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Die Füchse im Weinberg
Einer der opulentesten historischen Romane Feuchtwangers
1776: Mitten in der heiteren Untergangsstimmung am Hofe von Versailles treffen zwei Rivalen aufeinander, die gegensätzlicher nicht sein könnten und doch dasselbe wollen: der französische Komödiendichter und Lebemann Beaumarchais und Benjamin Franklin, der korrekte Abgesandte des amerikanischen Kongresses. Louis XVI. soll die Rebellen in Übersee unterstützen. In einem opulenten Szenario mit üppig besetzter Personage, vom Hofstaat bis zur französischen Geisteselite, werden Intrigen ausgefochten, Ränke geschmiedet, Leidenschaften ausgelebt. Aber schließlich hat sich die Weltgeschichte doch um ein Stück nach vorn bewegt.
»Sie werden ohne weiteres verstehen, daß der Held des Romans nicht Benjamin Franklin ist, auch nicht Beaumarchais, auch nicht der König oder Voltaire, sondern jener unsichtbare Lenker der Geschichte, der, im achtzehnten Jahrhundert entdeckt, im neunzehnten Jahrhundert deutlich erkannt, beschrieben und gepriesen wurde, um dann im zwanzigsten Jahrhundert bitter verleugnet und verleumdet zu werden: der Fortschritt.«
Lion Feuchtwanger im Nachwort zu dem Roman, 1952
Am 21. Oktober 1946 teilte Feuchtwanger Arnold Zweig mit:
»Ja, 'Waffen für Amerika' ist fertig, und ich glaube, ich darf sagen, der Roman ist geglückt.« Fritz Landshoff vom Querido Verlag in Amsterdam reagierte begeistert auf das Manuskript. das in zwei Bänden erscheinen sollte. Band eins erschien 1947, der zweite Teil lag erst 1948 vor. Diese erste Auflage wurde mit zwei unterschiedlichen Titeln gedruckt:
»Waffen für Amerika« und »Die Füchse im Weinberg«. Was den Verlag oder Feuchtwanger veranlaßte, einen Teil der Auflage mit einem anderen Titel zu drucken, läßt sich nicht eindeutig ermitteln. »Waffen für Amerika" klänge wie eine Propagandaschrift aus dem Krieg, hatte Alfred Döblin dem Autor geschrieben, und heftige politische Einwände hatte es aus Moskau gegeben, wo man den Roman -lediglich wegen seines Titels - als eine Parteinahme für die USA ansah. Der neue Titel geht auf das Hohe Lied Salomon, 2, 15, zurück: »Fahet uns die Füchse, die kleinen Füchse, die die Weinberge verderben; denn unsere Weinberge haben Blüten gewonnen.«
(Klappentext)
1776: Mitten in der heiteren Untergangsstimmung am Hofe von Versailles treffen zwei Rivalen aufeinander, die gegensätzlicher nicht sein könnten und doch dasselbe wollen: der französische Komödiendichter und Lebemann Beaumarchais und Benjamin Franklin, der korrekte Abgesandte des amerikanischen Kongresses. Louis XVI. soll die Rebellen in Übersee unterstützen. In einem opulenten Szenario mit üppig besetzter Personage, vom Hofstaat bis zur französischen Geisteselite, werden Intrigen ausgefochten, Ränke geschmiedet, Leidenschaften ausgelebt. Aber schließlich hat sich die Weltgeschichte doch um ein Stück nach vorn bewegt.
»Sie werden ohne weiteres verstehen, daß der Held des Romans nicht Benjamin Franklin ist, auch nicht Beaumarchais, auch nicht der König oder Voltaire, sondern jener unsichtbare Lenker der Geschichte, der, im achtzehnten Jahrhundert entdeckt, im neunzehnten Jahrhundert deutlich erkannt, beschrieben und gepriesen wurde, um dann im zwanzigsten Jahrhundert bitter verleugnet und verleumdet zu werden: der Fortschritt.«
Lion Feuchtwanger im Nachwort zu dem Roman, 1952
Am 21. Oktober 1946 teilte Feuchtwanger Arnold Zweig mit:
»Ja, 'Waffen für Amerika' ist fertig, und ich glaube, ich darf sagen, der Roman ist geglückt.« Fritz Landshoff vom Querido Verlag in Amsterdam reagierte begeistert auf das Manuskript. das in zwei Bänden erscheinen sollte. Band eins erschien 1947, der zweite Teil lag erst 1948 vor. Diese erste Auflage wurde mit zwei unterschiedlichen Titeln gedruckt:
»Waffen für Amerika« und »Die Füchse im Weinberg«. Was den Verlag oder Feuchtwanger veranlaßte, einen Teil der Auflage mit einem anderen Titel zu drucken, läßt sich nicht eindeutig ermitteln. »Waffen für Amerika" klänge wie eine Propagandaschrift aus dem Krieg, hatte Alfred Döblin dem Autor geschrieben, und heftige politische Einwände hatte es aus Moskau gegeben, wo man den Roman -lediglich wegen seines Titels - als eine Parteinahme für die USA ansah. Der neue Titel geht auf das Hohe Lied Salomon, 2, 15, zurück: »Fahet uns die Füchse, die kleinen Füchse, die die Weinberge verderben; denn unsere Weinberge haben Blüten gewonnen.«
(Klappentext)
991 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1946
30 people are currently reading
583 people want to read
About the author
Lion Feuchtwanger
145 books258 followersLion Feuchtwanger was a German Jewish emigre. A renowned novelist and playwright who fled Europe during World War II and lived in Los Angeles from 1941 until his death.
