Quicksand

by Henning Mankell, Laurie Thompson (Translator), Marlaine Delargy (Translator)

In January 2014 I was informed that I had cancer.

However, Quicksand is not a book about death and destruction, but about what it means to be human. I have undertaken a journey from my childhood to the man I am today, writing about the key events in my life, and about the people who have given me new perspectives. About men and women I have never met, but wish I had.

I write about love and jealousy, about courage and fear. And about what it is like to live with a potentially fatal illness.

This book is also about why the cave painters 40,000 years ago chose the very darkest places for their fascinating pictures. And about the dreadful troll that we are trying to lock away inside the bedrock of a Swedish mountain for the next 100,000 years.

It is a book about how humanity has lived and continues to live, and about how I have lived and continue to live my own life.

And, not least, about the great zest for life, which came back when I managed to drag myself out of the quicksand that threatened to suck me down into the abyss.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Essays, Biography Memoir, Autobiography, Philosophy

285 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Henning Mankell was an internationally known Swedish crime writer, children's author and playwright. He was best known for his literary character Kurt Wallander.

Mankell split his time between Sweden and Mozambique. He was married to Eva Bergman, Swedish director and daughter of Ingmar Bergman.

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mankell wrote this book after being diagnosed with lung cancer. Not a book asking for pity nor exhibit any, instead a book that while it does go into some of his feeling about the struggle he will face, his reactions and thoughts after being diagnosed, is more a book about his wide range of interests. Things he thinks about, such as the nuclear waste that we will leave for future generations, Easter Island and disappearing cultures, things that were that are no more, the tenuous connection we have with our ever changing planet. Past moments that stuck in his mind, some views from his childhood, his wide ranging travels and much more.

A wonderful last gift to his many fans, of which I was one, just loved his Wallander series. A truly great writer and amazing man. These vignettes are a treasure to read, a small glimpse into where his mind went, what he found important. An author I truly miss.

[Udeni · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Don't be ashamed because you are a human being, be proud! Inside you is an endless series of strong rooms, one after another. You never come to an end, and that is how it should be."

Quicksand opens with this quotation, and the book goes on to take you through the strong rooms of Henning Mankell's extraordinary mind. Written a response to his diagnosis of terminal cancer in 2012, this is book which is neither autobiography, nor philosophy, but something much more interesting. I always wondered how the creator of the Wallander detective stories could invent such interesting plot lines. Now I know. Mankell outlines his motherless childhood, his early, wild years in Paris, his enduring love affair with Africa, and his alternate life as a theatre director.

Written in 65 short chapters, the book, in the hands of a lesser writer, this could have been disconnected ramblings. Instead, it is like taking a long journey with an old friend. Highly recommended.

[Bettie · Rating 2 out of 5]

BOTW

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0736pkf

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016...

Description: Henning Mankell was creator of Wallander, the fictional detective. His posthumous essays, translated by Laurie Thompson with Marlaine Delargy, and abridged by Katrin Williams, refer to his illness and explore much more besides.

1/5: An unexpected car accident, diagnosis, then rich recollections of his school-days, which includes a life-changing revelation..

2/5: One day at school, struggling with Latin, he decides to up sticks and make for Paris. With no French, no money and a vague address to head for. But it's certainly an adventure..

3/5: The author is travelling through Spain and stops off in Salamanca. Eating alone at a restaurant, he witnesses the strange and spontaneous behaviour of a waiter. It's food for thought..

4/5: The author explains his long-standing interest in cave paintings and what they tell us now. He also witnesses a search for fresh water within saltwater - which again, tells us something new..

5/5: He was a novelist, who also ran a theatre in Maputo, Mozambique. One of his 'happiest times' was staging a Greek drama, performed by local people. It all began in October 1992..

Reader Tim Pigott-Smith

[Milan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In a way that starry night sky is a mirror in which we see our own faces."

