's Ulysses.
Slef's is an author with which I was. previously, ashamedly unfamiliar, but from what the biography reveals of his style and approach, he sounds like my perfect writer:
The reader who comes to Slef expecting entertainment is in for a disappointment. The acclaimed author’s aims are far loftier than mere diversion. His objective is not to entertain or educate, or even to enlighten. His purpose is nothing less than to challenge the reader. The effort and willpower required to force oneself to digest even a half-page of Slef’s writing cannot be over-estimated.
He is to be commended on his purity of purpose. A lesser writer would have pampered to the whims of the public by making his work accessible to the point where it might actually be readable; not Ezra Slef. He has far too much in the way of literary integrity for any feeble compromise of that nature.
His is a style characterised by gargantuan sentences lacking in punctuation. Readers fall on the full stops in his work as eagerly as parched and weary travellers crossing a vast desert fall upon an oasis.
Slef hopes to one day write a novel so good no publisher will touch it with a barge-pole.
And given the mysterious lack of pictures and indeed almost all conventional biographical details from the work, I couldn't help but wonder if Slef is a pseudonym for another mysterious Ezra, that greatest of artists Ezra Maas, himself subject of another unconventional but quite brilliant study, The Unauthorised Biography of Ezra Maas
The biography is written by his most expert academic champion, Humbert Botekin, Regius Professor of Postmodern Literature at Balliol College, Oxford - a title he is fond of spelling out in full to women he is attempt to chat-up and even to shop assistants. He's rather less fond of admitting that the "Regius" donates not royal patronage, but rather sponsorship, secured in a literal Faustian pact, and channelled by a donor called Regius.
That Botekin is not interested in the conventional biographical form is clear from the opening to his work:
Chapter 1: Origins and Early Life
Ezra Slef was born in 1960, or something like that. To be frank, I am not interested in his date of birth, and nor should you be.
Proceeding to his university career, studying law in Russia, he comments:
I could at this point proceed with a dry account of Slef’s experiences as an undergraduate studying law.[2]
To me, that would be altogether too sterile an approach for documenting the life of a literary titan. Instead, I propose exploring the far more interesting terrain opened up by asking the following hypothetical question: how would Slef have fared, had he been granted his wish to go to Oxford to study English Literature?
[2] This unimaginative path has been far too well-trodden by lesser biographers.
Here Botekin's approach becomes clearer, as his "hypothetical" re-imagination of Slef's life draws rather heavily on the experience of someone who did go to Oxford to study English Literature, namely himself.
And indeed much of the story tells of Botekin's own misadventures and machinations, including one directed at Slef himself.
My reviews tend to be rather quote heavy at the best of times. Here I highlighted most of the book on the Kindle but a few highlights:
A Glossary (which as a frequent user of the phrases Sebaldian and Bernhardesque for the influence of my favourite authors, rather struck home):
Slef: The author Ezra Slef; A book written by the author Ezra Slef—as in ‘I am currently reading the latest Slef.’
Slefs: The collective noun referring to two or more books written by the author Ezra Slef—as in ‘I am taking some Slefs to read during my holiday in the Seychelles this year. They will make me look highly intelligent on the beach, and if I am extremely lucky, perhaps help me land a handsome young Professor of Literature as my boyfriend.’
Slefesque: Writing which appears to have been inspired by, or have much in common with, the writing of Ezra Slef.
The experience of reading an addictive page-turning pulp novel versus the feeling after one has finished (for me perhaps Mordew):
I finished my cognac at the same time as I finished the first chapter, so I poured another, turned to chapter two (as chapter one had finished on something of a ‘cliff-hanger’), and continued my perusal of the contents. For five further frantic hours I kept company with demons, succubi, evil spirits, fallen angels, fiends, black cats, hounds from hell, and the rest of the infantile paraphernalia associated with the horror genre. During the course of all this frenetic reading I drank several more brandies, and, at three in the morning, bleary-eyed and somewhat the worse for wear, turned the final page.
Well, I thought, after I had brought my ordeal to an end, that was the biggest load of guff any author has ever had the effrontery to inflict upon me.
And this which I may borrow for my next unsatisfactory Netgalley:
I was obliged to read the book out of a sense of duty, having been given a free copy for the purpose of writing this review. Had it not been free, I would be asking for my money back. I may yet contact my lawyers to seek compensation for the time I have wasted ploughing through its turgid pages.
----
Now of course, I know neither Botekin nor Slef exist (although, for the avoidance of doubt, Ezra Maas clearly does) and Andrew Komarnyckyj, the real author, provides this disclaimer at the end:
Having read this far, you’ll be aware that my novel Ezra Slef is a pastiche influenced by, and referencing, many authors in different ways. I’ve listed them below, along with relevant literary works. My parodies are intended as a playful and affectionate homage to these writers and others. I owe them all a debt of gratitude. It behoves me to add that some of them are favourites of mine.
The references that follow include Borges, Nabakov, Goethe, B.S. Johnson, Kafka, McEwan, Amis, Will Self, Beckett, David Foster Wallace, Pynchon, Joyce, Laurence Stern and Calvino, among others. To give one example, Slef ends up re-writing a book by another author, a book itself clearly based on Time's Arrow in a way strongly reminiscent of Pierre Menard, autor del Quijote.
A lot of fun, and great for literature-spotting. At times the novel comes close to Francis Plug: Writer in Residence territory, but this is very much the novel that book could only aspire to be.
A link to DS Lewis's wonderful real-time review, a companion to the novel in its own right: https://dflewisreviews.wordpress.com/...
May 12, 2021
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
This book caught me by surprise. I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I selected this novel to review, but something called me to it. I’m very thankful it did, as the book is a delight.
The novel is a story-within-a-story. Humbert Botekin, a professor of literature, has written a biography of his hero, (fictional) literary giant Ezra Slef. Yet rather than chronicle Ezra’slife, it’s an autobiography of Botekin.
It’s funny from the first page. Granted, it’s a particular kind of humour – a mishmash between satire and absurdity and irony. I was bemused throughout.
The best thing about this novel is how Komarnyckyj manages to make you enthralled in the journey of an extremely unlikable character. Botekin has an egoism that’s through the roof, as well as being a complete pompous snob and a bit dense, but we’re invited to relish in schadenfreude when he gets his comeuppance.
Another compelling aspect of the story is a minor character who is clearly the devil masquerading as a man, yet we’re unsure what his end-game is, as he seems only to assist people. Tied to his presence is the overarching threat of revenge from a man Botekin wrongs at the start of the novel, so we’re unsure while reading whether the two are connected.
As someone who has an English degree and has read Beckett, Joyce, and most of the other postmodernist writers referenced, I could tell what this novel was “doing”, but I’m not sure how approachable it is for the average reader. The novel does poke fun at itself, but a lot of the humour comes from a rather esoteric realm. Personally, while I have no idea who I would recommend it to, but I very much enjoyed it and consider it rather brilliant.
This book caught me by surprise. I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I selected this novel to review, but something called me to it. I’m very thankful it did, as the book is a delight.
The novel is a story-within-a-story. Humbert Botekin, a professor of literature, has written a biography of his hero, (fictional) literary giant Ezra Slef. Yet rather than chronicle Ezra’slife, it’s an autobiography of Botekin.
It’s funny from the first page. Granted, it’s a particular kind of humour – a mishmash between satire and absurdity and irony. I was bemused throughout.
The best thing about this novel is how Komarnyckyj manages to make you enthralled in the journey of an extremely unlikable character. Botekin has an egoism that’s through the roof, as well as being a complete pompous snob and a bit dense, but we’re invited to relish in schadenfreude when he gets his comeuppance.
Another compelling aspect of the story is a minor character who is clearly the devil masquerading as a man, yet we’re unsure what his end-game is, as he seems only to assist people. Tied to his presence is the overarching threat of revenge from a man Botekin wrongs at the start of the novel, so we’re unsure while reading whether the two are connected.