A fierce critic of the Nazi regime years before it assumed power precipitated his departure, after a brief internment in France, from Europe. He and his wife Marta obtained asylum in the United States in 1941 and remained there in exile until they died.
A fierce critic of the Nazi regime years before it assumed power precipitated his departure, after a brief internment in France, from Europe. He and his wife Marta obtained asylum in the United States in 1941 and remained there in exile until they died.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 11, 2011
The more I read Feuchtwanger, the more I realize that the coveted status of 'classic' isn't about merit; it's about a combination of luck, good publicity, and, preferably, being written in the English language. Because while few people deserve the title more, few are likely to get it less. Go and try to find a Feuchwanger book in any sort of accessible fashion; I dare you. You will be lucky if your library - progressive people that they are - have ti tucked away in a dusty corner. Most likely, you will be far less likely, and would have to rummage around bookstores to find a rare - and unaffordable - vintage edition.
It's possible, up to a certain point, to suppose that Feuchtwanger, while a good writer, perhaps, is only interesting to a niche audience. To wit, he only writes for Jews. Like other fantastic and not terribly known books like Steinberg's As A Driven Leaf, much of his creation is rather culturally focused. It's a poor excuse for an excuse, mind you, but at least you could theoretically wave your arms defiantly screaming "I'm not Jewish, what do I know?"
Sadly, the argument fails with Foxes in A Vineyard or - as its uninspiring, English title dubs it - Proud Destiny (because what readers could possibly understand literary allusions?). This book hasn't got a single Jewish character in it. Whom does it have? Well, Ben Franklin, for one. King Louis of France and Marie-Antoinette, for another. And most of the European Enlightenment elite, for a third.
Feuchtwanger, as is his custom, focuses upon a real historical event; the birth of the United States of America. Writing from that selfsame country in the aftermath of WWII, he cannot but draw certain parallels with tyranny, freedom, and the American revolution. Writing as a modern man looking back upon the events of centuries past, he cannot help but write with a hindsight perspective, which attributes to his characters, and slyly inserts into his writing, the foreknowledge of events to come. He makes Louis, the indecisive, somewhat reactionary king of France, into the mouthpiece of inevitability, which the other characters populating the story completely fail to grasp.
This is not an uncommon trick for Feuchtwanger, who is always busy working out the themes of the present in the mirror of the past. Though he claims in the afterward for his own book that 'a cigar is just a cigar', and that a writer of historical romance can choose a situation in history without identifying with the principles guiding it, it's quite clear that he has rather a lot to say concerning the Republican (in the old meaning of the word) principles playing a role in the creation of the United States.
He notes that, while his book is fillled with their actions, neither Franklin nor Beaumarchais nor Louis are the heroes of his story. The main hero of his story is Progress. And Progress, which, he says, has been temporarily abandoned in the XX century, is an inevitable, driving historical force. This book is about progress, coming despite the best - and worst - intentions of all concerned. Throughout the book we see Progress born and struggling even though sometimes its own admirers hinder, rather than help.
Surely this is a topic that should interest anyone.
So why isn't he more widely known and read? Call my analysis uninsightful, but I lay blame at whomsoever was insane enough to change the original, German titles, into their uninspired English selves. What would you, after all, rather read? A book called The Jewess of Toledo, or The Spanish Ballad? I know what my reaction to 'The Jewess of Toledo' would be. Don't be fooled, though, despite its prosaic English name - Proud Destiny - inside the book is still the gripping story of the greatest political upheaval the world has ever known, and it deserves to be read.
