جريمة جون بولنوي الغريبة: حكمة الأب براون

by G.K. Chesterton, سارة ياقوت (مترجم), هبة عبد المولى أحمد (مراجعة)

صحفيٌّ أمريكيٌّ يَشهدُ موتَ «كلود شامبيون» طعنًا بالسيف، وقد ماتَ بينما كان يُؤدِّي مسرحيةَ «روميو وجولييت». يَنطقُ «شامبيون» في لحظاتِ احتضارِه الأخيرةِ باسمِ «بولنوي»، ويحاولُ أن يَكشفَ عن الغيرةِ التي يُكنُّها الأخيرُ تجاهَه. «بولنوي» هو ذلك الرجلُ الذي كان من المُفترَضِ أن يُجريَ معه الصحفيُّ حوارًا، وهو باحثٌ مغمورٌ كتبَ في مجلةٍ غيرِ رائجةٍ سلسلةَ مقالاتٍ يتناولُ فيها نقاطَ الضَّعفِ في نظريةِ التطوُّرِ الداروينية. تَزعمُ زوجةُ «بولنوي» أنَّ «شامبيون» انتحر، فيتحرَّى «الأبُ براون» الأمر. تُرى ما الذي ستتكشَّفُ عنه الأحداث؟ وأيُّهما ستتأكَّدُ صحةُ روايتِه؛ «كلود شامبيون» أم الزوجة؟ أو بعبارةٍ أخرى: هل نحنُ أمامَ قضيةِ قتلٍ أم حادثةِ انتحار؟ اقرأ القصةَ وتعرَّفْ على ذلك بنفسِك.

Genres: Short Stories, Mystery, Fiction, Classics, Crime, British Literature

22 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Gilbert Keith Chesterton was an English writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and literary and art critic.

He was educated at St. Paul’s, and went to art school at University College London. In 1900, he was asked to contribute a few magazine articles on art criticism, and went on to become one of the most prolific writers of all time. He wrote a hundred books, contributions to 200 more, hundreds of poems, including the epic Ballad of the White Horse, five plays, five novels, and some two hundred short stories, including a popular series featuring the priest-detective, Father Brown. In spite of his literary accomplishments, he considered himself primarily a journalist. He wrote over 4000 newspaper essays, including 30 years worth of weekly columns for the Illustrated London News, and 13 years of weekly columns for the Daily News. He also edited his own newspaper, G.K.’s Weekly.

Chesterton was equally at ease with literary and social criticism, history, politics, economics, philosophy, and theology.

Reviews

[Sarah Far · Rating 3 out of 5]

گــردونه رمــز

جدول حل کردن رو از عموم یاد گرفتم. عمویی که علاوه بر عشق به فلسفه، نقاش و نویسنده‌‌ی قهاری بود که خط بسیاری زیبایی داشت که متاسفانه هرگز عمرش به چاپ نوشته‌هایَش قَد نداد.

گردونه رمز نام جدولی در مجله جدول عنوان هست که به جای شرح، کلماتی درهم ریخته دارد که باید در خانه‌های شانزده‌گانه گردونه قرار بگیرند تا نام رمز دربیاد.
رمز چیه؟! اثری از گیلبرت کیث چسترتون یا به اختصار:
G.K.Chesterton
رمان‌نویس،شاعر،فیلسوف،روزنامه‌نگار انگلیسی
از اونجایی که به این نوع جدول علاقه داشتم و بخاطر اینکه تا حالا اسم این نویسنده رو ندیده و نخوونده بودم، عزمم رو برای حلش جزم کردم و با اینکه سخت بود، حلش کردم:
نام رمز: جنایت‌های انگلستان بود.