As someone who has an English degree and has read Beckett, Joyce, and most of the other postmodernist writers referenced, I could tell what this novel was “doing”, but I’m not sure how approachable it is for the average reader. The novel does poke fun at itself, but a lot of the humour comes from a rather esoteric realm. Personally, while I have no idea who I would recommend it to, but I very much enjoyed it and consider it rather brilliant.
January 23, 2022
Ezra Slef: The Next Nobel Laureate in Literature by Andrew Komarnyckyj is a wickedly smart novel.
I'm going to be honest, the synopsis didn't give me a good idea of how this book was going to go. The level of comedy and intelligent sarcasm in this book is through the roof. The introduction alone was smirk-worthy! We're welcomed into a world of biographical parody full of jest, irony and sarcasm galore. I'm highly impressed with this book, and it's a breath fresh air.
I do think this book will be a bit of a niche. Not everyone is going to like it. You have to get the humour and references packed within the book to really get a grasp on it. I don't know all of the references myself, but I could still appreciate the amount of work that went into it.
Having a lead character who's writing a biography about a man who's not being too helpful giving up his biographical information, and then also dealing with his own turmoil and writing career is an interesting take. We have the funny comments about not caring about what year they were born in, especially if it doesn't effect the story. The intriguing take on an author going after a reviewer for a negative review (which is really big in the online book world right now). The fear or allusions to writers putting all of their heart and soul into their work and either losing their loved ones due to lack of availability or losing our on a career due to someone not liking their work... And all the while, being a good story to boot!
The Charlotte Bronte and Jane Austen references (which, honestly, if you aren't big into the book world kudos to you and we won't make fun of you - they are women that might accidentally be mistaken for one another since they are amazing writers from many years ago), the hilarious and wise footnotes, and the best quote of the whole book really make this story a gem."
"It is the mark of a true genius that he is able to employ so many words in the service of telling us nothing at all." Honestly, this felt like sentence I wanted to put in so many essays back in my post-secondary school days. Sometimes, the story doesn't tell you anything even when it's telling you something.
Overall, this is a wickedly wise and hilarious book. It's amusing, eye opening and fresh. I highly recommend this book if you want a splash of comedy with lots of drama and parody packed tight in it.
Four out of five stars.
I received the book for free from the author, Andrew Komarnyckyj, in exchange for an honest review.
I'm going to be honest, the synopsis didn't give me a good idea of how this book was going to go. The level of comedy and intelligent sarcasm in this book is through the roof. The introduction alone was smirk-worthy! We're welcomed into a world of biographical parody full of jest, irony and sarcasm galore. I'm highly impressed with this book, and it's a breath fresh air.
I do think this book will be a bit of a niche. Not everyone is going to like it. You have to get the humour and references packed within the book to really get a grasp on it. I don't know all of the references myself, but I could still appreciate the amount of work that went into it.
Having a lead character who's writing a biography about a man who's not being too helpful giving up his biographical information, and then also dealing with his own turmoil and writing career is an interesting take. We have the funny comments about not caring about what year they were born in, especially if it doesn't effect the story. The intriguing take on an author going after a reviewer for a negative review (which is really big in the online book world right now). The fear or allusions to writers putting all of their heart and soul into their work and either losing their loved ones due to lack of availability or losing our on a career due to someone not liking their work... And all the while, being a good story to boot!
The Charlotte Bronte and Jane Austen references (which, honestly, if you aren't big into the book world kudos to you and we won't make fun of you - they are women that might accidentally be mistaken for one another since they are amazing writers from many years ago), the hilarious and wise footnotes, and the best quote of the whole book really make this story a gem."
"It is the mark of a true genius that he is able to employ so many words in the service of telling us nothing at all." Honestly, this felt like sentence I wanted to put in so many essays back in my post-secondary school days. Sometimes, the story doesn't tell you anything even when it's telling you something.
Overall, this is a wickedly wise and hilarious book. It's amusing, eye opening and fresh. I highly recommend this book if you want a splash of comedy with lots of drama and parody packed tight in it.
Four out of five stars.
I received the book for free from the author, Andrew Komarnyckyj, in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2023
Balsu nesikvatojau, bet knyga, kurią smagu skaityti, nes atrodo, kad autorius nuoširdžiai smaginosi rašydamas. Galima skaityti kaip postmodernistinę postmodernistinio romano parodiją su daug literatūrinių nuorodų – bet lygiai taip pat ir kaip seną it pasaulis istoriją, kur pagrindinio veikėjo puikybė pridaro jam bėdų.
Pasakotojas yra Oksfordo literatūros profesorius, tyrinėjantis postmodernizmo grandą Ezrą Slefą. Būtent išnašos apie Slefo kūrybą man ir buvo smagiausios (nors ne tokios smagios, kaip mano asmeninio favorito Flann O'Brien Trečiasis policininkas).
Štai viena:
Skaitydama galvojau, kaip faina, kad pasirinkta versti ir leisti tokia rizikinga knyga. Tada susimąsčiau – o kodėl čia dabar tokia jau rizikinga? Pasvarsčiusi nusprendžiau (nežinau, ar teisingai), kad tai – dėl humoristinio knygos pobūdžio. Humoras – sunkus padaryti dalykas, o jo suvokimas – labai individualus. Be to, dėl nepatinkančio humoro žmonės kažkodėl labai susinervina. Nežinau, kas čia suveikia, bet jei skaitai ar žiūri kažką, kas turėtų būti juokinga, o nėra, tai tiesiog siutas apima (su dramos ar pan kūriniais šito gal mažiau).
Ar neprajuokinusi šita knyga sunervins? Šiaip nemanau – ją nuo to gelbėja ganėtinai klasikinis siužetas (pasipūtėlis gauna ko nusipelnęs) ir specifinė aplinka (Oksfordo literatūros studijos). O ir šiaip, kaip minėjau, yra išsitęsęs kažkoks smagumas per visą knygą, kuriuo galima mėgautis ir negaudant literatūrinių nuorodų.
Pasakotojas yra Oksfordo literatūros profesorius, tyrinėjantis postmodernizmo grandą Ezrą Slefą. Būtent išnašos apie Slefo kūrybą man ir buvo smagiausios (nors ne tokios smagios, kaip mano asmeninio favorito Flann O'Brien Trečiasis policininkas).
Štai viena:
Mano mėgstamiausia buvo pavadinta taip: "Visa prasmė ta, kad jokios prasmės nėra." Paskaitoje jis įtikinamai įrodinėja, kad gyvenimas – tai beprasmis kančios procesas be siužeto, jis visada baigiasi skausmingai ir nuviliančiai. Tad literatūra, jei nori kaip veidrodis atspindėti gyvenimą, privalo būti panaši: be siužeto, be prasmės; skaitymas turi būti kančia, o perskaitęs postmodernistinį romaną skaitytojas turi skaudžiai juo nusivilti. Taigi postmodernistai gyvenimą vaizduoja kur kas tiksliau nei realistai, nes pastarųjų kūriniai yra nerealistiški, visada su pradžia, viduriu ir pabaiga, dažnai su prilipdytu įkyriu moralu, kaip gangrenuojančia galūne, į kurią niekas nenori žiūrėti ar juo labiau jos uostyti.
Skaitydama galvojau, kaip faina, kad pasirinkta versti ir leisti tokia rizikinga knyga. Tada susimąsčiau – o kodėl čia dabar tokia jau rizikinga? Pasvarsčiusi nusprendžiau (nežinau, ar teisingai), kad tai – dėl humoristinio knygos pobūdžio. Humoras – sunkus padaryti dalykas, o jo suvokimas – labai individualus. Be to, dėl nepatinkančio humoro žmonės kažkodėl labai susinervina. Nežinau, kas čia suveikia, bet jei skaitai ar žiūri kažką, kas turėtų būti juokinga, o nėra, tai tiesiog siutas apima (su dramos ar pan kūriniais šito gal mažiau).
Ar neprajuokinusi šita knyga sunervins? Šiaip nemanau – ją nuo to gelbėja ganėtinai klasikinis siužetas (pasipūtėlis gauna ko nusipelnęs) ir specifinė aplinka (Oksfordo literatūros studijos). O ir šiaip, kaip minėjau, yra išsitęsęs kažkoks smagumas per visą knygą, kuriuo galima mėgautis ir negaudant literatūrinių nuorodų.