It's possible, up to a certain point, to suppose that Feuchtwanger, while a good writer, perhaps, is only interesting to a niche audience. To wit, he only writes for Jews. Like other fantastic and not terribly known books like Steinberg's As A Driven Leaf, much of his creation is rather culturally focused. It's a poor excuse for an excuse, mind you, but at least you could theoretically wave your arms defiantly screaming "I'm not Jewish, what do I know?"
Sadly, the argument fails with Foxes in A Vineyard or - as its uninspiring, English title dubs it - Proud Destiny (because what readers could possibly understand literary allusions?). This book hasn't got a single Jewish character in it. Whom does it have? Well, Ben Franklin, for one. King Louis of France and Marie-Antoinette, for another. And most of the European Enlightenment elite, for a third.
Feuchtwanger, as is his custom, focuses upon a real historical event; the birth of the United States of America. Writing from that selfsame country in the aftermath of WWII, he cannot but draw certain parallels with tyranny, freedom, and the American revolution. Writing as a modern man looking back upon the events of centuries past, he cannot help but write with a hindsight perspective, which attributes to his characters, and slyly inserts into his writing, the foreknowledge of events to come. He makes Louis, the indecisive, somewhat reactionary king of France, into the mouthpiece of inevitability, which the other characters populating the story completely fail to grasp.
This is not an uncommon trick for Feuchtwanger, who is always busy working out the themes of the present in the mirror of the past. Though he claims in the afterward for his own book that 'a cigar is just a cigar', and that a writer of historical romance can choose a situation in history without identifying with the principles guiding it, it's quite clear that he has rather a lot to say concerning the Republican (in the old meaning of the word) principles playing a role in the creation of the United States.
He notes that, while his book is fillled with their actions, neither Franklin nor Beaumarchais nor Louis are the heroes of his story. The main hero of his story is Progress. And Progress, which, he says, has been temporarily abandoned in the XX century, is an inevitable, driving historical force. This book is about progress, coming despite the best - and worst - intentions of all concerned. Throughout the book we see Progress born and struggling even though sometimes its own admirers hinder, rather than help.
Surely this is a topic that should interest anyone.
So why isn't he more widely known and read? Call my analysis uninsightful, but I lay blame at whomsoever was insane enough to change the original, German titles, into their uninspired English selves. What would you, after all, rather read? A book called The Jewess of Toledo, or The Spanish Ballad? I know what my reaction to 'The Jewess of Toledo' would be. Don't be fooled, though, despite its prosaic English name - Proud Destiny - inside the book is still the gripping story of the greatest political upheaval the world has ever known, and it deserves to be read.
February 21, 2016
"Vulpile în vie" (sau "Arme pentu America") este cu desăvârşire cel mai bun roman de factură istorică pe care l-am citit...
Cât de subtil poate fi subiectul: autorul -ilustru istoric al secolului XX- tratează un subiect sensibil: revoluţia (iniţial, în orice formă a ei). Ulteroir, conceptul de revoluţie devine ambiguu. Ce este, de fapt, revoluţia? În jurul cui se cristalizează ea? Hai să luăm un exemplu recent, concret: Revoluţia Română din 1989 (hai să-i spunem revoluţie, măcar să ţină de fundal pentru acest exemplu). Aşadar... ce Dumnezeu a însemnat Revoluţia din '89? Executarea lui Ceaşcă'? Revenirea la proprietatea privată? Schimbarea unor figuri vechi cu altele noi, în alte funcţii? :). Feuchtwanger ne spune că nu. După el -concepţie pe care am moştenit-o- revoluţia nu se face brusc, într-un moment ce se poate stabili de realitatea imediată. Revoluţia -în orice formă a ei- necesită un antrenament ideologic (al maselor) în prealabil...
Desigur, în acest vast volum, Feuchtwanger nu tratează Revoluţia Anticomunistă, ci revoluţia burghezo-democratică a coloniilor din America de Nord şi (prin analogie) Revoluţia Franceză din 1789.
Aşadar, revin la teza susţinută, sumar, mai sus. Ce a însemnat, de fapt, independenţa Americană? Faptul că s-au luat aia la bătaie prin portul Boston, "partida de ceai", Congresul de la Filadelfia, încrucişările de la Saratoga şi, ulterior, cele de la Yorktown?!
Sigur, înainte de toate, orice revoluţie necesită angrenarea unui sentiment de revoltă împotriva cuiva (iar acest "cuiva", oricât l-am condamna noi, este vital oricărei revoluţii, căci fără el nu s-ar înfăptui nicio revoluţie). Populaţia din coloniile engleze de pe coastele "lumii noi" s-a revoltat împotriva metropolei deoarece coloniştii nu erau reprezentaţi în Parlamentul britanic.
