توهم عزیز

by Kingsley Amis, مرضیه خسروی (Translator)

In this wry, piercing short story from one of the greatest of all British post-war writers, an ageing poet considers the value of his art - and of the critics who've found genius in it. Then, with his final work, he exercises a unique revenge...

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Classics, Novels, Unfinished, British Literature, English Literature

62 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1962

About the author

Best known novels of British writer Sir Kingsley William Amis include Lucky Jim (1954) and The Old Devils (1986).

This English poet, critic, and teacher composed more than twenty-three collections, short stories, radio and television scripts, and books of social and literary criticism. He fathered Martin Amis.

William Robert Amis, a clerk of a mustard manufacturer, fathered him. He began his education at the city of London school, and went up to college of Saint John, Oxford, in April 1941 to read English; he met Philip Larkin and formed the most important friendship of his life. After only a year, the Army called him for service in July 1942. After serving as a lieutenant in the royal corps of signals in the Second World War, Amis returned to Oxford in October 1945 to complete his degree. He worked hard and got a first in English in 1947, and then decided to devote much of his time.

Pen names: [authorRobert Markham|553548] and William Bill Tanner

Reviews

[KamRun · Rating 2 out of 5]

تصور می کنم این ناشی از خودبینی من بوده،اما خب جالبه. احساس می کنم تونستم انتقامم رو از مردمی که در این سال ها مرا جلو بردند و چاپلوسیم رو کردن تا تمام این سال ها رو تلف کنم، بگیرم.
کینگزلی امیس

کتاب نثری ساده و روان دارد.نام کتاب برگفته از شعری با عنوان "نامتولد" در همین کتاب است:

عطرها یا سوخته اند یا از میان رفته اند
هیچ کس اینجا نیست
هیچ کس یافت نمی شود
دست نایافتنی،نامتولد
بی سرنوشت
توهم عزیز با موهایی روشن
تمام عطرها می سوزند...

امیس در این اثر، خویشتن و بستری که خود در آن رشد کرده را با طنزی نامحسوس به چالش می کشد. پیکان انتقاد امیس در این اثر متوجه خود،منقدان و طرفدارانش است که با حمایت بی دلیل و چاپلوسی ، تلاش و عمر نوینسده را هدر داده اند.

[kian · Rating 3 out of 5]

نميدونم واقعا اين بخاطر ترجمه كتاب بود يا اصل كتاب هم همينقدر خسته كننده هست؟ تا اواخرش خيلي بي رمق و به معني واقعي كلمه، خسته كننده پيش رفت. فقط آخرش يه خرده هنجارشكني داشت و يه خرده جالب شد. ايده ش برام يه خرده تازه بود. هميشه شاعرا و نويسنده ها به كار خودشون مي بالن. ولي توي اين كتاب با شاعر متفاوتي مواجهيم كه شخصيت اول داستانه....


احساس ميكنم تونستم انتقامم رو از مردمي كه تو اين سالها منو جلو بردن و چاپلوسيم رو كردن تا تمام اين سالها رو تلف كنم بگيرم... من حق دارم اين ديپلم رو پاره كنم.. اما كسي زحمت زيادي براي آن متحمل شده و من نبايد احساس او را جريحه دار كنم..

[Bettie · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06jmkm7

Description: EA Potter is thought to be a great poet, but what does he feel about himself?

Starring Freddie Jones as EA Potter, Carolyn Pickles as Sue MacNamara and Shaun Prendergast as Pat Bowes.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

From BBC Radio 4 Extra:
EA Potter is thought to be a great poet, but what does he feel about himself?

Starring Freddie Jones as EA Potter, Carolyn Pickles as Sue MacNamara and Shaun Prendergast as Pat Bowes.

Written by Kingsley Amis and dramatised by John Scotney.