May 31, 2023
Būsiu nepopuliari, nes neprisidėjau prie to visuotinio žvengimo seanso. Tiesiog taip sutapo, kad Komarnyckio knygą apie Humbertą Botkiną iš Frankovijos skaičiau kaip tik po kankinamos Nabokovo „Blyškios ugnies“ apie Čarlzą Kinbotą iš Zemblos. Komarnyckio romanas ir yra parafrazė, antikomentaras, siunčiamas iš XXI a. Taigi vėl literatūros žaidimai, galia ir akademinė forma, o taip pat rašymas apie kitą kaip apie save.
Bent jau man įdomiausia buvo pajusti, kad tam tikra prasme abu kūriniai kalba apie panašius dalykus, tik juos perteikia skirtingų epochų kalbomis.
Nabokovas aiškiai priklausė epochai, kai dar buvo stipri viešoji erdvė. Joje buvai skrupulingai vertinamas pagal savo viešą intelektualinę / kūrybinę veiklą, asmenybės pateikimą viešumai, santykį su savo laiko idėjomis. Visa „Blyškios ugnies“ struktūra tai išduoda: su tavimi čia žaidžiama turiniu ir forma. Stiliai – tai aš. Gali būti cinikas, estetas, bet jei su kuo kauniesi, tai triuškini lyg fechtuotumeis pagal taisykles, užtat būtinai savitai, stilingai, su erudicija. Be abejo, tai varžybos, kur būtinas šou su kostiumais ir koketuoti su tau plojančia / švilpiančia publika.
O Komarnyckio knyga suverta iš privačios erdvės ir viską pervertina šioje šviesoje. Tuo ji gražiai rodo, kaip keičias pasaulis: jis tampa ne toks didingas, žmogiškesnis. Užtat galios veidas – vulgarus, literatūra – ne šventa karvė. Aristokratiškumas išnykęs, tėra klubo emblema, brendas, kuriuo prisistatai per pareigybes. Dominuojanti privati erdvė reiškia, kad pasakojimas gali būti suvertas iš pletkų, lengvai pereiti į ad hominem, kalbėti apie užkulisius, atidengiančius jau ne literatūros kūrimo mechanizmą (Nabokovas), bet žemiškus literatūros industrijos ypatumus. Man patiko, kad Komarnyckis naudojasi stereotipais (ypač apie „visokie postmodernizmai“), įtraukia ir intelektualus veikiančius naujosios viešos erdvės mechanizmus (tviteris ir pan.). Tai laikas, kai fikcija virsta autofikcija, papipirinta išpažinimais, o metafora gali atrodyti juokinga, mat ne atstovauja tikrovei, bet nuo jos tolina. Bent man „Ezra Slefas“ parodo, kad nori cituok, įterpinėk daugybę kūrinių intertekstų, tačiau forma ir suvokimas infantilėja, taigi knygos gale tau teks pridėti naudingą literatūros sąrašą.
Tiek „Ezra Slefas“, tiek „Blyški ugnis“ – perdėtai dramatiški pastišai. Jiems pretenzingumas – taikinys, abu – superdirbtini. Jei Nabokovo Kinbotas snobas, nenuolaidžiai pakilęs virš kitų, tai Komarnyckio Botkinas – pašlemėkas, kuris atvirai nuvertina skaitytojo gebėjimus, o garsiai pervertina savus. Autorystė tėra konstruktas. Abiem atvejais romanai prieina ribą, kuri leidžia nekęsti-mėgautis tokiomis „didžiosiomis asmenybėmis“. Abiem atvejais satyra priartina kraštutinumus.
Perskaičius pritarčiau bičiuliui, kad su Komarnyckio tekstu kaip su Herkaus Kunčiaus. Jei kažkaip įsitrauki, Kunčius įsuka į nesustabdomą žvengimą, nes ten viskas yra daroma iki absurdo nepadoriai. Šiaip jo vulgaroką humoro jausmą bent aš laikau arti „jumoristinių baikų“. Ar išaugs iki humoro, priklauso nuo situacijos, suteikto konteksto etc. Įdomu tampa dėl to, ką tokiu metodu įžaidi, ką išžaidi. „Ezros Slefo“ atveju kiekvienas sakinys praturtintas vaizdingybių arba dviguba ironijėle (kalbu apie kitą debilą lyg pats būčiau arogantiškas šiknius), tačiau lygiai taip pat veda primityviu keliu. Viskas nuteista iš anksto ir akivaizdu. Mane labiausiai nuvylė tuo, kad viską paaiškina iki galo, iki tuštumos. Todėl Komarnyckio šou man arčiau klounados.
Kita vertus, jei tai – klasikinis pastišas, jis gali ne tik linksminti, bet ir priminti rūstoką realybę. Bet ar kas žadėjo, kad pastišo juoke nebus krislo liūdesio?
Bent jau man įdomiausia buvo pajusti, kad tam tikra prasme abu kūriniai kalba apie panašius dalykus, tik juos perteikia skirtingų epochų kalbomis.
Nabokovas aiškiai priklausė epochai, kai dar buvo stipri viešoji erdvė. Joje buvai skrupulingai vertinamas pagal savo viešą intelektualinę / kūrybinę veiklą, asmenybės pateikimą viešumai, santykį su savo laiko idėjomis. Visa „Blyškios ugnies“ struktūra tai išduoda: su tavimi čia žaidžiama turiniu ir forma. Stiliai – tai aš. Gali būti cinikas, estetas, bet jei su kuo kauniesi, tai triuškini lyg fechtuotumeis pagal taisykles, užtat būtinai savitai, stilingai, su erudicija. Be abejo, tai varžybos, kur būtinas šou su kostiumais ir koketuoti su tau plojančia / švilpiančia publika.
O Komarnyckio knyga suverta iš privačios erdvės ir viską pervertina šioje šviesoje. Tuo ji gražiai rodo, kaip keičias pasaulis: jis tampa ne toks didingas, žmogiškesnis. Užtat galios veidas – vulgarus, literatūra – ne šventa karvė. Aristokratiškumas išnykęs, tėra klubo emblema, brendas, kuriuo prisistatai per pareigybes. Dominuojanti privati erdvė reiškia, kad pasakojimas gali būti suvertas iš pletkų, lengvai pereiti į ad hominem, kalbėti apie užkulisius, atidengiančius jau ne literatūros kūrimo mechanizmą (Nabokovas), bet žemiškus literatūros industrijos ypatumus. Man patiko, kad Komarnyckis naudojasi stereotipais (ypač apie „visokie postmodernizmai“), įtraukia ir intelektualus veikiančius naujosios viešos erdvės mechanizmus (tviteris ir pan.). Tai laikas, kai fikcija virsta autofikcija, papipirinta išpažinimais, o metafora gali atrodyti juokinga, mat ne atstovauja tikrovei, bet nuo jos tolina. Bent man „Ezra Slefas“ parodo, kad nori cituok, įterpinėk daugybę kūrinių intertekstų, tačiau forma ir suvokimas infantilėja, taigi knygos gale tau teks pridėti naudingą literatūros sąrašą.
Tiek „Ezra Slefas“, tiek „Blyški ugnis“ – perdėtai dramatiški pastišai. Jiems pretenzingumas – taikinys, abu – superdirbtini. Jei Nabokovo Kinbotas snobas, nenuolaidžiai pakilęs virš kitų, tai Komarnyckio Botkinas – pašlemėkas, kuris atvirai nuvertina skaitytojo gebėjimus, o garsiai pervertina savus. Autorystė tėra konstruktas. Abiem atvejais romanai prieina ribą, kuri leidžia nekęsti-mėgautis tokiomis „didžiosiomis asmenybėmis“. Abiem atvejais satyra priartina kraštutinumus.
Perskaičius pritarčiau bičiuliui, kad su Komarnyckio tekstu kaip su Herkaus Kunčiaus. Jei kažkaip įsitrauki, Kunčius įsuka į nesustabdomą žvengimą, nes ten viskas yra daroma iki absurdo nepadoriai. Šiaip jo vulgaroką humoro jausmą bent aš laikau arti „jumoristinių baikų“. Ar išaugs iki humoro, priklauso nuo situacijos, suteikto konteksto etc. Įdomu tampa dėl to, ką tokiu metodu įžaidi, ką išžaidi. „Ezros Slefo“ atveju kiekvienas sakinys praturtintas vaizdingybių arba dviguba ironijėle (kalbu apie kitą debilą lyg pats būčiau arogantiškas šiknius), tačiau lygiai taip pat veda primityviu keliu. Viskas nuteista iš anksto ir akivaizdu. Mane labiausiai nuvylė tuo, kad viską paaiškina iki galo, iki tuštumos. Todėl Komarnyckio šou man arčiau klounados.
Kita vertus, jei tai – klasikinis pastišas, jis gali ne tik linksminti, bet ir priminti rūstoką realybę. Bet ar kas žadėjo, kad pastišo juoke nebus krislo liūdesio?
March 28, 2021
"darkly comic." That's an understatement.
More when I have more control of my time.
More when I have more control of my time.
December 13, 2023
Pirmas sakinys: Yra manančių, kad Erza Slefas neturi humoro jausmo.
Knyga knygoje apie knygą ir dar su pagrindinio veikėjo, kuris yra ir autorius, paaiškinimais. Literatūrinis žaidimas ir literatūrinio snobizmo parodija.
"Į savo postmodernistinį šiupinį autorius įmaišo intertekstų, aliuzijų, nuorodų į šiuolaikinių rašytojų bei klasikų kūrinius. Knygoje pasišaipoma ir iš literatūros kritikos, žiniasklaidos, knygų fanų kultūros, apskritai iš pretenzingumo." (romano vertėja Daina Valentinavičienė; knygos nugarėlė)
Skirtingai nuo parodijuojamų kūrinių, "Ezra Slefas, kitas Nobelio literatūros premijos laureatas" skaitomas lengvai, pagauliai ir žaismingai: "Knyga, kurią smagu skaityti, nes atrodo, kad autorius nuoširdžiai smaginosi rašydamas." (Miglė Anušauskaitė). Knygą gerai apibūdintų ir citata iš Terry Pratchett'o romano "Soul Music": "Siuzana nekentė Literatūros. Ji daug mieliau skaitydavo gerą knygą".
Trumpas, bet geras interviu su autoriumi, kuriame Andrew Komarnyckyj pasakoja, kas įkvėpė sukurti knygą ir Humbertą Botkiną. Ir dar vienas interviu, kuriame radau taiklius terminus: literatūrinė masturbacija bei šūdo cunamis. Tačiau jie – ne apie "ESkiNoliplą".
Kai kurias "ESkiNoliplo" siužeto detales pamiršiu, tačiau bus proga prisiminti, nes knygą su D. malonumu dar kartosiu.
Knyga knygoje apie knygą ir dar su pagrindinio veikėjo, kuris yra ir autorius, paaiškinimais. Literatūrinis žaidimas ir literatūrinio snobizmo parodija.
"Į savo postmodernistinį šiupinį autorius įmaišo intertekstų, aliuzijų, nuorodų į šiuolaikinių rašytojų bei klasikų kūrinius. Knygoje pasišaipoma ir iš literatūros kritikos, žiniasklaidos, knygų fanų kultūros, apskritai iš pretenzingumo." (romano vertėja Daina Valentinavičienė; knygos nugarėlė)
Skirtingai nuo parodijuojamų kūrinių, "Ezra Slefas, kitas Nobelio literatūros premijos laureatas" skaitomas lengvai, pagauliai ir žaismingai: "Knyga, kurią smagu skaityti, nes atrodo, kad autorius nuoširdžiai smaginosi rašydamas." (Miglė Anušauskaitė). Knygą gerai apibūdintų ir citata iš Terry Pratchett'o romano "Soul Music": "Siuzana nekentė Literatūros. Ji daug mieliau skaitydavo gerą knygą".
Trumpas, bet geras interviu su autoriumi, kuriame Andrew Komarnyckyj pasakoja, kas įkvėpė sukurti knygą ir Humbertą Botkiną. Ir dar vienas interviu, kuriame radau taiklius terminus: literatūrinė masturbacija bei šūdo cunamis. Tačiau jie – ne apie "ESkiNoliplą".
Kai kurias "ESkiNoliplo" siužeto detales pamiršiu, tačiau bus proga prisiminti, nes knygą su D. malonumu dar kartosiu.
January 12, 2021
Sometimes humor sneaks up on you. There are no worries about that here, though, as Andrew Komarnyckyj’s novel “Ezra Self” has plenty of chuckles and laughs to fill all the pages.
Ezra Self, although talked about throughout the book, is not the main character. Humbert Botekin fills those shoes, and his rambling and unabashed prose takes us through the book on a journey that is quite unexpected. Humbert has numerous character flaws, though he presents them as strengths. Therein lies the majority of the humor of this book, and Mr. Komarnyckyj takes advantage of these flaws with every opportunity presented to him.
At first it seemed that the author meant to take a few jabs at the publishing industry and perhaps at those who self-publish without going through any of the necessary steps to give their creation a fighting chance. When I was a few chapters in, I wondered how Mr. Komarnyckyj was going to keep up his momentum throughout the entire book. Abruptly, the story took a left turn and before I knew it, I was caught up in the plot. Obsessions and pretentions drive Humbert, and despite these and other faults, one can almost cheer for him to succeed while at the same time ridiculing him for creating a questionable life.
This is a new direction for the author, much different than his previous books. For me, it was an enjoyable read, one I finished in just a few sittings. Five stars.
My thanks to the author for a complimentary advance copy of this book.
Ezra Self, although talked about throughout the book, is not the main character. Humbert Botekin fills those shoes, and his rambling and unabashed prose takes us through the book on a journey that is quite unexpected. Humbert has numerous character flaws, though he presents them as strengths. Therein lies the majority of the humor of this book, and Mr. Komarnyckyj takes advantage of these flaws with every opportunity presented to him.
At first it seemed that the author meant to take a few jabs at the publishing industry and perhaps at those who self-publish without going through any of the necessary steps to give their creation a fighting chance. When I was a few chapters in, I wondered how Mr. Komarnyckyj was going to keep up his momentum throughout the entire book. Abruptly, the story took a left turn and before I knew it, I was caught up in the plot. Obsessions and pretentions drive Humbert, and despite these and other faults, one can almost cheer for him to succeed while at the same time ridiculing him for creating a questionable life.
This is a new direction for the author, much different than his previous books. For me, it was an enjoyable read, one I finished in just a few sittings. Five stars.
My thanks to the author for a complimentary advance copy of this book.
January 27, 2021
“The human condition consists of helplessly awaiting developments and little else”-Ezra Slef
What is better than a biography about one of the greatest fictitious writers of all time? An autobiography, of sorts, about the author of the biography in the guise of writing the biography. It's not as confusing as I make it sound. Because how does Humbert Botekin write a biography about Ezra Slef when he won’t consent to the interview? Botekin must then rely on public records, interviews, and the like. When that’s not enough, he must comically rely on his own history, which is surely comparable to the great Ezra Slef, to tell the complete story.
While I am versed in some of the influences for this book, some are unknown to me, and it didn’t dampen my enjoyment in the slightest. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Humbert Botekin delve more into Slef, and his obsessive switch from fan to stalker, and worse, which I’m going to term “Slefsessive”™, because it’s fun, and I can.
“I began to regard myself as Slef’s muse, at least for this particular book.” Yes, you certainly did, Humbert.
Botekin has fashioned the footnotes after Slef’s book, which makes the footnotes even more essential, and a bit of magical fairy dust on an already spectacular read. I’ve read Komarnyckyj before and am a fan of his work. His writing is clever, witty, and absolutely enthralling. The more I got into ESTNNLIL, the harder it was to put it down (in much the same vein as Humbert reading Slef’s great work). The irony, jabs, nods, and humor leaped off the page and tickled me delighted. An outstanding read.