Ei! Abia acum începe "acţiunea" romanului. Totul se petrece în Franţa, cu preponderenţă la Paris, cititorul fiind plimbat de la Versailles la reşedinţa temporară a lui Benjamin Franklin. Legătura cu evenimentele extraeuropene este făcută prin scrisori şi naratorul nu se "deplasează" nicăieri.
Sosirea lui Franklin la Paris deschide calea înfăţişării machiavelismului (politic). În jurul său se cristalizează întreaga societate iluministă a Parislui. Ideile clocotinde ale iluministilor circulau în întreaga Europă (a propos, Voltaire apare în roman ca personaj bine conturat şi deseori prezent: cred că este un motiv întemeiat să te facă să citeşti cartea). Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, autorul "Nunţii lui Figaro" şi al "Bărbierului din Sevilia" apare şi el. Întreaga intelectualitate -ce dracu!- complotează pentru susţinerea SUA, a "fiilor libertăţii", folosindu-se chiar de mâna regelui francez, Ludovic al XVI-lea. Soţia regelui, Maria Antoneta, vagaboanta respectivă ce-şi clădise Trianonul falimentând Franţa şi lăsând goale burţile parizienilor (scuzat să-mi fie limbajul licenţios, dar nu mă pot abţine în cazuri extreme, mai ales în cele ce au consecinţe atât de murdare) este monumental conturată.
Romanul lui Feuchtwanger reprezintă, aşadar, veriga care face trecerea de la orânduirea feudală la sistemul burghezo-democratic (cel puţin în SUA). Merită citit, iar eu îl recomand cu toată afabilitatea-mi.
Şi mă revolt împotriva faptului că Lion Feuchtwanger este un autor foarte puţin cunoscut!!!
*Dacă are cineva impresia că recenzia curentă e spoiler, trebuie să-l anunţ că nu am spus nimic, în comparaţie cu profunda natură a romanului.*
Andrei Tamaş
20 februarie 2016
Cât de subtil poate fi subiectul: autorul -ilustru istoric al secolului XX- tratează un subiect sensibil: revoluţia (iniţial, în orice formă a ei). Ulteroir, conceptul de revoluţie devine ambiguu. Ce este, de fapt, revoluţia? În jurul cui se cristalizează ea? Hai să luăm un exemplu recent, concret: Revoluţia Română din 1989 (hai să-i spunem revoluţie, măcar să ţină de fundal pentru acest exemplu). Aşadar... ce Dumnezeu a însemnat Revoluţia din '89? Executarea lui Ceaşcă'? Revenirea la proprietatea privată? Schimbarea unor figuri vechi cu altele noi, în alte funcţii? :). Feuchtwanger ne spune că nu. După el -concepţie pe care am moştenit-o- revoluţia nu se face brusc, într-un moment ce se poate stabili de realitatea imediată. Revoluţia -în orice formă a ei- necesită un antrenament ideologic (al maselor) în prealabil...
Desigur, în acest vast volum, Feuchtwanger nu tratează Revoluţia Anticomunistă, ci revoluţia burghezo-democratică a coloniilor din America de Nord şi (prin analogie) Revoluţia Franceză din 1789.
Aşadar, revin la teza susţinută, sumar, mai sus. Ce a însemnat, de fapt, independenţa Americană? Faptul că s-au luat aia la bătaie prin portul Boston, "partida de ceai", Congresul de la Filadelfia, încrucişările de la Saratoga şi, ulterior, cele de la Yorktown?!
Sigur, înainte de toate, orice revoluţie necesită angrenarea unui sentiment de revoltă împotriva cuiva (iar acest "cuiva", oricât l-am condamna noi, este vital oricărei revoluţii, căci fără el nu s-ar înfăptui nicio revoluţie). Populaţia din coloniile engleze de pe coastele "lumii noi" s-a revoltat împotriva metropolei deoarece coloniştii nu erau reprezentaţi în Parlamentul britanic.
Ei! Abia acum începe "acţiunea" romanului. Totul se petrece în Franţa, cu preponderenţă la Paris, cititorul fiind plimbat de la Versailles la reşedinţa temporară a lui Benjamin Franklin. Legătura cu evenimentele extraeuropene este făcută prin scrisori şi naratorul nu se "deplasează" nicăieri.