چه کسی آگاتا کریستی را بوجود آورد؟

از اون‌جایی که تا حالا اسمی از چسترتون نشنیدم،وقتی در ویکی اسمش رو زدم،از خودم خجالت کشیدم :)))) چون این مردِ بریتانیایی بر روی معروف‌ترین و مشهورترین نویسنده جنایی جهان،اثر گذاشته (نکته‌ای که همیشه دنبالش بودم)

علاوه بر کریستی،بیشترین تاثیر را بر بورخس داشته تا جای که چسترتون را استاد خودش می‌دانست.
و افراد نامدارِ دیگری از این شاعر بریتانیایی تاثیر گرفتند:
سی.اس.لوئیس
کافکا
جرج برنارد شاو
مارشال مک لوهان
گراهام گرین
لوئیس بورخس
گابریل گارسیا مارکز
ارنست همینگوی
جی.کی. رولینگ
هانا آرنت
اسلاوی ژیژک
ماهاتما گاندی

می‌توان گفت معروف‌ترین کتابِ چسترتون،
ناپلئون ناتینگ هیل
The Napoleon of Notting Hill
در مورد جنگ داخلی در لندنه
و «مردی به نام پنج‌شنبه»
the man who was thursday: A nightmare
کتابی که بورخس آن را می‌ستود و به اعتقاد بعضی از منتقدین بهترین شاهکار اوست.


این کتابِ کوتاه هم دو داستان جالب و جنایی بود با تنها ترجمه
مرضیه خسروی
که خیلی اتفاقی از روی طاقچه بعد از کشف رمز خووندم 😌

[Baktash · Rating 3 out of 5]

*کاملا نقطه ضعفش را درک میکرد(رییس پلیس). با لبخند تلخی به خود گفت: بزهکار یک هنرمند خلاق است، حال آنکه کاراگاه فقط یک منتقد است.

[Mark Easton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having never liked the sound of Father Brown, whose name always sounded a touch bumbling and droll for my tastes, I always did my utmost to shy away from Chesterton's master sleuth, until, that is, I decided to read my way through Penguin's series of Modern Classics.

Luckily the Strange Crime of John Boulnois is an excellent introduction to the wiles and wit of Father Brown, and being no longer blinded by judgmental aversion, I now find myself something of a fan. While the book's two stories, "The Blue Cross" and "The Strange Crime of John Boulnois", are both simple tales about skulduggery, they are both brilliant examples of craft, and both cajole the reader with a mixture of intrigue and suspense, weaving perfect criminal backdrops for the deductive geniality of Father Brown, before finally succumbing to his calm but incisive mind.

Although Father Brown might not appeal to many mystery readers' taste for blood and gristle, for anyone that enjoys quality short form fiction, Chesterton is quintessential. Having steered clear of Father Brown since my childhood, this book is a perfect reminder that-no matter what measures you do use to judge a book-you should never be as prosaic as judging a book by a character's name.

Having never liked the sound of Father Brown, I'm now know that not only will he be read for generations to come, but that his name will remain a stark reminder to me of the bumbling and droll literary prejudices that I'm afraid will hound me eternally.

[Maehdiar · Rating 3 out of 5]

کتاب جرم عجیبی که جان بولونای مرتکب شد
نویسنده جی.کی چسترتون
این کتاب دربردارنده دو داستان کوتاه صلیب آبی و جرم عجیبی که جان بولونای مرتکب شد،است.دو ماجرا با یک کاراگاه باهوش و با نمک به نام پدر براون.

[Teemu Öhman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now, three and a half months later, I can't remember this story that I listened to while I was driving. I believe that this was the second Father Brown story that I listened to (read by the great Greg Wagland). Perhaps it would be better to read rather than to listen to these? Anyway, the fact that none of these stories left any significantly positive memories says something about something.

[Jonathan Terrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I placed a hold on this volume from the library, having the desire to read more G.K. Chesterton, I didn't realise it was a set of two short stories totalling approximately 60 pages. Not to mention these two short stories already featured in another collection I was reading. However, for duties' sake, I read these short stories in this volume (including re-reading The Blue Cross) and will read The Strange Crime of John Boulnois again when I encounter it in that other collection.

It is all just as well anyway, G.K. Chesterton's works are of such intricacy that you almost need two readings to fully grasp what exactly is occurring in his tales. The construction of his phrases and the use of what vocabulary he knows fits the short story he writes perfectly. I don't mean to say that he has the best and most elegant writing I've ever encountered but the unique qualities of it work for him precisely. His stories, like all good short stories, are like coiled springs, wound up to the highest precision so that they explode kinetically at the climax for the reader. Where Chesterton does fail at times is in his slight propensity like many authors to meander and discuss philosophy or some other subject which has no bearing on the story. Or he may throw in some arbitrary detail to the story, again with no relevance. Relevance, I have recently discovered, is a key to communication, particularly in such artistic communication. That said Chesterton does for the most part keep his detail relevant.

