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Partisans - SIGNED
First published in 1955, this "first-rate psychological thriller" tells of a young American journalist's dangerous pursuit of a deposed Communist leader down the back streets of Paris.
- GenresFiction
Hardcover
First published November 12, 1987
84 people want to read
About the author
Peter Matthiessen
143 books903 followersPeter Matthiessen is the author of more than thirty books and the only writer to win the National Book Award for both non-fiction (The Snow Leopard, in two categories, in 1979 and 1980) and fiction (Shadow Country, in 2008). A co-founder of The Paris Review and a world-renowned naturalist, explorer and activist, he died in April 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 15, 2023
CRITIQUE:
1938
This novel of political espionage is set in France in the years 1938 and 1953.
In pre-war 1938, the chief protagonist, Barney Sand, is the 14 year old son of the American ambassador to Spain. While fleeing to France, they meet a partisan called Jacobi, an American who had fought in the Spanish Civil War as a member of the Jefferson Battalion, one of the International Brigades set up by the Comintern.
Jacobi appraises Barney in these terms:
However, it soon becomes apparent to readers that Jacobi has misjudged Barney as an individual, if not his privileged situation.
1953
In post-war 1953, Barney still lives in Paris, but works as a journalist for an English language newspaper. Unbeknown to his peer group, his politics have become more left-wing liberal. His editor assigns him the task of interviewing the same Jacobi, who in the intervening period has been the leader of the Communist Party (presumably the PCF), but has recently been expelled from the Party. Jacobi was regarded as an idealistic political theorist and not adequately pragmatic for the times.
The Party believes that the editor will pass the record of interview with Jacobi on to the CIA, although Barney isn't aware of this.
Most of the novel (14 out of 16 chapters) describes the clandestine arrangements by which Barney is introduced to Jacobi, in the safe home where he is being held.
Readers have to wait a long time to meet 1953-era Jacobi. Even when we do (in the penultimate chapter), we don't learn much/ enough about him, except that he has grown sceptical about the role of the Communist Party:
Barney gets only a limited opportunity to speak to Jacobi, who tries to discourage him from getting involved with the Communist Party:
In Jacobi's opinion, Barney is too individualistic (and selfish) for the Party. They already suspect him of being an American intelligence agent. His employment as a journalist is supposedly just a front for his espionage activities.
The author in his writing studio (Source: Jill Krementz)
"Paris Review"
While the novel is an interesting and competent work of fiction, it bears some resemblance to Peter Matthiessen's own youthful experience in Paris, where he co-founded or "invented" the "Paris Review" as a cover for his two year role as a CIA agent spying on left-wing American expatriates. (1)
FOOTNOTES:
(1) See the Charlie Rose interview in the soundtrack below. Matthiessen's politics became more left-wing liberal over time.
SOUNDTRACK"
1938
This novel of political espionage is set in France in the years 1938 and 1953.
In pre-war 1938, the chief protagonist, Barney Sand, is the 14 year old son of the American ambassador to Spain. While fleeing to France, they meet a partisan called Jacobi, an American who had fought in the Spanish Civil War as a member of the Jefferson Battalion, one of the International Brigades set up by the Comintern.
Jacobi appraises Barney in these terms:
"You live in a different world...Your family has money, sailboats, the whole business. They don't want anything to change except taxation. Neither will you. You'll accept the status quo, adapt yourself to it, even exploit it. But you won't want to change anything. That's the difference between your world and the real world, where everything needs changing.
"I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about your situation. It's just different, that's all. It's small and selfish, and it's dying, but you don't know that, and it's not your fault. It's the way you were brought up. You were trained not to know, not to see."
However, it soon becomes apparent to readers that Jacobi has misjudged Barney as an individual, if not his privileged situation.
1953
In post-war 1953, Barney still lives in Paris, but works as a journalist for an English language newspaper. Unbeknown to his peer group, his politics have become more left-wing liberal. His editor assigns him the task of interviewing the same Jacobi, who in the intervening period has been the leader of the Communist Party (presumably the PCF), but has recently been expelled from the Party. Jacobi was regarded as an idealistic political theorist and not adequately pragmatic for the times.
The Party believes that the editor will pass the record of interview with Jacobi on to the CIA, although Barney isn't aware of this.