What is better than a biography about one of the greatest fictitious writers of all time? An autobiography, of sorts, about the author of the biography in the guise of writing the biography. It's not as confusing as I make it sound. Because how does Humbert Botekin write a biography about Ezra Slef when he won’t consent to the interview? Botekin must then rely on public records, interviews, and the like. When that’s not enough, he must comically rely on his own history, which is surely comparable to the great Ezra Slef, to tell the complete story.
While I am versed in some of the influences for this book, some are unknown to me, and it didn’t dampen my enjoyment in the slightest. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Humbert Botekin delve more into Slef, and his obsessive switch from fan to stalker, and worse, which I’m going to term “Slefsessive”™, because it’s fun, and I can.
“I began to regard myself as Slef’s muse, at least for this particular book.” Yes, you certainly did, Humbert.
Botekin has fashioned the footnotes after Slef’s book, which makes the footnotes even more essential, and a bit of magical fairy dust on an already spectacular read. I’ve read Komarnyckyj before and am a fan of his work. His writing is clever, witty, and absolutely enthralling. The more I got into ESTNNLIL, the harder it was to put it down (in much the same vein as Humbert reading Slef’s great work). The irony, jabs, nods, and humor leaped off the page and tickled me delighted. An outstanding read.
January 5, 2025
Literatūrinis žaidimas, kurį, atrodo, autoriui buvo taip pat smagu rašyti, kaip man jį skaityti.
Ekscentriškas, narciziškas, snobiškas ir abejotinos moralės literatūros profesorius. Toks yra pagrindinis knygos veikėjas Botkinas, kuris save įvelia į keistą, absurdišką ir labai juokingą istoriją, o skaitytoją - į snobiško literatūros pasaulio parodiją.
Skaitant, labai kilo paralelės su V. Nabokovo Kimbotu (iš "Blyški ugnis") - snobišku ir egocentrišku akademiku, taip pat kaip ir Botkinas rašančiu apie savo garbinamą rašytoją, nors iš tikro labiau apie save. Ten lygiai taip pat kvepėjo absurdu, parodija ir iš to kylančiu humoru, tik A. Komarnyckyj humoras tiesmukesnis, o pati knyga paprasčiau skaitoma.
Knygą buvo smagu skaityti dėl literatūros literatūroje, humoro ir trenkto Botkino personažo - nes paprasčiausiai buvo įdomu, kur jis įsipainios kitame skyriuje ir ko dar prisidirbs.
Ekscentriškas, narciziškas, snobiškas ir abejotinos moralės literatūros profesorius. Toks yra pagrindinis knygos veikėjas Botkinas, kuris save įvelia į keistą, absurdišką ir labai juokingą istoriją, o skaitytoją - į snobiško literatūros pasaulio parodiją.
Skaitant, labai kilo paralelės su V. Nabokovo Kimbotu (iš "Blyški ugnis") - snobišku ir egocentrišku akademiku, taip pat kaip ir Botkinas rašančiu apie savo garbinamą rašytoją, nors iš tikro labiau apie save. Ten lygiai taip pat kvepėjo absurdu, parodija ir iš to kylančiu humoru, tik A. Komarnyckyj humoras tiesmukesnis, o pati knyga paprasčiau skaitoma.
Knygą buvo smagu skaityti dėl literatūros literatūroje, humoro ir trenkto Botkino personažo - nes paprasčiausiai buvo įdomu, kur jis įsipainios kitame skyriuje ir ko dar prisidirbs.
February 1, 2021
Whether or not this book is a masterpiece of imaginative fiction, postmodern irony, literary satire, literary experimentation, high tragedy or high comedy, even low farce, I am supremely uncertain to say (the book’s ‘intention’ no doubt being to create such uncertainty) — and the work somehow seems to comprise all those things, while this fine and provocative climax to it gives me the good feeling that it sustains the tenets of what ‘philosophy’ I have believed since the 1960s (when I was first given WK Wimsatt’s momentous ‘Verbal Icon’ book about the Intentional Fallacy) — such now sustained beLiEFS humbly culminating in the gestalt dF LEwiS writer, publisher and reviewer of today. So upon different levels of absurdism and serious literature Ezra Slef is a gem of a book. And I seriously hope that I have brought something extra, an EXTRA SELF, to it with all my specific references and comments above …. as fellow readers of it should also do, by thus triangulating all its coordinates, joining their coordinates and extra selves to mine so as to reach eventually the essential SLEF as Verbal Icon. Somehow, in the immediate current aftermath of having read this Komarnyckyj book unique in having created such an aftermath, I sincerely mean what I have said about it, and I mean it with the serious and absurdist palimpsest of its self upon mine.
The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long or impractical to post here.
Above was its conclusion.
The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long or impractical to post here.
Above was its conclusion.
January 26, 2022
Until I began reading "Ezra Slef: The Next Nobel Laureate in Literature" I was, for some strange reason, completely unaware of Slef as an author. I am not sure his work would be to everyone’s taste:
"The reader who comes to Slef expecting entertainment is in for a disappointment. The acclaimed author’s aims are far loftier than mere diversion. His objective is not to entertain or educate, or even to enlighten. His purpose is nothing less than to challenge the reader. The effort and willpower required to force oneself to digest even a half-page of Slef’s writing cannot be over-estimated." (Emphasis mine).
Humbert Botekin, our narrator, is, however the leading authority on Slef’s work. This book is what happens when Humbert sets out to write a biography of the great author. And it’s not what you expect. Firstly, Botekin’s approach to biography is a tad unusual:
"Chapter 1: Origins and Early Life
Ezra Slef was born in 1960, or something like that. To be frank, I am not interested in his date of birth, and nor should you be."
But the main reason it is not what you expect of a biography is because Botekin is, it turns out, more interested in telling us his own story which does involve Slef and particularly involves a book Slef wrote, but more tangentially than you might imagine for a purported biography.
The book is set up to be both funny and clever. For me, the clever bits worked a lot better than the funny bits. The funny bits brought back unfortunate memories of two books about Francis Plug which I really did not enjoy reading. If you read and enjoyed Francis Plug, you will love this because it is very similar except a lot better. (Similarly, if you read this and spend a lot of time laughing, Francis Plug might also be for you). Some bits are both funny and clever at the same time and they work very well. Most of these are observations about books and literature.
And the underlying structure of the book is also clever. Did I mention that neither of Ezra Slef and Humbert Botekin are real people. I bet you hadn’t guessed that! At the end of the book, the real author, Andrew Komarnyckyj, explains:
"Having read this far, you’ll be aware that my novel Ezra Slef is a pastiche influenced by, and referencing, many authors in different ways. I’ve listed them below, along with relevant literary works. My parodies are intended as a playful and affectionate homage to these writers and others. I owe them all a debt of gratitude. It behoves me to add that some of them are favourites of mine."
Then he lists those authors (Borges, Nabakov, Goethe, B.S. Johnson, Kafka, McEwan, Amis, Will Self, Beckett, David Foster Wallace, Pynchon, Joyce, Laurence Stern (sic) and Calvino - all men I notice) and I have to confess that I have only read a few books by half of them (although I’ve read all of Pynchon) and none by the other half. For anyone more familiar with these people I think there is probably a lot of fun to be had spotting links and references (some are spelled out in the book).
So, for me, reading this book was a mixture of thinking "I’m supposed to be laughing at this but I’m not" alongside thinking "This is very clever". Ranking this book is tricky because those two thoughts are pulling against one another. However many stars I give it, I am going to come back later and think it is too many or too few.
"The reader who comes to Slef expecting entertainment is in for a disappointment. The acclaimed author’s aims are far loftier than mere diversion. His objective is not to entertain or educate, or even to enlighten. His purpose is nothing less than to challenge the reader. The effort and willpower required to force oneself to digest even a half-page of Slef’s writing cannot be over-estimated." (Emphasis mine).
Humbert Botekin, our narrator, is, however the leading authority on Slef’s work. This book is what happens when Humbert sets out to write a biography of the great author. And it’s not what you expect. Firstly, Botekin’s approach to biography is a tad unusual:
"Chapter 1: Origins and Early Life
Ezra Slef was born in 1960, or something like that. To be frank, I am not interested in his date of birth, and nor should you be."