Producer: Jane Morgan

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1987.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06jmkm7

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the story's subtlety, a few powerful themes emerge which help make Dear Illusion a powerful work of fiction. Potter's search for an unrequited *something* sits well alongside Macnamara's curiosity over self-examination and unrealisable desires, and prompt the reader to make tentative guesses of Potter's aspirations long after the story concludes. The featured poem is also in itself rather powerful as an independent piece, and is worth revisiting throughout a close reading of the work. Great for a short layover in an airport or an afternoon of prompted introspection.

[Mark J Easton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A metered and honest tale about the nullity of artistic criticism, Dear Illusion casts a dark–and self-critical–shadow on the insufferable pretence of the art world, and the sycophants who inhabit it.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know it's meant to be short (duh), but I still felt there were important things left unsaid (which was kind of the point ind a way, but still). Probably a bit on the overly subtle side for my taste... I just couldn't relate to some of the characters' actions.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fabrication of art. Satisfying, especially as it was first published in 1972.

[Athena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliantly done in 80 pages.

[Yumna M. Usmani · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting read...refreshing.

[Peter Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I acquired this as part of the Penguin Mini Modern Classics 50-volume box set. Sadly as I write this I can see that this out of print box set is only now available via Amazon at a huge prize so don’t bother looking for it, but do watch out for future similar efforts by Penguin.

It is a great way of pushing you to read outside one’s comfort zone as you feel obliged to read them all as you have bought them and their small size means they take hardly any time to read. This particular book has served to remind me just how wonderful Kingsley Amis can be. OK I have only read this and Lucky Jim and those are both hardly representative of the rest his work, but Dear Illusion is clever and witty and it has already made me add more Amis to my Amazon want list…

[sevdah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the first part of the book. Excellent style and clever dialogue. The second part was smart, but that's it. It is funny and thoughtful, yes, but one of the main characters is left almost entirely without description and therefore it's very difficult to "believe" her and understand her motifs.
I recommend this book to every writer or artist out there.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet

[cab]

dear illusion opens with sue macnamara interviewing a depressed, elderly poet, who sees poetry as merely catharsis, no different from the occupational therapy of someone who weaves carpets, who is unfortunately unable to see (of course) the craft and care that goes into carpet-weaving.

c.f. other works on depression and writing, geoff dyer and "out of sheer rage", sarah chihaya's "bibliophobia"

[Bryce Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A balanced microcosm of Amis's work with all the pleasure's and foibles that suggests.

Only reason I'm bothering to write a "review" is to note the rather extraordinary resemblance between one of the final stories and the first twenty minutes of Oldboy.

[Дмитрий · Rating 3 out of 5]

Прочитал только рассказ, который дал название сборнику.

[Realini Ionescu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Illusion by Master Zen Kingsley Amis, author of I Like It Here http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/09/i... and at least fifteen more masterpieces

10 out of 10





Dear Illusion is story number six in the Collection that starts with My Enemy’s Enemy http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/11/m... a tale of excess in the military service, something that the author has experienced himself, while assigned to a signals unit in Belgium, during World War II, when he could officers abusing their position – the chapter where a general asks for a special courier, pretending it is for official business, when in fact he just wants his dirty laundry sent to Brussels to be cleaned and cigars plus wine to return from there has echoes from real life.



Court of Inquiry is the second little saga on the list, it also has a military theme, Major Raleigh is the preposterous, pompous ass who organizes the court in the title http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/11/c... ‘to make a point’ if a flawed, absurd one, for the subject of the investigation and prosecution, Frank Archer, has left behind an engine, true, only that piece of equipment was not functioning, had no parts and furthermore, there is one available, with more pieces in store if needed, which nobody claims and thus this is all futile.

The last in the miniseries would be I Spy Strangers, which is exposing the same limits, narrow views of those who lead that and other armies – my cousin used to say that APV, those in the army in this realm are just nut cases, promoted because they have obeyed any foolish order, and then when in top jobs, they inflict the same pain they suffered when they were enlisted men…look at the idiot Flint, who wanted the other cretin, Trump, to impose martial law, so that they can claim a win in elections they had lost – and we have some extreme views from the left, let us embrace the Soviets and become Reds ourselves in a nutshell, and the right, where some missed Hitler, who could have helped fight the soviets



Moral Fibre has left the battlefield and is about the immorality of someone who works in a domain that involves nobility of spirit, munificence – positive psychology has demonstrated that among the activities that generate happiness, those that involve generosity are the most effective…we should be magnanimous as much as possible, Harvard Professor Tal Ben- Shahar http://realini.blogspot.com/2016/04/c... speaks of the virtuous spiral of giving, being kind, which attracts gratitude, then more kindness and thus we reach Nirvana or something

Webster is a social worker and keeps boasting about having saved Betty, only the latter says the former is a cow, and Betty is at her best, in Flow http://realini.blogspot.com/2016/10/f... - the state of grace, which we can reach when a few conditions are met, time becomes fluid, we are in control, lose the ego, goals are clear, feedback is instant and continuous, challenges meet skills – when she joins the ‘business girls’, has sex with sailors and earns money…



In Dear Illusion we have a celebrated poet, Edward Arthur Potter, and a journalist, Sue Macnamara, in the leading roles, so to say, and the latter, thirty, long-legged, tall, is interviewing the older man in his home, in the beginning of this story

‘He is good, Milton would be putting him a bit too high, but he is up with Keats and Hopkins all right, or so they say’ we have thus an idea about the image, the status of the hero, among the public and critics…



Early on, he asks the young woman ‘do you fuck’ and her answer is ‘yes, but only my husband, with some approximation to the truth’ – we find her later fucking a colleague, photographer…the poet eels ‘this is a pity, because I get so few chances these days’, besides, he is not very attracted to his wife, women of 68 in general



His question has taken Sue by surprise, ‘a gigantic achievement the face of one so constantly asked if she fucked’…this is of course an episode that is unimaginable these days, at least in some realms – if we are talking Gutter aka Qatar (as some comedians have put it, after the scandals involving the football World Cup, the oppression of workers, the many deaths, work in excruciating heat, discrimination of LGBTQ and others, the list is long) Saudi Arabia and other places, then this is the norm, not the exception

Otherwise, in most of the western world, the poet would be on trial, then imprisoned, perhaps sent to see some doctors to assess if he is still in control of his senses…as it is, in fiction, he has written 423 poems, writing on any kind of paper –he avoids the typewriter and laptops were not an option then,



It all seems to be just ‘occupational therapy’, if we look back from the moment when we have the huge surprise at the award ceremony, we have read about people who weave rugs, without regard to their quality, when all they aim for is to be occupied with something and notwithstanding the success with critics, the poet plays a strange game- he is awarded a prize and a check for one thousand pounds (maybe five thousand today) but he shocks everyone (spoiler alert) when he says he is no good, he played around with his last book of poems and he tells everyone to clear off (just to avoid the more frank, genuine, but also hostile fuck off) without meaning any personal insult or affront, he just does not see value in his work and he destroys the cheque for 1,000, and does not do the same with the award, because someone has worked on it, they have hired one of the best designers for the task



'I suppose it was conceited of me…But it was fun. And I felt like getting a bit of my own back on some of the people who'd conned and flattered me into wasting all those years.'

http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/11/t...

[Khodam · Rating 4 out of 5]

شعر برای تمام بعدازظهر در ذهن سو باقی ماند و به‌تدریج کم رنگ‌تر شد و بعد، هم به‌عنوان شعر و هم به‌عنوان ملقمه‌یی از چیزهای کم‌تر قابل تعریف درآمد: یک تکه از الهامی شخصی که ممکن است در هرجایی بین سرگذشت‌نامه‌یی کوتاه، اما عمیق هبوط کند و به‌عنوان یک حالت از دست‌رفته ثبت شود. سو، فردا صبح به ناچار آن را تایپ کرد و خودش را مجبور کرد تا آن‌را با دید بهتری نسبت به آن‌چه که قبلا به خودش قبولانده بود و شعرهای پاتر را می‌خوانده، بخواند.