Most of the novel (14 out of 16 chapters) describes the clandestine arrangements by which Barney is introduced to Jacobi, in the safe home where he is being held.
Readers have to wait a long time to meet 1953-era Jacobi. Even when we do (in the penultimate chapter), we don't learn much/ enough about him, except that he has grown sceptical about the role of the Communist Party:
"We wanted to believe that human beings would rise to the high principles of a cause, and they do, as long as the cause is not in power. But once in power, principles soon become political weapons, and they are abused."
Barney gets only a limited opportunity to speak to Jacobi, who tries to discourage him from getting involved with the Communist Party:
"You're trying to do your own thinking, just as I did, Barney. The Party is not for you, do you hear?"
In Jacobi's opinion, Barney is too individualistic (and selfish) for the Party. They already suspect him of being an American intelligence agent. His employment as a journalist is supposedly just a front for his espionage activities.
The author in his writing studio (Source: Jill Krementz)
"Paris Review"
While the novel is an interesting and competent work of fiction, it bears some resemblance to Peter Matthiessen's own youthful experience in Paris, where he co-founded or "invented" the "Paris Review" as a cover for his two year role as a CIA agent spying on left-wing American expatriates. (1)
FOOTNOTES:
(1) See the Charlie Rose interview in the soundtrack below. Matthiessen's politics became more left-wing liberal over time.
SOUNDTRACK"
May 13, 2014
Although this book was written a generation ago in the post-World War II era, it has a very modern vibe. A young man, curious about a Communist with whom he had a chance encounter as a child, is sucked into the cauldron of partisans whose lives are twisted by ideas they really can't define, whose minds are corrupted by greed, self-interest, and whose actions sometimes lack conscience. They seem a lost generation like that of the Flamethrowers, the characters of the highly touted modern novel. Apparently partisans, whatever their party in history, are insufferable. Thus, this novel, is thematically strong, though its characters never emerge as individuals. Their humanity is subsumed by their partisanship. Interesting, but not enthralling.
August 6, 2025
I found the tone of this story elusive. What I mean is: I was often reading it in a tone that ended up not matching the unfolding events of the story. I rarely felt the tension that the scene ended up requiring. I’m not sure how much of that was my fault and how much the author’s (probably mine), but either way it got in the way of my enjoying the book despite how much I enjoy his word choice and sentence structure.
March 1, 2023
Subject matter was different for me with brilliant observations/descriptions of characters and I read the book because I find Peter Matthiessen's writing so excellent!!!! Many years ago I read The Snow Leopard" and have never forgotten it!!!
September 11, 2019
Three and a half
March 2, 2024
I thought this book was fantastic. In fairness, it’s not a character-driven story, but for its length, it was a compelling read that gets across its intended meaning.
April 6, 2016
First published in 1955, this "first-rate psychological thriller" tells of a young American journalist's dangerous pursuit of a deposed Communist leader down the back streets of Paris.
My review: Partisans is early Matthiessen, and his "greenness" shows. Somewhere between 1955 and 1961, the year that Raditzer, his third novel, was published, Matthiessen found his sea legs. Raditzer is an excellent novel; Partisans, not so good.
My review: Partisans is early Matthiessen, and his "greenness" shows. Somewhere between 1955 and 1961, the year that Raditzer, his third novel, was published, Matthiessen found his sea legs. Raditzer is an excellent novel; Partisans, not so good.
April 11, 2021
An expatriate American goes in search of an old acquaintance, a recently-purged Communist leader. This book is meant to be an exploration of the mores of 1950s Paris, but I found the language unbearably cliched and the characters uninvolving. After an ambiguously described rape scene halfway through, I gave up.
Note: my edition is a small Avon paperback with a suggestive cover, and has been retitled 'The Passionate Seekers.'
Note: my edition is a small Avon paperback with a suggestive cover, and has been retitled 'The Passionate Seekers.'
December 26, 2015
Peter Matthiessen is such an interesting individual and a great writer. Partisans is an early novel of his, written in 1953 when Matthiessen was in his early 20s creating the Paris Review. Loved the labyrinth of characters as they moved around Paris and the central mystery of the story.
March 21, 2008
Nice mood - Paris - early book.
May 28, 2021
Brilliantly written novel about love of country, imperfect as it may be, perhaps based on Matthiessen’s own life.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews