L'homme qui voulait vivre sa vie

by Douglas Kennedy, Bernard Cohen

La vie de Ben Bradford n'est qu'une vaste comédie : en apparence c'est un père et un mari comblé, en réalité il souffre de la froideur de son épouse. Brillant avocat envié par ses pairs, il ne rêvait que d'être photographe.
Alors qu'il se persuade qu'il est heureux, il découvre que sa femme le trompe et, qui plus est, avec un photographe ! Anéanti, il supprime son rival. Que faire ? Se rendre ou fuir ? Ben choisit la fuite et recommence une nouvelle vie à l'autre bout des Etats-Unis en prenant l'identité de sa victime.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime, Roman, Novels

498 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Douglas Kennedy was born in Manhattan in 1955. He studied at Bowdoin College, Maine and Trinity College, Dublin, returning to Dublin in 1977 with just a trenchcoat, backpack and $300. He co-founded a theatre company and sold his first play, Shakespeare on Five Dollars a Day, to Radio 4 in 1980. In 1988 he moved to London and published a travel book, Beyond the Pyramids. His debut novel The Dead Heart was published in 1994.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

I seem to read one of Douglas Kennedy's books every 2-3 years, and every time I do, I always think what an amazing writer, and, why don't I read his stuff more often! A great read, a compulsive suspense ridden story of a man who has everything but loathes it, and is giving the chance to start again, but has the huge shadow of his past hanging over him. "A dark moral fable, ferociously plotted" well put from the back cover blurb. You gotta read this! 8 out of 12.

2014 read

[David Putnam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I read it when it came out. A friend gave it to me in a manuscript form. It was a promotional from the publisher trying to spark interest. The manuscript came in box that simulated a film box. The writing craft is strong, the voice vivid and the story had me by the throat. Loved the ending.
Highly recommend.
David Putnam author of Bruno Johnson series

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back in 2002, I receive an email from a visitor to my website imploring me to read The Big Picture. In fact, he had admitted to confronting complete strangers in bookstores and insisting they read it.
So, I jotted it down on my to-read list, and it was about a year later that I stumbled upon it in a used book store and walked out with it and a few other lucky finds.

The book ended up sitting on my shelf for nine years.

I don't know why I never picked it up, but I must have read a lukewarm review for it somewhere that had turned me off it. Lesson learned: never let one review throw you off.
Anyways, last week I had picked up Down River by John Hart and was so disappointed in it that I dropped it after 80 pages. I was fighting a nasty virus (a long story, stemming from an infected tooth), and didn't feel like going out to buy another book. So I looked at my bookshelf, and there it was. What the hell, I'll give it a shot.

The reason this guy had recommended this was that if I liked A Simple Plan, I would surely like this one. Man, was he ever right.
I couldn't put this down. It was a fantastic story, told from the 1st person perspective of Ben Bradford, a successful but unfulfilled Wall Street Trusts fund lawyer.
Like Scott Smith, Douglas Kennedy has the gift of creating a compulsive read. It was torture putting it down when I had to, and while I was reading it, I was just burning through it. Like I said, it was a great story, and all the characters felt very real. There was only one point near the end that seemed just a tad far-fetched, but that didn't sway my feelings for this one bit.
So: Five big stars here. Yeah.

Douglas Kennedy is a virtual unknown here. In the UK, it seems he has a bit of a cult following. So, like my friend from Glasgow, I am joining the crusade on this side of the pond to expose this guy to anyone who will listen.
The Big Picture is really good, and if you like suspense novels, you really really have to read this. Really. It's the perfect beach/travel book, but be sure to bring another because you will devour this in a day or two.
WARNING: Do not read the back cover of the book. The synopsis brings you way too far into the story. Go in fresh.

Seriously, this was really good.

[Jannelies (living between hope and fear) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book was written in 1994, it doesn't feel like that. It is still a very modern and fast-paced story about a man who wants to leave his life behind. The only thing is that Ben, the main character, doesn't own a mobile phone, let alone a smartphone. He makes do with land lines and only later in the book it becomes clear he could have had an internet account, but he doesn't because he doesn't need it...
So, Ben wants to leave his life behind and how he does that, makes up the biggest part of the story. There are a few big surprises and it is hard to put the book down, although I must admit that Ben is not a 100% likeable person.

[Kellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading A Special Relationship by this author. That was such a great book. So, I had to find another by this author. This one was just as good. This is an American writer, however, he currently lives in London. I’m thinking his books are popular there, because when I try and mooch these books, they are all in the UK. That’s too bad because America is missing out. This guy is good. His character development is awesome. You route for the main character, but you realize how flawed they are. They make grave mistakes and they know it. But you are still on their side. This was a story about Ben. He has a troubled marriage, a great job he hates and a dream that has been put aside so he can work as a lawyer in Manhattan and support his bitchy wife and two boys he adores. Then, something goes wrong and he is forced to make a decision to save himself. He does, but he has to live with that decision for the rest of his life. His new life is different and he begins to live his dream. But can he live his dream with the demons that won’t go away? The author does a great job with this story and this character. Very talented writer and I’m surprised he isn’t more popular. I have mooched as many books as I can. This is an author I’m now addicted to.

[Cattier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best book I v ever read. Once again Douglas Kennedy proved that he is one of the top writer when it comes to take a character as far away as posible from the original plot. He is credible on the technique part, he gives a touch of romance which is relaxing, and always know how to crush the heroe when you wouldn t think he could go any further down. You will understand how you can die not only once but twice and still survive. I read it almost in a day as most of Kennedy s books. Let yourself be carried away in Ben Bradford/ Gary Summers/ Andrew Tarbell 's lives..

A lawyer, spending a little fortune on his only hobby (photography) is bored of his life, his job and discover that is wife is cheating him with a failed photographer living in the same neighborhood. He accidentally kills him and there starts an incredible adventure where ben bradford will have to die if he wants to live.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! This is a first-time author for me, and I was very impressed. I can't wait to ALL of Kennedy's others!

[Maria Yankulova · Rating 2 out of 5]

Пълка скука. Не мога да повярвам, че това е автора на “Следобеди с Изабел”!

[Eti · Rating 2 out of 5]

И като стане така най-мразя!
Първата прочетена книга за годината... е меко казано безлична!

Нито историята, нито персонажите, нито идеята на книгата ми допаднаха. Всъщност не предизвикаха почти никакви чувства у мен, освен явното раздразнение при неспирното натякване кое колко долара струва... и то през цялата първа половина от книгата!

В края на тази книжка имам усещането, че съм си загубила времето...
Нищо не си "взех" от книгата, никого не харесах, нищо не ме изненада.
WTF 😒

Оценката не е една 🌟 само заради приятния стил на писане на Кенеди, който не ме натовари (изключвайки постоянното споменаване на цените) и беше лесен за поглъщане.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben Bradford, seems to have it all. A beautiful wife, a big suburban home, two kids and a partnership in a prestigious New York Wall Street Law Firm. Then, of course, it all turns to mush.

This book is a real page turner. It was the 3rd Kennedy book I had read (the first 2 books were written from a women's perspective, this one from a man's), and quite different from the others. This man knows how to keep you entertained!

As I keep saying - get your hands on anything written by Douglas Kennedy!

[The Book Whisperer (aka Boof) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book on a recommendation and I wasn't disappointed. I found myself picking it up at every available opportunity (I LOVE books that make me not want to put them down).

This is the story of a stressed out Wall Street Lawyer in Manhattan who is married with 2 young sons and very disillusioned with his life. He has always longed to be a photographer and regrets the way his life has ended up. By complete accident (I won't spoil it) his life turns upside down in a split second and he finds himself on the run and taking on a new identity. Does his dream of having a new life match the reality?

You won't be disappointed with this book; it's very readable and makes you want to keep turning the pages well into the night. Enjoy

[Chuck · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book because I saw the French movie that was based upon it. The movie was all right, and much, much better than the book. In the first place, the plot is very thin. Ben Bradford is a Wall Street lawyer and amateur photographer whose marriage is falling apart. When he finds out that his wife is having an affair with a professional but unsuccessful photographer, he kills the man in a fit of anger. He disposes of the body in a way that leads everyone to believe that he was the one who died, and assumes the photographer's identity. Fleeing his former Northeast stomping grounds, he ends up in Montana, where he finds a lover and achieves success as a photographer. However, the success leads to nationwide publicity, and he flees when he's threatened with exposure. His new lover goes with him and at the end of the book, they're making a life of it in California.