Quicksand is the last book by Henning Mankell, one of my favourite authors who died last year. It is a collection of memories and essays on many topics. But mainly, he philosophizes on the topics of life and death after being given the death sentence by cancer. He reminiscences about his childhood, adolescent and younger days. He talks about ancient cave paintings and ice ages. He worries about the toxic nuclear waste and the environmental degradation of our age. His essays show his concern about the state of the world and humanity in general. His fascination with Africa is well known. His early life as an activist and theatre director had a great impact on him as a writer of fiction. In many chapters, we see him driving around Europe in search of solitude and get to know the important events which shaped his writing and thinking. Many chapters made me stop mid-way and think about issues which he discusses and how our seemingly insignificant life events lead up to where we are today. Reading Mankell's last book was like having a conversation with an old friend.

[Herb Hastings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be a depressing book, given its subject matter, and the fact that the author, translator and even the poet quoted in the opening, all died in 2015. Mankell wrote these essays after being diagnosed with cancer. He discusses how he feels about this, the memories it evokes and many of the people who have touched his life.

Like most collections of essays, the quality is, at times uneven, but ultimately they are all worth the journey. This is a life affirming book. Having no religion, he takes solace in memories and the idea that as long as you are remembered, you survive. He talks of friends, long dead, who are still a part of his life. He muses on the interconnectedness of humanity. The final line of the book says " Our real family is endless, even if we don't know who some of them were when we met them for an extremely brief moment."

This is a book to savor.

[Julie Mestdagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drijfzand van Henning Mankell. Wat een boek over de langetermijngevolgen van het opslaan van kernafval had moeten worden, werd een meesterlijke roman over wat er in het hoofd van een mens omgaat wanneer men plots te horen krijgt te lijden aan een ernstige vorm van kanker. Plots vallen alle zekerheden weg, komen vroegere angsten naar boven en ontstaan er nieuwe. Plots filosofeert men over de zin van het leven, over de minuscule tijd die we als mens doorbrengen op deze aardbol in het geheel van de geschiedenis genomen. Mankell neemt in dit boek zijn lezers terug mee in de tijd. Verwacht geen chronologische roman, het is een opeenvolging van herinneringen zoals ze in zijn hoofd opkomen, naar aanleiding van verschillende bedenkingen. We leren zo de auteur op een heel andere manier kennen, wat belangrijk voor hem was en hoe hij met zijn angsten omging. Grappig hoe hij het hele boek toch weet te doorspekken met het kernafval-thema en hoe middenin het boek enkele pagina's met foto's zijn opgenomen die bepaalde hoofdstukken illustreren. Los van een hele reeks schitterende, kippevel-creeërende citaten bleef ook vooral het hoofdstuk "De droom over een modderige loopgraaf in Vlaanderen" me bij, waarin hij de vergelijking maakt tussen het giftige mosterdgas dat in de loopgraven werd gebruikt en de chemotherapie die in zijn aderen wordt gespoten. De gedachtengang hierbij is zonder meer bijzonder.

Mankell was een pracht auteur. Hoewel vooral bekend wegens de detective reeks Wallander, bewijst hij ook de kunst van het romanschrijven te beheersen. Zonde dat hij inmiddels aan de ziekte is overleden. Een verlies voor de literaire wereld.

"Ik moet wel bekennen dat ik me in deze periode nogal heb verbaasd. Mensen van wie ik dacht dat ze zich in de schaduw zouden verbergen, bleken toch sterk te zijn en bleven contact houden. Terwijl anderen, van wie ik meer verwachtte, juist tamelijk snel achter de horizon verdwenen...."

"...het kunnen zoeken naar de zin van het leven zou een vanzelfsprekend recht moeten zijn, vastgelegd in onze grote mondiale verklaringen over de mensenrechten..."