Sosirea lui Franklin la Paris deschide calea înfăţişării machiavelismului (politic). În jurul său se cristalizează întreaga societate iluministă a Parislui. Ideile clocotinde ale iluministilor circulau în întreaga Europă (a propos, Voltaire apare în roman ca personaj bine conturat şi deseori prezent: cred că este un motiv întemeiat să te facă să citeşti cartea). Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, autorul "Nunţii lui Figaro" şi al "Bărbierului din Sevilia" apare şi el. Întreaga intelectualitate -ce dracu!- complotează pentru susţinerea SUA, a "fiilor libertăţii", folosindu-se chiar de mâna regelui francez, Ludovic al XVI-lea. Soţia regelui, Maria Antoneta, vagaboanta respectivă ce-şi clădise Trianonul falimentând Franţa şi lăsând goale burţile parizienilor (scuzat să-mi fie limbajul licenţios, dar nu mă pot abţine în cazuri extreme, mai ales în cele ce au consecinţe atât de murdare) este monumental conturată.
Romanul lui Feuchtwanger reprezintă, aşadar, veriga care face trecerea de la orânduirea feudală la sistemul burghezo-democratic (cel puţin în SUA). Merită citit, iar eu îl recomand cu toată afabilitatea-mi.
Şi mă revolt împotriva faptului că Lion Feuchtwanger este un autor foarte puţin cunoscut!!!
*Dacă are cineva impresia că recenzia curentă e spoiler, trebuie să-l anunţ că nu am spus nimic, în comparaţie cu profunda natură a romanului.*
Andrei Tamaş
20 februarie 2016
June 24, 2015
Another Goodreads review of this novel put forth a sentiment that I quite enjoyed, namely, the idea that Proud Destiny's true protagonist is not one of its many strong-willed characters, but instead Progress itself. It's a romantic idea, something that Pierre de Beaumarchais himself could have raised a glass to. The original edition of the story, however, was titled Foxes in the Vineyard: a more playful, less grandiose approach to the tale, more apropos to Benjamin Franklin, perhaps. It is with this lens that I choose to regard the book.
Proud Destiny is occupied by a gloriously vast and varied cast, and this is where Feuchtwanger's art shines. Each historical figure, from king Louis of France to America's John Adams to the philosophically brilliant Voltaire, is represented with impressive depth. It would be very easy, in a novel of this length, for the author's point of view to bleed evenly through the perspective of every character; Feuchtwanger avoids this. Every personage feels real. I found my opinions changing between paragraphs as I inhabited different minds, often ones who contradicted each other completely.
With such a range of dutifully presented personalities, every reader is bound to find at least one character to resonate with. I was personally drawn to the naive abilities of Marie Antoinette, the lively passion of Pierre Caron de Beaumarchais, and the determination of the actress Desirée Mesnard. Others may find themselves swayed by the quick wit of Benjamin Franklin, the intense Emperor Joseph of Austria, or one of the many bickering political advisors. There are 600 pages of good material to choose from here.
The sheer length of the book, however, masks its story. Bouncing rapidly between action and catharsis, Proud Destiny bears no shape to its plot. The beginning and ending feel arbitrarily assigned, as a result; the book comprises a chunk of stream-of-consciousness events more so than a single narrative.
Proud Destiny, once titled Foxes in the Vineyard, contains just that: the long, endless romp of history's foxes along the vineyards of time. The adventure may not be perfectly formed, but the journey definitely compensates.
Recommended for:
History buffs
Francophones
People with long commutes
Proud Destiny is occupied by a gloriously vast and varied cast, and this is where Feuchtwanger's art shines. Each historical figure, from king Louis of France to America's John Adams to the philosophically brilliant Voltaire, is represented with impressive depth. It would be very easy, in a novel of this length, for the author's point of view to bleed evenly through the perspective of every character; Feuchtwanger avoids this. Every personage feels real. I found my opinions changing between paragraphs as I inhabited different minds, often ones who contradicted each other completely.
With such a range of dutifully presented personalities, every reader is bound to find at least one character to resonate with. I was personally drawn to the naive abilities of Marie Antoinette, the lively passion of Pierre Caron de Beaumarchais, and the determination of the actress Desirée Mesnard. Others may find themselves swayed by the quick wit of Benjamin Franklin, the intense Emperor Joseph of Austria, or one of the many bickering political advisors. There are 600 pages of good material to choose from here.
The sheer length of the book, however, masks its story. Bouncing rapidly between action and catharsis, Proud Destiny bears no shape to its plot. The beginning and ending feel arbitrarily assigned, as a result; the book comprises a chunk of stream-of-consciousness events more so than a single narrative.
