Going

by Sumner Locke Elliott

Tess Brackennek meg kell halnia. Nem azért, mert beteg, és nem is azért, mert agg – Tess Brackennek meg kell halnia, mert betöltötte hatvanötödik esztendejét. És az Egyesült Államok, amelyben Tess él – ezredünk utolsó évtizedében – eljutott a túlnépesedésnek arra a fokára, amely ellen már nemcsak születésszabályozással kell védekezni, hanem a hatvanöt éves lakosok kötelező „elaltatásával”.Az Elmenőben félreérthetetlenül a máról szó a jólét és a szervezettség mögött rejlő kietlenség, szeretetlenség, embertelenség, rö az elidegenedés – a ma valósága. Ezzel állítja szembe a szerző a múltat, Tess ifjúságát (vagyis a mai negyvenévesekét) ; nagy érzelmi telítettségű emlékekben idézi fel azt a világot, amely emberi tökéletlenségével és esetlegességével oly vonzónak tűnik a végleges elsivárosodás és szervezettség modern falansztervilágában.Sumner Locke Elliott ausztráliai származású író, jelenleg az Egyesült Államokban él. Regényeker ír; az Elmenőben negyedik könyve. Utópisztikus elemekben bővelkedő művei azonban nem sorolhatók egyértelműen a tudományos-fantasztikus irodalom skatulyájá az ő utópiája az elviselhetetlenné torzult „modern” világ nagyon is reális magból kifakadó lázálma, figyelmeztetés a jelenben rejlő veszedelmekre.

Genres: Science Fiction, Dystopia

170 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Elliott was born in Sydney in 1917 to the writer Helena Sumner Locke and the journalist Henry Logan Elliott. His mother died of eclampsia one day after his birth. Elliott was raised by his aunts, who had a fierce custody battle over him, fictionalized in Elliott's autobiographical novel, Careful, He Might Hear You. Elliott was educated at Cranbrook School in Bellevue Hill, Sydney.

Elliott began acting and writing for radio during his teens, and showed signs of a promising career during his twenties before he was called for administrative military service in World War II. In 1948, Elliott relocated to the United States where he became a highly regarded television scriptwriter. As a fiercely intelligent and bold person, he made a name for himself, until the era of live television drama ended in the early 1960s.

Elliott remained in the United States for the remainder of his life, commencing a literary career in 1963 with his autobiographical novel "Careful He Might Hear You", which won the Miles Franklin Award and was subsequently made into a film. He published ten novels in total, several of which dealt with issues from his own childhood and experiences in Australia before the War. Although he increasingly developed a following among Australian readers, Elliott remained uncomfortable with his country of birth, in no small part due to his homosexuality, which had marked him out for difference during his youth. He spent his final years in New York City, dying of cancer in 1991.

For the final six years of his life, Elliott lived with the American writer Whitfield Cook. The two men had been close for several years, although the exact nature of their relationship has been disputed. Cook was a widower from a heterosexual marriage, however his most notable works included the homoerotic Alfred Hitchcock film "Strangers on a Train". Cook cared for Elliott until his death.

Reviews

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tiny gem (170 pages) from one of my favorite authors. A dystopian future where life is sanitized and seniors euthanized.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the most horrible and at the same time one of the best books I have ever read. My mood turns grim and miserable even writing this review. The subject is forced euthanization at age 65. I first read it long before that age and now that I'm a few years older than 65, I will read it again; likely it will terrify me even more. I like dystopian novels anyhow and this is one of the best.

[Wendy Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure genius from an Australian writer who should be hailed as great, who should have an award named after him, who should be taught in schools, who should be owned and claimed by the Australian Literati who remain stubbornly Locked in worship of White.

[Fanni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book around 15 years ago as a young teenager. It horrified and amazed me at the same time. I still find the premise excellent: when you become 65 years old you get euthanized.

We get to know this world through the eyes of Tess, who was wealthy her all life. This makes her an unreliable character and I love it. We feel how horrified she is about this new future but also ask ourselves if it's as bad as she sees it.

Maybe I'm biased because this book made such a big impact on my thoughts so many years ago, but I think should be read in schools.

[Horticologist · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one out of the bag for Sumner Locke Elliott as far as I'm concerned and it's a gem! Quite a standout both stylistically and thematically from his other books and all the more enjoyable because of it. SLE was a very good storyteller, which is no surprise, having written a dozen novels or so, dozens of TV dramas, plays and radio plays over his long career.

Anyone with a penchant for dystopian futures in fiction will like it. The main thrust is forced euthanasia of citizens at 65.