[Kasa Cotugno · Rating 5 out of 5]

After receiving his diagnosis of the lung cancer that would claim him 18 months later, Henning Mankell wrote this collection of essays on a far ranging number of subjects, but which all emphasize his zest for life. Most of these essays, none more than 5 pages, are centered on the forward motion of time's arrow, using such examples as the ticking time bomb of nuclear waste stored in a Finnish mountain, the importance of art even that from 20,000 years ago, and why the past fascinates so. He remembers vignettes of his life which give a more full portrait of a person many only know from his Kurt Wallender series. But this is the second book I've read this year written by a person of accomplishment who has a finite period of life left to them, and it is as powerful as Dr. Paul Kalanithi's When Breath Becomes Air, except that Mankell was 67 at the time of his death, and Dr. Kalanithi was in his late 30's. There is so much to learn, and the tragedy is that he had much more to teach as well as learn himself.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

38% in and I quit. I didn't care for the author's dismissive attitude towards people who aren't risk takers, his disregard for the value of religion to some, or his consistent return to the theme of burying nuclear waste for 100,000 years as a metaphor for the insignificance of each person's time on earth.

The writing is okay and occasionally interesting but not worth the time. The author knows he's dying and misses the opportunity to simply tell who he is, how he got here and what he thinks about the whole thing. Paul Kalanithi demonstrated how to write an excellent book on dying. Skip "Quicksand" and read "When Breath Becomes Air" instead.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

From BBC Radio 4 - Book of the Week:
Henning Mankell was creator of Wallander, the fictional detective. His posthumous essays, translated by Laurie Thompson with Marlaine Delargy, and abridged by Katrin Williams, refer to his illness and explore much more besides:

An unexpected car accident, diagnosis, then rich recollections of his school-days, which includes a life-changing revelation..

Reader Tim Pigott-Smith

Producer Duncan Minshull.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0736pkf

[Javier Ibarra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henning Mankelll es conocido por sus libros del comisario Wallander. Pero probablemente su mejor libro sea "Arenas Movedizas", reflexiones sobre la vida y la esperanza cuando ya se le ha diagnosticado cáncer. Conmovedor.

[Aurelio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Testamento vital de Henning Mankell, necesario para ser conscientes de nuestro equilibrio entre vivir y morir

[Mary K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up and put it down a couple of times but the last time I was determined to finish it and I became engrossed. Reading it piecemeal it felt like a 3-star, but once I allowed myself to get into it, it was really a beautiful book. The cover states it’s a book about “what it means to be a human being” and I guess I can see that, but mostly it’s about death: deaths the author has seen, deaths he fears will happen because of our lack of care for the environment, extinction of animals, his own near-death experiences, and his struggle with cancer as he writes this book. But it wasn’t a sad book - it was a book by a man reliving a lot of sweet and adventurous and successful ventures of his life - and I found most of them interesting.

[Mientras Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un relato que sorprende por su sinceridad, integridad y optimismo. Muy, muy, bueno.
Opinión completa

[Patrick Sherriff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth a read. My proper review is here: https://patricksherriff.com/2021/05/0...