But the main reason it is not what you expect of a biography is because Botekin is, it turns out, more interested in telling us his own story which does involve Slef and particularly involves a book Slef wrote, but more tangentially than you might imagine for a purported biography.
The book is set up to be both funny and clever. For me, the clever bits worked a lot better than the funny bits. The funny bits brought back unfortunate memories of two books about Francis Plug which I really did not enjoy reading. If you read and enjoyed Francis Plug, you will love this because it is very similar except a lot better. (Similarly, if you read this and spend a lot of time laughing, Francis Plug might also be for you). Some bits are both funny and clever at the same time and they work very well. Most of these are observations about books and literature.
And the underlying structure of the book is also clever. Did I mention that neither of Ezra Slef and Humbert Botekin are real people. I bet you hadn’t guessed that! At the end of the book, the real author, Andrew Komarnyckyj, explains:
"Having read this far, you’ll be aware that my novel Ezra Slef is a pastiche influenced by, and referencing, many authors in different ways. I’ve listed them below, along with relevant literary works. My parodies are intended as a playful and affectionate homage to these writers and others. I owe them all a debt of gratitude. It behoves me to add that some of them are favourites of mine."
Then he lists those authors (Borges, Nabakov, Goethe, B.S. Johnson, Kafka, McEwan, Amis, Will Self, Beckett, David Foster Wallace, Pynchon, Joyce, Laurence Stern (sic) and Calvino - all men I notice) and I have to confess that I have only read a few books by half of them (although I’ve read all of Pynchon) and none by the other half. For anyone more familiar with these people I think there is probably a lot of fun to be had spotting links and references (some are spelled out in the book).
So, for me, reading this book was a mixture of thinking "I’m supposed to be laughing at this but I’m not" alongside thinking "This is very clever". Ranking this book is tricky because those two thoughts are pulling against one another. However many stars I give it, I am going to come back later and think it is too many or too few.
January 2, 2022
"Botekin has cleverly presented us with a humorous novel in the guise of a book of memoirs. The character is an exaggeratedly idiotic and pompous version of himself... the result is a protagonist who is, or will surely become, the most towering comic figure in the whole of literature..." The humour reminded me of Francis Plug, or Ignatius J Reilly. Clever and very funny, highly recomended!
February 4, 2021
The writing is clever and there are layers upon layers of laugh out loud moments and jabs at everything in the literature world including zombies. Such a witty and enjoyable read.
Humbert Botekin is writing a biography about Erza Sled both of which are fictional authors but this fanboy autobiography barely bothers with Erza as Botekin is so deluded, self appreciating, scathing, self-aggrandizing and pompous that he writes about himself. He is so self absorbed, this book is a joy to read as his world unravels due to his selfish nature and a lovely gentlemen that reminds me of someone who helps Botekin out while engineering his downfall. Did I mention that his boss is Dr Faustus.
This direct quote explains this novel
'in numeral and conscious ways, he had inadvertently written about himself, while reporting to write about the postmodern author whose life he had documented'
Humbert Botekin is writing a biography about Erza Sled both of which are fictional authors but this fanboy autobiography barely bothers with Erza as Botekin is so deluded, self appreciating, scathing, self-aggrandizing and pompous that he writes about himself. He is so self absorbed, this book is a joy to read as his world unravels due to his selfish nature and a lovely gentlemen that reminds me of someone who helps Botekin out while engineering his downfall. Did I mention that his boss is Dr Faustus.
This direct quote explains this novel
'in numeral and conscious ways, he had inadvertently written about himself, while reporting to write about the postmodern author whose life he had documented'
April 30, 2021
Humbert Botekin, a disgraced English literature professor, decides to write the definitive biography of his hero Ezra Slef – a world-renowned postmodernist novelist. Slef, however, declines to be interviewed by Botekin and even refuses him access to photographs to use in the biography. Still, the hopelessly deluded Botekin is not easily deterred and he embarks upon the project with great gusto!
Ezra Slef The Next Nobel Laureate in Literature by Andrew Komarnyckyj is an arch and wry black comedy that comes across like Nabokov or Bulgakov, by way of Peter Cook. A cracking read and highly recommended.
Ezra Slef The Next Nobel Laureate in Literature by Andrew Komarnyckyj is an arch and wry black comedy that comes across like Nabokov or Bulgakov, by way of Peter Cook. A cracking read and highly recommended.
August 31, 2023
Puikiai sužaistas formos žaidimas, šypsenas ir prunkštelėjimus keliančios dvigubos išnašos, tirštumas, vos ne interaktyvumas.
Kaip ir kitose šios LAPO serijos knygose, taip ir šioje negalėjau nejausti kaip driekasi lengvos beprotybės gijos.
February 7, 2022
In a word: Sleftastic
Read
November 22, 2023Iš pradžių labai patiko pasakojimo tonas ir visas tas biografo susikoncentravimas į save, buvo gan juokinga, bet kuo toliau, tuo labiau ėmė mintis "bet kam visa tai?". Ties 20 skyriumi atėjo knygos grąžinimo į biblioteką terminas, o aš net nepažiūrėjau, ar galiu prasitęsti, nes visiškai nenorėjau to daryti.
P.S. Negaliu patikrinti, bet jeigu pypt pypt pypt pypt pypt originale buvo fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck, tai, blet, blogai išversta.
P.S. Negaliu patikrinti, bet jeigu pypt pypt pypt pypt pypt originale buvo fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck, tai, blet, blogai išversta.
April 18, 2021
Ezra Slef - Andrew Komarnyckyj
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to the author.
The pioneering writings of celebrated Russian novelist Ezra Slef have made him a titan of contemporary Postmodernism, with a worldwide following keen to know more about the man behind the books. Enter Humbert Botekin, a disgraced former professor of literature, and Slef’s biggest admirer. He writes the definitive biography of Slef, with compendious notes, an introduction, a list of plates, and a glossary.
But Botekin’s narrative soon spirals dangerously out of control. A supreme egotist, Botekin cannot resist assuming the foreground, so that his ostensible biography of Slef gradually changes into a personal memoir in which we learn far more about the biographer than about his subject. The narrative is both sinister and darkly comic.
Ezra Slef is talked about so much it would be easy to forget that he is not actually the main character - that role falls to Humbert Botekin. This is a biography of sorts, using only documents that are within the public record.
This book is filled with humour, irony and jabs but it honestly did not appeal to me. At first I found myself always wanting to read just one more chapter, but by the end I was ready for the book to finish.
Rating 3/5
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to the author.
The pioneering writings of celebrated Russian novelist Ezra Slef have made him a titan of contemporary Postmodernism, with a worldwide following keen to know more about the man behind the books. Enter Humbert Botekin, a disgraced former professor of literature, and Slef’s biggest admirer. He writes the definitive biography of Slef, with compendious notes, an introduction, a list of plates, and a glossary.
But Botekin’s narrative soon spirals dangerously out of control. A supreme egotist, Botekin cannot resist assuming the foreground, so that his ostensible biography of Slef gradually changes into a personal memoir in which we learn far more about the biographer than about his subject. The narrative is both sinister and darkly comic.
Ezra Slef is talked about so much it would be easy to forget that he is not actually the main character - that role falls to Humbert Botekin. This is a biography of sorts, using only documents that are within the public record.
This book is filled with humour, irony and jabs but it honestly did not appeal to me. At first I found myself always wanting to read just one more chapter, but by the end I was ready for the book to finish.
Rating 3/5
October 17, 2023
nepykit, susikaupęs ir pozityvia šypsena (o tai būna retai, jei išvis) ėmiausi šio daug žadančio, tačiau pasakysiu atvirai (o tai irgi nebūdinga) - šūdas, jabytute! darkart: susikaupęs ir gero linkintis, laukiantis daug skanaus humoro sklendžiau puslapis po puslapio, o mano veidas niaukėsi greičiau nei sutemsta kūčių vakarienė. nejuokinga! klykiau be atvangos, supraskite, klykti - ne sinonimas. garbės žodis, teištvėriau pem, ir tuos pačius tik dėl asmeninių įžadų magiškiems skaičiams (ot ir ne, pem nėra magiškas, nu bet nesvarbu).
ir tiek.
ir tiek.
ir tiek.
ir tiek.
ir tiek.
ir tiek.