Proud Destiny, once titled Foxes in the Vineyard, contains just that: the long, endless romp of history's foxes along the vineyards of time. The adventure may not be perfectly formed, but the journey definitely compensates.
Recommended for:
History buffs
Francophones
People with long commutes
April 18, 2023
ისტორიის მოყვარულთათვის ძალიან საინტერესო საკითხავია. რა თქმა უნდა, აქ აღწერილი მოვლენები ზუსტი არ არის, თუმცა დიუმას ძველმა მკითხველებმა კარგად ვიცით, რომ ეს არც სიამოვნებას ამცირებს და არც ისტორიულ კონტექსტს. რევოლუციის წინა პერიოდის საფრანგეთის სამეფო კარი, ოჯახისა და ქვეყნის "შენებით" დაკავებული მეფე ლუდოვიკო და დედოფალი ტუანეტა, ამერიკის დამოუკიდებლობისთვის მხარდაჭერის მოსაპოვებლად პარიზში ჩამოსული ბენჯამინ ფრანკლინი და ჯონ ადამსი, სიცოცხლის მიწურულში მყოფი ვოლტერი და მათი (ისევე, როგორც ორი სახელმწიფოს) დამაკავშირებელი, აკრძალული "ფიგაროს ქორწინების" ავტორი, ცნობილი "მარიფათიანი" და არანაკლებ ცნობილი "უიღბლო" პიერ ბომარშე - შეიძლება ეს ყველაფერი მოსაწყენი იყოს? არა და არა. მიუხადავად მოცულობისა არც ერთი წუთი არ გადის ამაოდ.
December 30, 2017
Ich muss zugeben, es hat eine Weile gedauert, bis ich mit dem Schriftstil wirklich anfreunden konnte, aber dann war es ein unglaubliches Vergnügen dieses Buch erleben zu dürfen!
"Erleben" ist hier tatsächlich der einzig richtige Ausdruck, denn Feuchtwanger schafft es jede Situation, Person und Ereignis so lebendig und detailliert darzustellen, dass man sich einfach nicht entziehen kann.
Am Besten ist die Charakterbeschreibung, meiner Meinung nach, denn jeden lernt man doch recht gut kennen und zwar voll verständlich aus "seiner" Perspektive, aber später eben auch aus der der umgebenden Personen. Ein sehr großes Vergnügen.
Überaus interessant ist es, das Buch in Hinblick auf Feuchtwangers Nachwort zu betrachten, aber mehr verrate ich hier nicht ;)
"Erleben" ist hier tatsächlich der einzig richtige Ausdruck, denn Feuchtwanger schafft es jede Situation, Person und Ereignis so lebendig und detailliert darzustellen, dass man sich einfach nicht entziehen kann.
Am Besten ist die Charakterbeschreibung, meiner Meinung nach, denn jeden lernt man doch recht gut kennen und zwar voll verständlich aus "seiner" Perspektive, aber später eben auch aus der der umgebenden Personen. Ein sehr großes Vergnügen.
Überaus interessant ist es, das Buch in Hinblick auf Feuchtwangers Nachwort zu betrachten, aber mehr verrate ich hier nicht ;)
January 6, 2015
This is an outstanding historic book about France in the era of the American Independence War through the eyes of some historic figures (Benjamin Franklin, Beaumarchais, Louis the XVI, Marie Antoinette, Voltaire and others). Very detailed and quite entertaining though it is not about the story but about the people as they they act / behave / react on this important event in history.
September 13, 2020
Feuchtwangerův obraz Francie a amerických kolonií v době boje za nezávislost. Jak je u autora zvykem, dostaneme spoustu krásně vykreslených postav a charakter��. A také spoustu historických souvislostí, v tomto případě plných ironie. Francie podporuje americké kolonisty, kteří ji připravili v předchozí sedmileté válce o Kanadu. Král Ludvík 16. pod tlakem svých ministrů poskytuje vysoké půjčky i vojenskou pomoc mladé republice, reprezentované Benjaminem Franklinem, kterým král pohrdá. I když je pokládán za omezence, zcela správně předvídá jak to všechno skončí.
Podat dějiny tak živě a zajímavě jako Feuchtwanger umí málokdo. Franklin, Ludvík, Marie Antoinetta, její bratr Josef II., a spousta dalších, ti všichni ožívají v tomto strhujícím příběhu. Doporučuj
Podat dějiny tak živě a zajímavě jako Feuchtwanger umí málokdo. Franklin, Ludvík, Marie Antoinetta, její bratr Josef II., a spousta dalších, ti všichni ožívají v tomto strhujícím příběhu. Doporučuj
February 25, 2014
Исторический роман "Лисы в винограднике" описывают состояние Франции перед Революцией. Закулисные игры, влияние на королевскую семью, аристократы и представители буржуазии, все эти хитросплетения жизни ярко описаны в романе. Характер французов, их внешний и внутренний облик в сравнении с молодым появляющимся на свет страной Америки, и их свободолюбием описывается в яркими эпитетами и примерами. Основанный на реальных событиях автор сумел сделать роман интересным, читаемым с большим интересом от начала до конца.