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prima opera che leggo di quest'autore, un'autentica rivelazione sia per il tipo di scrittura, che per i temi affrontati. Il tema centrale chiaramente è la morte, che si affaccia nella sua vita , annunciandosi improvvisamente, inaspettatamente e costringendolo ad affrontarla in qualche modo. Non si conoscono le proprie reazioni di fronte ad un particolare evento, se non quando ci si trova costretti ad affrontarlo. Ed ecco che l'autore si ritrova a fare il punto della situazione della sua vita, a riflettere sul presente, sul futuro, ma soprattutto sul suo passato : riflessioni e ricordi si alternano perchè la paura della morte si può ,se non sconfiggere, imparare ad accettarla e cercare di trovare delle strategie, l'arte della sopravvivenza a cui accenna il sottotitolo, per non soccombere, per non lasciarsi inghiottire dalle "sabbie mobili". E' vero che nei momenti di crisi, di scoraggiamento o di dolore, c'è qualcosa che può aiutarci ad allontanare il pensiero dai problemi, dalla sofferenza : la bellezza che c'è intorno a noi, sia essa la lettura di un buon libro, o la visione di un dipinto, o l'ascolto di una buona musica. Una lettura intensa e coinvolgente, che prende il lettore fin dalle prime pagine e lo rende partecipe con la sua grande umanità e semplicità nell'esporre, così, alla rinfusa e senza un ordine, ricordi e riflessioni sulle grandi tematiche della vita. Una fra tutte, che ricorre in maniera quasi ossessiva, è quella dell'ambiente, a causa della decisione da parte del governo svedese di depositare le scorie radioattive prodotte dalla nazione, racchiuse in un contenitore di rame, all'interno di una montagna.Scorie che resteranno pericolose per centomila anni e, ci si chiede assieme all'autore, cosa potrà accadere in un così lungo, inimmaginabile periodo : ci sarà ancora vita sul pianeta e chi può essere sicuro che nel frattempo non accada qualcosa che metta in pericolo un'operazione che oggi "sembra" sicura? Interrogativi che restano senza risposta, ma che ci inducono a paragonare, come si legge in uno dei passaggi secondo me più intensi e toccanti, l'eredità che ci hanno lasciato le prime generazioni di uomini - le pitture rupestri- e quella che invece lasceremo alle generazioni future : scorie radioattive, inquinamento, la natura sfruttata fino al limite in un processo probabimente irreversibile e tutto questo, alla fine, sembra molto più mostruoso della morte che si annuncia all'improvviso, inesorabile e senza lasciare via di scampo.

[Mish Middelmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an absolute privilege to listen to the calm expression of a man writing in the second-last year of his life, knowing he is going to die soon. He describes the terror of his cancer diagnosis as being like quicksand - yet finds the presence to "crawl back out of the sand and begin to come to terms with what had happened."

The book is a celebration of the joy of being human and the zest for life so many are blessed with, yet he never shies away from naming the pain, suffering and injustice afflicting people around the world.

In the book - as his friends testified he did right up to his death - Mankell lives every day to the full, even though some of those days are "shadowy, as dark as the Swedish midwinter." What he shares with us is a series of short, beautifully written vignettes. These are the memories that live strongest as he contemplates his end. He also finds various passions surfacing - from the terror of death to his greatest moments of joy - and shares these with us from the wonderful perspective of "death is just a part of life."

His political perspective remains sharp, and it is good to know a European like him spent much of his life in Africa engaged with Africans - mostly making theatre in Maputo, where he tells the lovely story of how peace finally broke out on 4 October 1992 as the final chapter of this book. I was struck by his clarity about civilization being for everybody, speaking out strongly against the perspective that a Europe which was plundering Africa and enslaving its people could be described as civilised.

Calmly and clearly though he faces death, the one thing that bothers Mankell is "being dead for so long." And he also returns over and over again to the theme of today's humans burying nuclear waste that will be dangerous for 100,000 years. He can't abide the idea that we create such a long term problem affecting the planet. Somehow it upsets his otherwise-balanced perspective of all things living and dying to create compost for the next generation.

Overall I am left full of gratitude for the wisdom and humanity of the man who wrote the book as well as the one who gave it to me.

[Fernando · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember a few years ago, really enjoying reading Mankell's 'chronicles' on his website, which he used to write periodically.

This book felt very much like those. I love Mankell and it was such a pleasure to be able to read him again in a similar format, but on the lenght of a book.

I've found that I really enjoy reading and listening to writers - or similar types of artists -, of a certain age, that I already enjoy their life's work, talk about life in general and the way they see things. This was pure gold in those respects, and the final paragraphs in this book were really powerful.

I read the Spanish translation by the great translator Carmen Montes Cano.

-

"I get up, despite the fact that it is only four o’clock, and go into the room where I keep my books. In one corner is the red armchair in which I often sit reading. I don’t switch on any lights. The beam from an outside light illuminates one of the bookcases. It is crowded with books. Lars Eriksson made all my oak bookshelves to order, and I am reminded, once again, that he must now make some more for me. I don’t have enough room for the piles of books that are growing higher and higher.
As long as I live those piles will carry on growing higher and higher."