September 13, 2023
"Ezra Slefas" tarsi subalansuotas literatūrologams/ėms arba skaitytojams/oms gurmanams/ėms, gebančioms atpažinti literatūrines nuorodas, pasišaipymus, pažvengimus, ir kartu su pasakotoju juoktis. O jei dar pasirodo, kad knyga yra self-aware, kad ji "žino", jog tu ją skaitai, tai išvis aukso grynuolis. Pamenu, kaip anksčiau iš tiesų labai ieškodavau būtent tokios literatūros ir baisiai džiaugdavausi bet kokiais panašiais intertekstiniais žaidimais. Dabar gal jau esu atšipinus akį arba perėjus ant literatūrinio E620, ir Michelin žvaigždutės jau nebe man. Taigi skaitydama didelio malonumo nepajutau, priešingai - truputį nusibodo.
Bet ar "Ezra Slefas" tikrai Michelin žvaigždutė? Skaitant kuo toliau, tuo labiau atrodė kaip "Pats baisiausias filmas".
Knyga nuo pirmų puslapių dvelkia Nabokovo Pale Fire, kurią labai daug metų labai dievinau, o dabar galvoju - kaži, koks jausmas būtų paskaityti iš naujo. Ji (Slefas, nors Nabokovas irgi) parašyta neva kaip fiktyvaus rašytojo biografija arba kūrybos studija, bet pasakotojas pažeidžia mokslinio neutralumo, permatomumo reikalavimą, "aiškindamas" pradeda kišti savo patirtį, galiausiai aiškinimą paverčia pasakojimu, ir ne apie "temą", o apie save. Labai įdomu buvo skaityti Neringos komentarą: ji labai taikliai lygina abi knygas, net suabejojau, ar tikrai tas Nabokovas toks fainas... :( O "Slefą" - nebuvo įdomu. Pasakotojas yra rašytojo Ezros Slefo didis fanas, su juo susipažįsta, tada pavagia jo rankraštį (pavadintą "Ezra Slefas, kitas Nobelio premijos laureatas", KOKS SUTAPIMAS!), tą rankraštį įsimyli, paskui išleidžia kaip savo parašytą, galiausiai praturtėja, o paskui viską praranda, susipažįsta su Mefistofeliu, skiriasi su moterim... Išoriškai - durna drama, viduje - pastišas iš visokiausių literatūros kūrinių. Pasakotojas perrašinėja Slefo knygą, vos ne žodis žodin cituojamas Borgeso "Pjeras Menaras", jį išgąsdina juodas katinas (Begemotas), jo pavardė Botkinas (plg Nabokovo "kritiką" Kinbotą iš "Ugnies"), o vardas Humbertas - ir net porą kartų pakartojama: Humbertai, Humbertai, Slefas yra parašęs trilogiją, kurios pirmoj daly pasakojama apie Lomojų, antroj - apie Mal Oną, o trečioj - apie vardo neturintį... Iš ko čia reikia juoktis? Atpažinus citatas? Iš clasho, kaip čia taip orieji humanitarai irgi vagia, sukčiauja, plėšikauja? Iš apvertimo, kai kilnusis Nabokovas arba kilnusis Bulgakovas yra pasitelkiami nusikaltimams? Visos tos strategijos jau yra išpildytos - tiek Borgeso, tiek Eco (juk daug smagiau yra skaityti jo Misreadings nei "Slefą"). Literatūra, žodžiai nusikaltimo pagrindu tapo jau "Hamlete". Nusikaltimas tapo ne pažeidimu, o literatūrine medžiaga, būdu Pagarbinti Žodį jau "Lolitoje". Vis dėlto visuose šituose kūriniuose, kiek pamenu, yra šiokia tokia tezė ar mintis, net jei perrašinėjama tik tam, kad atsiskleistų, kaip sureikšminama yra Klasika ar Literatūra (ir pas Borgesą, ir pas Eco). O Komarnyckyj knygoj minties neradau.
DAR NERVINO:
1. Kaip Komarnyckyj bando rašyti akademinio gyvenimo pastišą, bet praskipina iš tiesų įdomius dalykus. Pvz, Botkinas univero karjeros laiptais lipa nešdamas kyšius daktarui Faustui - taip jis galiausiai gauna dėstytojo vietą. Vadinasi, dr. Faustas dabar bus jo kolega. Bet juk įdomiausias dalykas - kas vyksta po to!!! Ar jis neš kyšius katedros vedėjui? Ar toliau neš ką nors dr. Faustui? Kaip klostysis jų santykiai po to, kai jis galimai nebeneš kyšių? Nieko panašaus nėra, papasakojom bajerį (GI FAUSTAS HAHAHAHA) ir viskas.
2. Savitiksliai bajeriai. Kai išsiskiria su žmona, Botkinas susižavi begalinio grožio moterimi kaip iš paveikslo, ji vardu Angela del Morte, dirba morge ir atsisako įeiti į bažnyčią. Ir po to..... jų santykiai....... susiklosto į blogąją pusę............ haha
PATIKO:
1. Kad vienintelė knyga, kuri Botkinui realiai patiko ir jis negalėjo nustoti jos skaityti, be tos nepaaiškinamos meilės Slefo rankraščiui, yra visiškas literatūrinis trashas: "Penkias beprotiškas valandas praleidau demonų, sukubių, piktųjų dvasių, puolusių angelų, žmogėdrų, juodų kačių, pragaro skalikų ir visų kitų su siaubo žanru siejamų infantiliškų parafernalijų draugijoje" (p. 42)
2. Tą tai gerai užgriebė - kad vienintelis realus Botkino populiarumas atėjo iš neigiamos recenzijos, kur jis su žemėm sumala tą knygą apie demonus, dar pasityčioja iš autoriaus, prirašo įžeidimų ir pan. Čia kažkaip liūdnai teisinga - juk ir GR lengviau ir parašyti, ir palaikinti heitą, pašaipas, negatyvą. Ir čia nėra moralo - taip tiesiog yra, tai žmogiška. Liūdna, kai arba pabandai atsistot į batus to, kas gauna malkų, arba iš tikrųjų esi toje pozicijoje, ir kai pabūni, tada truputį atsargiau paskui leidiesi į tokias šnekas... bet nesame mes nušvitusiųjų visuomenė ir burbesius skaityti, juoktis, šaipytis daug lengviau per negatyvą. Vat apie tai galėjo daugiau rašyti Komarnyckyj, juk jo tema tarsi buvo puikybė, labai čia pritiktų.
Kaip koks Botkinas, dėjau pageidavimų koncertą, o juk esmė - kad man žadėjo kažką linksmo, o aš nepasilinksminau, gal problema manyje. Gal reiks grįžti prie savo E620. O gal aš jau ta senė, iš kokių juokiasi Komarnyckyj, kurios ir kurie sureikšmina Literatūrą ir ieško joje pirmo, antro, trečio Dugno. Nu taip ir yra.
Bet ar "Ezra Slefas" tikrai Michelin žvaigždutė? Skaitant kuo toliau, tuo labiau atrodė kaip "Pats baisiausias filmas".