November 30, 2022
For an 800 page book with characters like Benjamin Franklin, Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Beaumarchais, Voltaire and many others, it's surprisingly slow to take off the ground. It also felt unfinished, like the best part (after 800 pages mind you) was just about to follow, but didn't. The Romanian version from the 90s is full of typos and the translation seemed off all throughout. Also, the writer's choice of indirect speech over dialogue seems like quite a missed opportunity given the protagonists of the novel.
February 9, 2018
France under Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette: the end of the absolutistic era in Europe is at the door - and an odd coalition with the American rebels against the British empire marks an important step in that direction. In parallel there is the philosophical-cultural request for more freedom: Voltaire and Beaumarchais are the main figures here.
Good book also when keeping in mind the times Feuchtwanger has written it and the times when I read it.
Good book also when keeping in mind the times Feuchtwanger has written it and the times when I read it.
October 5, 2020
“You may be right, Count Falkenstein. Perhaps it does offend against our obvious interests, against of the King and our own, if we display such boundless sympathy for (Benjamin) Franklin and do our best to help him and his rebels. Nonetheless, there is perhaps a deeper wisdom in our attitude than if we were to cover him with abuse and to proceed to attack him from all sides. Since we cannot hold up the progressive spirit of the times, we are assisting it in its advance. We are sawing at the branch on which we are sitting because we know that it is destined to fall”
This beautiful and timeless quote sums 700 pages written in really really small font...
I quite missed some plotline that would help me stay focused on plot, most of the time while reading book I was googling what exactly happened to Luis and Toaneta and their kids...or if Benjamin made it back to his loved Philadelphia or thinking about Lafayette (thank you Hamiltons..) and hoping that Xavier and Carlos suffered a lot during revolution.
But... as I said I had to google all the answers as this book is 700 pages of philosophizing and political intriguing.
This beautiful and timeless quote sums 700 pages written in really really small font...
I quite missed some plotline that would help me stay focused on plot, most of the time while reading book I was googling what exactly happened to Luis and Toaneta and their kids...or if Benjamin made it back to his loved Philadelphia or thinking about Lafayette (thank you Hamiltons..) and hoping that Xavier and Carlos suffered a lot during revolution.
But... as I said I had to google all the answers as this book is 700 pages of philosophizing and political intriguing.
December 15, 2019
Interesting from a historical & political point of view.
January 22, 2020
great stuff!
January 11, 2021
He is my favourite author, or one of.
March 1, 2021
Not that great historical novel. A lot of inaccuracies, the story does not hold together , it's more like a collection of anecdotes happening to different people in Paris. Characters description is very shallow. I have read better books about this period in France, e.g. zweigs Marie Antoinette.
July 25, 2015
Только что закончил читать роман Лиона Фейхтвангера "Лисы в винограднике". Роман описывает перипетии французской и американской истории в преддверии Революции 1789г. В центре внимания история французской помощи американским сепаратистам и признания Францией независимости Соединенных Штатов на фоне неумолимо надвигающегося краха монархии в самой Франции. Роман читается легко и в целом достаточно интересен, хотя и, безусловно, несколько затянут. Очень красочно и живо описаны портреты престарелого и мудрого Бенджамина Франклина, слабохарактерного Луи XVI, глупейшей Марии-Антуанетты, умирающего Вольтера, опального, но стоического министра финансов Тюрго и многих других реальных исторических деятелей.
Но роман держится на фигуре центрального персонажа Пьера Бомарше. Вот воистину герой 18 века: поверхностный, честолюбивый, но деятельный и абсолютно живой выбившийся "с низов" авантюрист, причем вполне реальный. Я даже помыслить не мог, что Бомарше, автор "Севильского цирюльника" и "Женитьбы Фигаро", имел такую удивительную биографию, достойную приключенческих романов и духа своего века. Он был не только драматургом, но и тайным агентом, дипломатом, предпринимателем, изобретателем, издателем и т.п. Самое интересное, что он через созданную им компанию-ширму организовал при финансовой поддержке Версаля регулярные поставки оружия американской армии Вашингтона.