-

[Glen U · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Quicksand" is Henning Mankell's swan song. Written from the time when he was first diagnosed with cancer, it is a reflection of what Mankell considered to be his humanity, his soul, his introspections of what is important as he leaves this earth. Split into three parts, he ruminates on the horrors of burying nuclear waste that will be toxic for a hundred thousand years, he explores his thoughts on the origin of art and prehistoric cave paintings, and finally he reminisces about his life and love and his living with a lethal adversary, cancer. An amazing writer, he conveys a multitude of facts, opinions and theories in a surprisingly coherent series of essays and personal writings. If what he writes is all factual, he has had an amazing life and an even more phenomenal memory. What could have been a maudlin book, considering his predicament, he comes through with an amazing look at what it is life was like and what he considers to be an important message as he prepares to leave this mortal life. A unique and compelling read from a great writer.

[Harold Zeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this type of book - memoir with anecdotes of meaningful memories. For example, the guy on the firing squad who decided he couldn't shoot the man and so he went up to and stood by the man.
I always liked to talk to old people to find out what they learned about life from their experiences. I hadn't read any of Mankell's mysteries because I don't enjoy that genre, but I do like this type of memoir. I'm an old man now myself and listen to my colleagues bout their experiences, feelings, and beliefs.

[Marcus Hobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so many books in the world that we cannot read them all, but I wish I had found this one sooner, as it is excellent.
A good non-fiction work should always leave you with something new or a story to tell others, and this volume did not disappoint. I have lots of new stories to tell.
The book begins with a car accident which in turn leads to the discovery that Mankell has cancer, but this is not really a book about his illness, more about "what has been, and what is." It does not dwell on the illness but rather uses it as a prompt to go back and examine life.
Before reading this book I only knew Mankell as the writer of dark Swedish thrillers and the creator of the character Kurt Wallender, played so brilliantly by Kenneth Branagh in various TV films. It turns out that Mankell was also very active in the theatre and put a huge amount of time in bringing theatre to Maputo, capital of war torn Mozambique. The penultimate chapter of the book deals with a production of Lysistrata that he put on and reinterpreted there. The outcome was impossible to predict, and the bringing up to date of Greek theatre is wonderful. I will not spoil the joy of that chapter, save to say that it brought tears to my eyes.
History and art, theatre and literature are all covered in the 67 chapters - one for each year of his life. He shows that sometimes the stories of our childhood will only make sense to us when we are adults. He looks back on a full life and picks out wonderful memories of his past.
Kenneth Branagh was a good friend of his and his comment on the cover says all there needs to be said about Henning Mankell, "A fine writer and a fine man."

[Laurel Deloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lifetime of musing, learning, writing, traveling, and fighting cancer.
What a great human being, I loved hearing of his choices, and his being unafraid of not having enough money for a great dinner, but enjoying what he could and using money for travel, reading, learning, writing, meeting many people in all cultures.

Synopsis:A stunning and poignant autobiographical look at the myriad experiences that shape a meaningful life, by the bestselling author of the Kurt Wallander mysteries.

In January 2014, Henning Mankell received a diagnosis of lung cancer. Quicksand is a response to this shattering news—but it is not a memoir of destruction. Instead, it is a testament to a life fully lived, a tribute to the extraordinary but fleeting human journey that delivers both boundless opportunity and crucial responsibility. In a series of intimate vignettes, Mankell ranges over rich and varied reflections: of growing up in a small Swedish town, where he experiences a startling revelation on a winter morning as a young boy; of living hand-to-mouth during a summer in Paris as an ambitious young writer; of his work at a theater in Mozambique, where Lysistrata is staged in the midst of civil war; of chance encounters with men and women who changed his understanding of the world. Along the way, Mankell ponders the meaning of a good life, and the critically important ways we can shape the future of humanity if we are fortunate enough to have the choice. Vivid, clear-eyed, and breathtakingly beautiful, Quicksand is an invaluable parting gift from a great man.