The story is very slow-paced. The murder doesn't even happen until a quarter of the way through the book, and there's all kind of irrelevant exposition that makes the going like trudging through mud at times. One is often told in writing classes that every sentence should either advance the narrative or reveal character. A writer may choose to violate those dictums for literary reasons, but when one is writing a thriller, one would do well to remember them.

[Ryan Teeter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a phenomenal book that I read about three years ago. Still remember the vivid detail of this thriller. For me, books are extremely hard to get into but right from the start this one grabs you.

I could not put this one down and finished it in only 6 days (that is super fast for me as books usually take 6 months).

[Cattier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best book I v ever read. Once again Douglas Kennedy proved that he is one of the top writer when it comes to take a character as far away as posible from the original plot. He is credible on the technique part, he gives a touch of romance which is relaxing, and always know how to crush the heroe when you wouldn t think he could go any further down. You will understand how you can die not only once but twice and still survive. I read it almost in a day as most of Kennedy s books. Let yourself be carried away in Ben Bradford/ Gary Summers/ Andrew Tarbell 's lives..

A lawyer, spending a little fortune on his only hobby (photography) is bored of his life, his job and discover that is wife is cheating him with a failed photographer living in the same neighborhood. He accidentally kills him and there starts an incredible adventure where ben bradford will have to die if he wants to live..

[David Lucero · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another favorite of mine. So much so that I've read it twice! Douglas Kennedy's character spirals downward when he learns his wife is having an affair and his career is on the rocks. When he accidentally murders his wife's lover he goes on the run using another man's identity. How he rebuilds his life is amazing, and how it comes crashing down on him is equally amazing. You won't be disappointed by this story. Just goes to show you there's no escaping your life.

[Alyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

a little too smooth with too many coincidences for my taste. Ben has almost everything going for him. gets away with murder and new identities not once but twice. wonder how Ben can sleep at night and look at himself in the mirror.

[Lorri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interested read. By the time I reached past page 100, I thought was reading a totally different book.. the context completely changed. However, stuck with it and it was very good, very thought provoking. I could not guess the end at all and was completely surprised by it.

[Manon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je n'ai jamais réussi à savoir si j'aimais ou non le protagoniste. Mais ce n'est absolument pas dérangeant, au contraire, c'était très palpitant comme roman.

[Andreas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ben Bradford is your typical Wall Street lawyer. Wife, two kids, house in upscale soutwestern Connecticut suburbia, big paycheck. But he hates it. He wanted to become a photographer, but through a combination of societal inertia and parental pressure, he ended up “doing the right thing” and becoming a lawyer. He still maintains photography as a hobby. Now his wife is sleeping around and his marriage is obviously on the rocks. In a heated moment, he accidentally kills his wife’s lover, a loser amateur photographer. And that’s where it all changes. Ben manages to get away with the murder and escape his old life. But will his new life be any better? Can he ever stop running from his past? And on another note: Can a life with a yearly $300k+ paycheck feel like a prison? Of course it can.

When it came out in 1997, this novel was very heavily marketed and hyped. It is just the thing to appeal to careerists who have dreamed of being something else at some point. Meaning all of them. Dreaming of not being in the grinder, of making one’s own hours as an artist or something else, of not being just another suit on the commute. A very 90s feeling after the heady 80s. Stay small, be your own man, don’t waste your life like your parents. All that good stuff. And deeper than that are themes of how you cannot really escape your past. Ben is forced to and does the best of it, but his past will always haunt him. To the author’s credit, he has not painted Ben as some cold blooded killer. Our hero is constantly dogged with guilt about what he has done.