احتمالا این آشنایی بود که موضوع را برای او دردسرساز می‌کرد و این در عوض دلیل دل‌پذیری برای موفقیت پاتر با منتقدین و عموم مردم بود؛ او به روشی می‌نوشت که مدرن به‌نظر می‌آمد یا به دور بعد جورجیایی تعلق داشت، اما با مقداری تلاش می‌شد آن را به چیز سنتی بی‌ضرری یا حتا رمانتیک تاویل کرد، و رضایت شخصی خواننده در روش پاتر از طریق ابهام واضح و آشکار، می‌تواند به علاقه به شاعر و شعر به آسانی تغییر شکل دهد

[Dan Plonsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the somewhat impressionistic approach in some of these (I don't know the literary term): for instance, unexplained dialog from which the reader has to work to make sense. The army stories at the beginning of the collection, for instance. I can imagine that Peter Carey (whose work I love) may have been influenced a bit here. But overall, I failed to see the reason why most of these stories were written. After the earliest few, I got the sense that some of these resulted from trying to get some use from ideas that couldn't be fit into novels, while others could have been left in the theoretical state, story ideas more interesting to contemplate than to put into writing. And I had to skip over the last two of four time travel stories which appear to exist in whimsical response to trends in drinking and the making of beer and wine of which Amis disapproved.

[Jill Blevins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I live for a good book from this era, written most often by a white British guy such as George Orwell or similar. You just leap into their skin, into a world that seems simpler but harder, cold and rough, but rich and lush in the writing and the way you can inhabit it.

So I was all primed for this one. And it's really all I ever would ask for, for half the stories. The other half? Meh. I can't get into the SF writing, can't otherwise, but the small stories about uncomfortable situations and sort of scruffy people - those are my favorites. I might read them again, just so I can relive the era and the different ways we were as humans in this time and place.

[Nesa · Rating 2 out of 5]

حس رهايى و بيخيالىِ افكار و احساسات و اعمال شاعر رو تو اين كتاب دوست دارم .
آزادىِ شاعر از آگاهيش مياد ، نه از كم دانى .

بخشى از كتاب ؛
->وقتى يكى از شعرهاتون رو ميخونيد چه احساسى داريد ؟
بيشتر وقتا سوال برام پيش مياد مثلا وجودم روى زمين به چه دردى ميخوره جواباش شگفت زدم ميكنه اما تلاش نميكنم چيزى رو به ياد بيارم يا بخوام جايى ثبتش كنم .

->يعنى لذتى در كار نيست ؟غرور و موفقيت ؟

موفقيت ؟ نه درواقع هيچ لذتى در كار نيست اگرم هست لذتش از نوع غرور و موفقيت نيست.

->شما چرا شعر ميگيد ؟
من شعر مينويسم تا براى هميشه زنده بمونم ، البته نه براى هميشه ، براى عمل كردن به وظايفم به عنوان انسان.

[Brendan · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories are excellent all around, showcasing the true breadth of Amis’ writing abilities. Anything from a spy tale to sci-fi to historical fiction presented here is not only readable, but engrossing and entertaining.

[Chris Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad.

[Hosna · Rating 3 out of 5]

بامزه بود و به گمانم درباره‌ی خود نویسنده.

[Alison Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I particularly enjoyed the short story "Interesting Things".

[J. · Rating 2 out of 5]

'Social Satire At Its Ironic Best'?
No, I don't think so. The partial stories and fragmented fiction found in this collection are notable in that the quality is so variable that the flaws are on full display. Easy to see Amis finding his footing in this group of orphaned plot threads, and easy to see where his confidence and flow turn on like a traffic light; for the completist or aficionado, a field day. For the average reader, not so much.

There are the fragments that come from Amis's wartime exploits in the Signal Corps, all of which have that familiar, khaki Catch-22 quality, surely meant for a novel that didn't materialize. Then there are the middle period experiments with what can only be called humorous-magazine-fodder, just right for the commuter's evening train ride, a couple of mature short stories squeezed in for contrast, and the finale, a completely bizarre sci-fi attempt.

From one of the better moments :

“Will you sit, please,” the clergyman directed. He was a bulky man of about fifty-five with white hair carefully combed and set. He had a thick voice, as if his throat were swollen. It went down a tone or two each time he told the congregation to change its posture. His way of doing this even when it was clearly unnecessary, and of giving every such syllable its full value, made up a good substitute for quite a long sentence about the decline of church-going, the consequent uncertainty and uneasiness felt by many people on such occasions as did bring them into the house of God, his own determination that there should be no confusion in his church about what some might think were small points of procedure, and the decline of church-going. Now, after making absolutely certain that everyone had done his bidding, he pronounced the dead woman’s name in the manner of an operator beginning to read back a telegram.
All The Blood Within Me 1962

Thing is, in the long run, even of short fragments, it's Kingsley Amis, and when he's on, he's dead on. There are traces, all the way through, of his particularly rueful comic voice. Just so happens there's a lot of clearing his throat, too. Bloody cigs.

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the spirit of his brilliant storytelling, Kingsley Amis strikes gold yet again with "My Enemy's Enemy." With a remarkable narrative, vibrant characters, and themes that resonate deeply, this book easily earned a five-star rating from me.

From the moment I opened the book, Amis's craftsmanship in building a plot full of intrigue and suspense held me captive. The narrative pace is well-modulated, allowing for the slow unveiling of mysteries and secrets that kept me turning pages into the wee hours of the night.

What I find particularly striking about "My Enemy's Enemy" is the depth and complexity of the characters. They are anything but one-dimensional, each endowed with a blend of strengths and flaws that make them convincingly human. The characters' evolution throughout the narrative is palpable and engaging, adding another layer of richness to the story.

Amis's unique writing style shines in this book. His razor-sharp wit and keen observation provide a touch of humor that cleverly contrasts and illuminates the more serious elements of the plot. The juxtaposition of levity and tension makes for a reading experience that is both thought-provoking and enjoyable.

Furthermore, "My Enemy's Enemy" is not merely an engaging narrative; it is also a profound exploration of human nature, morality, and the complexities of relationships. Amis uses his characters' encounters and conflicts to delve into these themes, offering insights that are often poignant and profound.

On the whole, "My Enemy's Enemy" is a testament to Amis's storytelling genius and his ability to combine an intriguing plot, well-fleshed characters, humor, and deep thematic exploration into a compelling narrative. This is a five-star read that I would highly recommend to any reader looking for a book that entertains and provokes thought in equal measure.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early and earlyish stories, including I believe a couple first written while or soon after Kingers was on active service in WW2.
Anyway, my main comment here is that in these stories (except the war ones) we see KA experimenting with different tones and indeed genres - the last story is science fiction and quite distinctive. He's kind of limbering up, experimenting with points of view, if not so much with style. We also see Amis compassionate, empathetic even, as he mostly was in the novels too, though his later public image encouraged a view of him as a crusty old egomaniac blimp.
Recommended quite warmly for fans of KA and/or of short stories.

[Peter Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A reasonably entertaining ensemble of Amis tales. The title, and first three stories, lulls you into idea that what you have in your hand is simply a book of stories on bureaucracy and infighting among a particular group of British signals soldiers at the end of World War 2 – but then the text segues into social workers and science fiction and a funeral. This is not Amis’s greatest work, it is relatively early in his writing career, but it is still fun to follow him through these disparate genres and settings.

[Ronny De Schepper]

Vrij vlug gestopt bij het eerste verhaal, tevens het titelverhaal (zo snel gestopt dat ik geen sterren durf te geven). Dit speelt zich immers af gedurende het Ardennenoffensief en dat legerjargon ligt mij helemaal niet. En ook niet de dito moppen. Tenzij de imitatie van een upper class officier, die blijkbaar omwille van zijn afkomst de "r" niet kan (of wil) uitspreken. Dit wierp meteen een ander licht op televisiefiguur Lucy Worsley, die al enkele maanden het slachtoffer is van onze spot omdat ze de "r" niet kan (of wil?) uitspreken...