The Blue Cross follows one French inspector as he attempts to locate a key criminal. The only problem being that he has no idea of where to begin his search. This story becomes in many ways an analysis of reason and the connection of reason to theology. I quite liked that aspect of the story. However it was also a brilliant and entertaining mystery on its own.

The Strange Crime Of John Boulnois was a different kind of story. That said it still was one preoccupied with thematic expression rather than being pure mystery entertainment. The theme here being the penance one may pay for their misdeeds. Again it follows Father Brown, the humble and idiosyncratic Catholic priest who is a delightful character and one of the more interesting mystery protagonists I have found. He becomes responsible for helping to acquit a man of murder in this tale, and the end result is quite fascinating.

All in all any short story by G.K. Chesterton featuring Father Brown appears to be a worthwhile read. They are perhaps not the best ever short stories. I find they are not quite as solid as Chekhov, Poe, Lovecraft or the Sherlock Holmes short stories. That said they are a must read for anyone into short stories or classic writing due to their themes and the fact that they reveal the work of a man who was a writer first and foremost.

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Father Brown Stories. I had read the first one, with Flambeau before, but I didn't know the second one. Both are very charming, if quite different from the typical "whodunit" sort of British detective novel.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does not have the suspense and immersive qualities of modern detective fiction, but definitely has the intellectual same twists. Fun to read for the different style.

[Electra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful Chesterton in a small dose. Two brilliant short stories with Father Brown - gives Sherlock Holmes a run for his money...

[Imagine The Reality · Rating 4 out of 5]

Father Brown here, father Brown there, but it’s actually quite a well done job! Master descriptions, best shown on “black, almost dark blue hair and a black bow tie”. Creates a wonderful picture in my head. In these two stories he’s a piece of a character…a really interesting character. Yet somehow I still feel like it was just another detective story, that won’t affect me, while as any story, it should have!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reporter Calhoun Kidd of the Western Sun is off to interview John Boulnois, a philisopher, at his home, Grey Cottage at the edge of Pendragon Park. But he comes across a murder, but who is the guilty party. Father Brown investigates.
Anpther enjoyable short mystery

[Chanover55 · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Boulnois, his wife, John's assistant Mr Dalroy, and American journalist, Calhoun Kidd are all suspects in the death if Sir Clause Champion. John & his wife both an alibi ad the speak with Father Brown. So who killed Sir Claude?

[Huma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This mini collection has two cases of Father Brown. They were both good.

[Gabriel Rojo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two charming little detective stories, of interest not only because of the plot (which is entertaining enough) but also because of the sense of life they manage to convey.

[Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two short "Father Brown" stories that are quite quaint and a little dusty, but charming and mostly entertaining.

[Zak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chesterton's lovely gentle humour. Super way to spend a quiet hour.

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Both of these are "Father Brown" stories, about a priest who apparently solves crimes or catches criminals on the side. I found them disappointing for a few reasons. The first was very simply that Father Brown doesn't even show up in either of then until the second half of the book. Generally you want your protagonist showing up more than 50% of the time if he's supposed to be solving a crime or that type of thing.
My second complaint is that for "detective" fiction, the criminal situations are incredibly arbitrary. Usually you would expect the information to come from the detective applying himself to a stalemate situation in just the right way, or putting together seemingly unrelated clues to solve a mystery. Here what you have is an almost incomprehensible situation, into which Father Brown suddenly appears and explicates, ending the story. It feels a little like cheating for the only tension to be in obfuscation of the plot, and the pay-offs lack a proportional punch to make up for that.
I feel like I'm being overly negative, but with all of the good detective fiction in the public domain, it's hard to call this mediocre or better.

[Alix · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing in this kept both of the stories moving at a good pace, and was detailed enough to make the crime scenes believable. The characters were slightly larger than life, and obviously, I love Father Brown so much because of hoe clearly he understands humanity and how intelligent he is. Would love to read more books centered around him.

[Diane Kennicker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting short story.

[Bob Wolniak · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would rename this clever tale "Catastrophism be Hanged"