Is this novel the work of genius as was hyped at the time? That’s a tricky question. Kennedy definitely has a smooth, uncluttered style. Nothing fancy, but it serves the narrative well as he focuses on the inner demons of Ben Bradford. If you can look past some of the far too conveniently coincidental plot points, there’s a good story here. As I read, I came to empathize deeply with the destiny of Bradford. His search for that ephemeral thing called “a good life”. His escape from suburban conformism. Having lived for a few years in that corner of Connecticut, I may have a particular perspective. The inhabitants tend to know where they are going in life and deviation from the path is discouraged. Still, some things about the novel annoyed me. There are the aforementioned rather too convenient plot twists, perfectly designed to lead Ben on the “correct” path. After the murder, it all becomes a bit predictable. Where is the chaos so present in real life? There’s also the constant flirt with “art”. In the novel, Ben often describes really great photographers as being passive observers who have freed themselves from the need to obsessively prod at the composition hoping that it will become more artful. But Kennedy does exactly this with his novel. It crosses the line into constructed and pretentious. This detracts from the very good story and thematic exposition within. It is a bit too obvious that Kennedy set out to write “the great American Novel”. But he’s trying too hard, and it shows. Bottom line: recommended, but not unreservedly.

http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=876

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wealthy Wall Street lawyer has it all - beautiful wife, great kids, a lovely home, but he is still unhappy. He regrets he couldn't be a photographer. Then when he finds out his wife is cheating on him with a neighbour, he snaps and murders the man. Exit his life in New York. Enter into a new life in Montana as a photographer for a small newspaper. Everything is good. Then he takes some photos at a large forest fire, one of which gets picked up by the national press, and he gets famous. His old life starts to close in on him again.

I've read this book three times now, and it's still as good as I remember. Actually didn't remember the ending at all. Highly recommended.

[Антоанета · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok! Но само толкова, нищо интересно. Цялата книга сякаш беше съшита с бели конци - това просто няма как да се случи, нали американците са много добри с техните полицейски разследвания?! А тук някакво адвокатче, не само извърши убийство, ами покри всичко, изценира самоубийство и открадна самоличност (два пъти). Ами не ми беше изобщо интересна, по никакъв начин не предизвика емоция, че се случва нещо невероятно или толкова любопитно, че да искам да знам какво ще се случи по нататък. Все едно ми беше. Да, може би не е моята книга (гледам доста е харесвана), но и да я бях оставила изобщо нямаше да ми пука.

[Hailie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was hilarious while reading this book thoroughly. I wasn’t able to stop giggling when this author’s sarcastic satire came out in very realistic conversations. But in the end, when I closed the book, in a fleeting moment, I realized how sad story it is...

[Emiliya Bozhilova · Rating 2 out of 5]

Твърде много предмети, марки и незначителни битовизми и случайности в сюжета, и твърде, твърде малко герои.

Идеята е приятно гъделичкаща - малцина не са искали в някой хубав момент просто да изчезнат и да започнат всичко начисто и отначало. Бен се задушава в вжедневието си на адвокат, баща на две деца в един разпадащ се, прерастнал в съвместно консуматорство и бегли реплики, брак. Мечтата му да стане фотограф е останала несбъдната отчасти поради собствения му вътрешен конформизъм към това, което му втълпяват останалите, че е правилно и прилично. Престън обаче е подготвил изненада за героя си, давайки му необичаен повторен шанс да изживее мечтата си, но на висока цена.

Бен, за съжаление, е доста безличен главен герой, с изключение на 1-2 приятно хапливи реплики. Предимно се вайка до последната страница. Жена му Бет е просто неясен образ на харпия. Гаджето Ан пък е още по-зле - там вече Престън не си е дал грам труд. За сметка на това сюжетът е каталог на американски стоки от първа, втора и трета необходимост, понякога по 2 в изречение.

Ще потърся филма, има шансове да е читав трилър.

[Nicko D · Rating 1 out of 5]

ПЪЛНО ЩАСТИЕ НЯМА!
Ох, ако видите само на какво идилично и хубаво място имах възможност да чета... и да попадна на такава книга, ама сам си я набих в главата, сам съм си виновен. След като прочетох "Мираж" на Дъглас Кенеди, която уж не е сред най-добрите му, а толкова ми хареса, се зарекох да изчета всичко негово (вече не знам дали това ще се случи, макар че не се отказвам) та с такъв кеф си купих "Живот назаем", която е толкова хвалена и с хубав рейтинг, а се оказа такава откровена АМЕРИКАНСКА БОЗА! Тази предвидима книга е показното какво не харесвам: плоска и изтъркана история, никакъв език, фокусиране върху главния герой, слаби второстепенни, излишни описания, вглъбяване в тематика, в която е ползван консултант (в случая фотографията и апаратите) и то чак се прекалява с апарати, снимки, бленди, лещи, модели, производители и глупости - бич плийс, не чета форум за фотография, спести си копи-пейст уикепедията!
Първите стотина страници ги четох съсредоточено, докато батериите ми на скуката не прегряха и започнах през ред през два - толкова плоско, толкова аинтересно и алогично.

СПОЙЛЕРИ
Преуспял адвокат, но мечтател от детинските години да бъд�� фотограф, в средна възраст съзнава, че бракът му започва да куца и че изобщо животът му не е наред, тъй като макар да има милиони и да е постигнал американската мечта, то той е нещастен. Адвокат е, защото навремето баща му го застава - или ще учиш и наследяваш бизнеса ми за милиони, или си аут от играта и се издържай сам. И видиш ли той изкарва ученето, преуспява и става милионер, ама акълът му е все в снимките.. Подозира жена си в изневяра и случайно разбира, че това е съседът фотограф Гари.. отива да си поприказват и в разгара на спора го удря с шише и го убива... накълцва го на парчета и бам във фризера за няколко дни, докато накрая не инценира своята собствена смърт, палейки си яхтата и слагайки трупа на Гари, и не заживява с личността на Гари - бяга от Ню Йорк и предградията му и отива в Монтана на майна си райна и заживява инкогнито, с парите от рентата на Гари. Всичко наред докато един ден не става огромен пожар, той го заснема и снимките му обикалят цяла американска преса и става ясно къде живее Гари, който вече няколко години се е покрил успешно... Същевременно една пияница Руди се оказва под някаква форма детектив и разбира историята на Гари (т.е. реалния Бен) и започва да го изнудва и Гари му дава парите от снимките с пожара, които е спечелил от Ню Йорк таймс и etc. накрая тоя Руди умира в катастрофа, но в колата на Гари, но си мислят, че пак е умрял Гари - абе глупости на търкалета... и реално Бен, адвоката, който е станал Гари, накрая се спасява с приятелката си Ан, заживявайки в Лас Вегас и той се покрива вкъщи да домакинства, а тя работи и имат син Джак.
Enjoy your fast food and have a nice day!
Една заслужена единица; въпреки всичко смятам да пробвам и друга книга на Кенеди. Егати.. толкова ме зариби с "Мираж" и тази нищо общо, ама разбирате ли, нищо общо!

[Betsy]

In the book The Big Picture by Douglas Kennedy, a man realizes his life isn't as faboulous as he thought. Or should i say so he thought. He lives in a well known neighborhood with his wife and two children, in a house not so homly filled with antiques from centuries ago. He works as a lawyer making a good salery so his wife can spend the money on more furniture. The main charector forgets about his passion for photography and despite his dreams became a lawyer and not a photogropher. His father practicly forced him into his way of life and resents him for that.

[Rita Mahan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the writing of Douglas Kennedy but something about this book just didn't hit the right note for me. Maybe it was the fact that it was originally published in 1997 and seemed a little dated with references to Wall Street and the upper class neighborhoods of Connecticut. The characters all seemed self-absorbed which may be because of the time and place they lived in. Anyway this is a thriller and consists of a murder and the way the murderer takes over the life of the victim and carries on. Maybe the "karma" just didn't seem right and I couldn't enjoy the book as I should have.

[RuthG · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a "can't put it down" book even though I didn't like the protagonist at all. He is the sort of person I wanted to shake and say "wake up!" Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and found the ending satisfactory.

[Hồng Sơn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cách kể chuyện, giọng văn hơi chán nhưng đúng như lời giới thiệu, cuốn sách mang nhiều điểm dễ đồng cảm với độc giả: "gợi lên trong tâm trí người đọc những những ý nghĩ về bản thân, về những cơ hội bị vuột mất, những cuộc đời có thể mình đã sống nếu lựa chọn khác đi"...

[Ty-Orion · Rating 2 out of 5]

Много глупава книга. Авторът има четивен стил, но това е единственото позитивно нещо в случая. Изсмукана от пръстите мъжка фантазия, нереалистична и наподобяваща любовен роман история с обилен deus ex machina. Наистина жалко.

[Maru · Rating 4 out of 5]

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