[Patricia Ibarra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uno de mis autores favoritos, Hennig Mankell, va al doctor por un problema de tortícolis y sale con un diagnóstico de cáncer. Decide escribir su último libro para enfrentar esta sentencia de muerte. Las reflexiones del momento de Mankell se mezclan con momentos importantes de su infancia y juventud, entremezclándose de manera maravillosa para expresar su sentir. Es conmovedor su temor e incertidumbre al saber que no será parte del futuro y como bien dice, mientras alguien lo recuerde, seguirá vivo. Y después? La nada. Hay un hueco en la literatura mundial ahora que Hennig Mankel se ha ido y Kurt Wallander, su maravilloso personaje ha partido con él

[Gerry Durisin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quicksand is Mankell's last book, published posthumously after he lost his battle with cancer in October 2015. It's a collection of short pieces, most under five pages long, on a variety of topics: reminiscences from his childhood, memories from his travels, ruminations on human nature and the good life, and meditations on the nature of time, the future of our planet, and our connections to generations past and future. Not every essay was wonderful, but the whole reading experience, spread over ten days or so, felt like a long conversation with an amazing person whom I've come to admire greatly for his commitment to social justice and equality for all people.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Henning Mankell's last book and maybe one of his best. It is his reflections on a life well lived from his childhood in Sweden to his theater work in Mozambique. He reflects on the way that we can shape the future of humanity if we choose and how his journeys changed his understanding of the world. He will be missed.

[Anabel Rodríguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me ha parecido un libro muy interesante, contiene reflexiones del autor sobre su vida y también sobre el mundo que le rodea. Muy en la linea de Mankell. Algunos capítulos me parecieron pelín reiterativos, pero merece la pena leerlo.

[Hans Brienesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book in which one can find the clarity that comes to all who glimpse their own mortality. The random thoughts that occupy our minds can become greatly significant and as we grow older find that these thoughts tend to occupy more of our minds. This book details how great things become small and small things grow in stature. The theme is the world as a dynamic place and our place in an insignificant part of it. Many seemingly random and unconnected events are put together to show as the blurb puts it " what it means to be human" Philosophical and to the point this should be required reading for all who wonder about the meaning of life.

[Jayrchase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henning Mankell wrote this series of short essays after learning he had lung cancer. As the creator of the Kurt Wallander series, Mankell could be considered one of the best authors ever in his genre. This book illustrates just what an incredible mind he had. His topics covered his dreams as a child, the beauty in a street artist's performance and ranged as far as his concern for the storage of nuclear waste. Not every essay will be to every reader's taste, but the overall effect is profound and well worth the effort.

I highly recommend this book.

All the best,

Jay

[Mireia · Rating 5 out of 5]

“No ens motiva el futur com el passat , perquè no hi ha res de què puguem estar segurs, res que puguem relacionar amb les nostres vides.”

“En general, la vida és una suma de casualitats que es creuen en el nostre camí, i tot depèn de la nostra capacitat d’adoptar decisions conscients segons el context”

Una manera maquíssima de parlar d’un diagnòstic de càncer: obrint-lo a la immensitat del món i de la història per tal de fer-lo petit i q no faci tan mal. El podria tornar a llegir 10 vegades més q encara em quedarien coses per aprendre.

[Rodrigo Chávez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dentro del escrito, Mankell aborda su vida con franqueza en un momento donde el cáncer que invade su cuerpo le recuerda que tiene los días contados. Durante este confesionario, acompañamos al autor en los diferentes altibajos de su vida, de los cuáles este luego encuentra una reflexión profunda sobre la soledad, el tiempo y el significado detrás del ser humano.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

retour sur des moments clés de sa vie au moment où il apprend qu’il doit lutter contre un cancer. Bien écrit mais décousu. Il m’a manqué une trame même si on imagine que c’est la maladie. Un peu déçue.