Википедия факты в целом подтверждает. В какой раз убеждаюсь в том, что иногда художественная книга может натолкнуть читателя на поразительные исторические факты....
Но роман держится на фигуре центрального персонажа Пьера Бомарше. Вот воистину герой 18 века: поверхностный, честолюбивый, но деятельный и абсолютно живой выбившийся "с низов" авантюрист, причем вполне реальный. Я даже помыслить не мог, что Бомарше, автор "Севильского цирюльника" и "Женитьбы Фигаро", имел такую удивительную биографию, достойную приключенческих романов и духа своего века. Он был не только драматургом, но и тайным агентом, дипломатом, предпринимателем, изобретателем, издателем и т.п. Самое интересное, что он через созданную им компанию-ширму организовал при финансовой поддержке Версаля регулярные поставки оружия американской армии Вашингтона.
Википедия факты в целом подтверждает. В какой раз убеждаюсь в том, что иногда художественная книга может натолкнуть читателя на поразительные исторические факты....
November 24, 2015
Повествование книги «Лисы в винограднике» не даёт читателю представления о действующих лицах. Фейхтвангер не считает нужным подробно на них останавливаться. Героев гложут определённые проблемы. Вот о них писатель и говорит. Конечно, каждое действующее лицо добилось нынешнего положения не единожды споткнувшись. Возьмись Фейхтвангер более основательно, как могло получиться невероятно масштабное полотно. Стали бы понятными воззрения действующих лиц и их поступки. Незаслуженно опустил писатель тему детства Франклина, а ведь он был пятнадцатым ребёнком в семье. Как незаслуженно опустил и тему масонства. Складывается ощущение недосказанности, когда на происходящее влияло много мелких событий, при полном отсутствии того, что имело критическое значение для истории. Теперь читатель будет уверен, будто убийство королём Франции кошки и явилось причиной обретения американскими колониями независимости.
(c) Trounin
(c) Trounin
February 4, 2017
Very interesting historical roman. The historic events that involved in the book are world around and make our human history as it is.
November 23, 2019
Krasne, mudre a dokonale, nestarnuce, aktualne a poucne. Moja nemecka svata trojica feuchtwanger, hesse a zweig malokedy sklame, aj ked vlastne je nie nemecka, ale nemecko svajciarsko rakuska. Ale tento pan lion je velka laska. Na takuto knihu pisat nazor je trufale, bez ohladu na to, kolko ich clovek precital. Proste 100 hviezd na kazdej strane, nema zle miesto tychto 700 stran.
March 5, 2016
It is the greatest book I've ever read. Its lessons are so fundamental and so numerous. It is a monolith of human wisdom. Its entertaining to no end. Geeky, and political, fun, and hard. It is basic, and complex. Primal.
July 15, 2011
A book that I'll never forget, one of my favorite books of all times.
December 11, 2017
Great book. Made me love history class, which is no small feat.
March 19, 2012
Die Ungerechtigkeit mit welcher sich andere Schöpfungen in das Bewusstsein der Menschen eingebrannt haben, ermisst man erst nach dem Verzehr dieses Meisterwerks!
October 31, 2013
it is my favorite forever
January 28, 2015
Amazing, magnificent book!!!
July 15, 2016
Explicabo molestiae totam et velit autem illo alias. Et voluptas praesentium dolores aperiam libero. Qui voluptas iste odio ea. Ea voluptas ex vel.
October 17, 2024
geschichtlich sehr interessant
April 11, 2017
Problém této knihy je, že je to hodně o politických intrikách, tím pádem není ani tak vystavěná na ději, jako na popisech. Miluji knihy odehrávající se ve Francii, ještě ke všemu historické romány. Navíc se to odehrává ve velmi krátkém období (1777-1778). Nebavily mě části s americkými vyslanci, protože nemám k americkým dějinám takový vztah. Benjamin Franklin mi byl nesympatický. Paradoxně se mi líbil Jih proti severu, i když je to něco jiného. Nejvíce jsem si užila části u dvora, tedy s Marií Antoinettou a Ludvíkem. Četla jsem knihu dlouho, protože mě pořád lákaly jiné. Ovšem ráda bych si ji někdy přečetla znova a bez průtahů. Rozhodně se mi líbí styl psaní, protože si jako čtenář dokážu představit vše, co je tam napsáno. Hodlám si přečíst i další knihy od autora. :-) V porovnání s Dumasem se Feuchtwanger soustředí hodně na politiku, ale i na myšlenky, zatímco Dumasova Královna Margot je dějovější. Obojí má své pro a proti.
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