Knyga nuo pirmų puslapių dvelkia Nabokovo Pale Fire, kurią labai daug metų labai dievinau, o dabar galvoju - kaži, koks jausmas būtų paskaityti iš naujo. Ji (Slefas, nors Nabokovas irgi) parašyta neva kaip fiktyvaus rašytojo biografija arba kūrybos studija, bet pasakotojas pažeidžia mokslinio neutralumo, permatomumo reikalavimą, "aiškindamas" pradeda kišti savo patirtį, galiausiai aiškinimą paverčia pasakojimu, ir ne apie "temą", o apie save. Labai įdomu buvo skaityti Neringos komentarą: ji labai taikliai lygina abi knygas, net suabejojau, ar tikrai tas Nabokovas toks fainas... :( O "Slefą" - nebuvo įdomu. Pasakotojas yra rašytojo Ezros Slefo didis fanas, su juo susipažįsta, tada pavagia jo rankraštį (pavadintą "Ezra Slefas, kitas Nobelio premijos laureatas", KOKS SUTAPIMAS!), tą rankraštį įsimyli, paskui išleidžia kaip savo parašytą, galiausiai praturtėja, o paskui viską praranda, susipažįsta su Mefistofeliu, skiriasi su moterim... Išoriškai - durna drama, viduje - pastišas iš visokiausių literatūros kūrinių. Pasakotojas perrašinėja Slefo knygą, vos ne žodis žodin cituojamas Borgeso "Pjeras Menaras", jį išgąsdina juodas katinas (Begemotas), jo pavardė Botkinas (plg Nabokovo "kritiką" Kinbotą iš "Ugnies"), o vardas Humbertas - ir net porą kartų pakartojama: Humbertai, Humbertai, Slefas yra parašęs trilogiją, kurios pirmoj daly pasakojama apie Lomojų, antroj - apie Mal Oną, o trečioj - apie vardo neturintį... Iš ko čia reikia juoktis? Atpažinus citatas? Iš clasho, kaip čia taip orieji humanitarai irgi vagia, sukčiauja, plėšikauja? Iš apvertimo, kai kilnusis Nabokovas arba kilnusis Bulgakovas yra pasitelkiami nusikaltimams? Visos tos strategijos jau yra išpildytos - tiek Borgeso, tiek Eco (juk daug smagiau yra skaityti jo Misreadings nei "Slefą"). Literatūra, žodžiai nusikaltimo pagrindu tapo jau "Hamlete". Nusikaltimas tapo ne pažeidimu, o literatūrine medžiaga, būdu Pagarbinti Žodį jau "Lolitoje". Vis dėlto visuose šituose kūriniuose, kiek pamenu, yra šiokia tokia tezė ar mintis, net jei perrašinėjama tik tam, kad atsiskleistų, kaip sureikšminama yra Klasika ar Literatūra (ir pas Borgesą, ir pas Eco). O Komarnyckyj knygoj minties neradau.
DAR NERVINO:
1. Kaip Komarnyckyj bando rašyti akademinio gyvenimo pastišą, bet praskipina iš tiesų įdomius dalykus. Pvz, Botkinas univero karjeros laiptais lipa nešdamas kyšius daktarui Faustui - taip jis galiausiai gauna dėstytojo vietą. Vadinasi, dr. Faustas dabar bus jo kolega. Bet juk įdomiausias dalykas - kas vyksta po to!!! Ar jis neš kyšius katedros vedėjui? Ar toliau neš ką nors dr. Faustui? Kaip klostysis jų santykiai po to, kai jis galimai nebeneš kyšių? Nieko panašaus nėra, papasakojom bajerį (GI FAUSTAS HAHAHAHA) ir viskas.
2. Savitiksliai bajeriai. Kai išsiskiria su žmona, Botkinas susižavi begalinio grožio moterimi kaip iš paveikslo, ji vardu Angela del Morte, dirba morge ir atsisako įeiti į bažnyčią. Ir po to..... jų santykiai....... susiklosto į blogąją pusę............ haha
PATIKO:
1. Kad vienintelė knyga, kuri Botkinui realiai patiko ir jis negalėjo nustoti jos skaityti, be tos nepaaiškinamos meilės Slefo rankraščiui, yra visiškas literatūrinis trashas: "Penkias beprotiškas valandas praleidau demonų, sukubių, piktųjų dvasių, puolusių angelų, žmogėdrų, juodų kačių, pragaro skalikų ir visų kitų su siaubo žanru siejamų infantiliškų parafernalijų draugijoje" (p. 42)
2. Tą tai gerai užgriebė - kad vienintelis realus Botkino populiarumas atėjo iš neigiamos recenzijos, kur jis su žemėm sumala tą knygą apie demonus, dar pasityčioja iš autoriaus, prirašo įžeidimų ir pan. Čia kažkaip liūdnai teisinga - juk ir GR lengviau ir parašyti, ir palaikinti heitą, pašaipas, negatyvą. Ir čia nėra moralo - taip tiesiog yra, tai žmogiška. Liūdna, kai arba pabandai atsistot į batus to, kas gauna malkų, arba iš tikrųjų esi toje pozicijoje, ir kai pabūni, tada truputį atsargiau paskui leidiesi į tokias šnekas... bet nesame mes nušvitusiųjų visuomenė ir burbesius skaityti, juoktis, šaipytis daug lengviau per negatyvą. Vat apie tai galėjo daugiau rašyti Komarnyckyj, juk jo tema tarsi buvo puikybė, labai čia pritiktų.
Kaip koks Botkinas, dėjau pageidavimų koncertą, o juk esmė - kad man žadėjo kažką linksmo, o aš nepasilinksminau, gal problema manyje. Gal reiks grįžti prie savo E620. O gal aš jau ta senė, iš kokių juokiasi Komarnyckyj, kurios ir kurie sureikšmina Literatūrą ir ieško joje pirmo, antro, trečio Dugno. Nu taip ir yra.
December 29, 2024
Šaržas, parodija - šmaikštus, subtiliai ironiškas žvilgsnis į literatų virtuvę, menkų gabumų, bet didelio susireikšminimo ir smulkaus kerštingumo pilno "rašytojo" tipažą, pretenzingumą, snobišką "didžiųjų" menininkų šlovinimą. Tekste daug užuominų į garsių rašytojų garsius kūrinius - tik kai kurias pavyko iššifruoti, bet vistiek buvo smagu :)
July 1, 2023
Knygos vertėja anotacijoje rašydama „ši knyga yra postmodernistinio romano pastišas, parodijuojantis žanrą ir atiduodamas duoklę autoriaus pamėgtiems rašytojams. Į savo postmodernistinį šiupinį autorius įmaišo intertekstų, aliuzijų, nuorodų į...“ daro šuns paslaugą šiam šarmingam skaitiniui ir toks jausmas, kad vien už anotaciją būtų vieno knygos herojų sumalta į miltus, o gal tiesiog aplota. Nes nors knygos tiražas ir nedidelis, jis neabejotinai didesnis nei penkiolika literatūros apžvalgininkų Lietuvoje ir dar 150 gurmanų. Istorija puiki, stilius žavingas, knyga tiesiog susivalgė. Ar visiems. Ne, ne visiems. O kas visiems? Apie ką? Nesvarbu, bet iš esmės tai apie rašytojus, knygas, literatūrą ir gyvenimą įvilkta į juodojo humoro, ironišką dramatinį detektyvinį trilerį.
November 13, 2023
A monstrous work of unabashed genius, ESTNLiL is a roller coaster ride in which the protagonist's petard, whereon he is ultimately hoisted, is constantly in view. A cunning and gentle poking of fun at academic snobbery, literary pomposity and postmodernism, Komarnyckyi delivers a tour de force in self delusion and destruction, aided and abetted by the keeper of Hades himself. I hope he can sleep at night.
September 5, 2023
4.5
Būt gal ir visos penkios, bet vidurys kiek užtęstas, bet pabaiga tai saldainis.
https://knyguziurkes.com/2023/09/05/e...
Būt gal ir visos penkios, bet vidurys kiek užtęstas, bet pabaiga tai saldainis.
https://knyguziurkes.com/2023/09/05/e...
August 11, 2024
A comic gem which should get a much wider readership! Lovingly skewering post-modernism and academia EStNNLiL is an homage to, pastiche of and a satire touching on many of the great works in the genre (most definitely including Nabokov’s Pale Fire and Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita and many others). Also, it’s laugh out loud funny. Highly recommended.
December 17, 2024
Nesąmonių nesąmonė ARBA reikia būti labai dideliu eruditu ir daug knygų perskaičiusi nes ši knyga nukreipia mintis į daugelį knygų, pvz.Žiedų valdovas
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