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Rădăcinile cerului
Fresca a vietii coloniale din Africa Ecuatoriala, Radacinile cerului este considerat primul roman „ecologic“. Protagonistul ei, Morel, un anarhist indragostit de natura si de speta umana, apara cu arma in mana elefantii din jungla, elefanti care, in viziunea lui, intruchipeaza un simbol. Multa vreme, pentru omul alb, elefantul nu insemna decat fildes, iar pentru omul negru doar carne, considerand ca ideea „Frumusetii elefantului“, a nobletii lui nu putea fi decat ideea unui om satul… Acesta este contextul in care Morel visa la o rezervatie istorica unde sa fie interzis vanatul, unde vechile valori spirituale ale umanitatii si toate vechile idei despre drepturile omului ar putea fi conservate pentru frumusetea lor. Vis pentru care lupta pana la capat.
Romanul Radacinile cerului a castigat in 1956 prestigiosul Premiu Goncourt.
Romanul Radacinile cerului a castigat in 1956 prestigiosul Premiu Goncourt.
544 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1956
316 people are currently reading
6342 people want to read
About the author
Romain Gary
170 books1,938 followersRomain Gary was a Jewish-French novelist, film director, World War II aviator and diplomat. He also wrote under the pen name
Émile Ajar
.
Born Roman Kacew (Yiddish: קצב, Russian: Кацев), Romain Gary grew up in Vilnius to a family of Lithuanian Jews. He changed his name to Romain Gary when he escaped occupied France to fight with Great Britain against Germany in WWII. His father, Arieh-Leib Kacew, abandoned his family in 1925 and remarried. From this time Gary was raised by his mother, Nina Owczinski. When he was fourteen, he and his mother moved to Nice, France. In his books and interviews, he presented many different versions of his father's origin, parents, occupation and childhood.
He later studied law, first in Aix-en-Provence and then in Paris. He learned to pilot an aircraft in the French Air Force in Salon-de-Provence and in Avord Air Base, near Bourges. Following the Nazi occupation of France in World War II, he fled to England and under Charles de Gaulle served with the Free French Forces in Europe and North Africa. As a pilot, he took part in over 25 successful offensives logging over 65 hours of air time.
He was greatly decorated for his bravery in the war, receiving many medals and honors.
After the war, he worked in the French diplomatic service and in 1945 published his first novel. He would become one of France's most popular and prolific writers, authoring more than thirty novels, essays and memoirs, some of which he wrote under the pseudonym of Émile Ajar. He also wrote one novel under the pseudonym of Fosco Sinibaldi and another as Shatan Bogat.
In 1952, he became secretary of the French Delegation to the United Nations in New York, and later in London (in 1955).
In 1956, he became Consul General of France in Los Angeles.
He is the only person to win the Prix Goncourt twice. This prize for French language literature is awarded only once to an author. Gary, who had already received the prize in 1956 for Les racines du ciel , published La vie devant soi under the pseudonym of Émile Ajar in 1975. The Académie Goncourt awarded the prize to the author of this book without knowing his real identity. A period of literary intrigue followed. Gary's little cousin Paul Pavlowitch posed as the author for a time. Gary later revealed the truth in his posthumous book Vie et mort d'Émile Ajar .
Gary's first wife was the British writer, journalist, and Vogue editor Lesley Blanch (author of The Wilder Shores of Love ). They married in 1944 and divorced in 1961. From 1962 to 1970, Gary was married to the American actress Jean Seberg, with whom he had a son, Alexandre Diego Gary.
He also co-wrote the screenplay for the motion picture, The Longest Day and co-wrote and directed the 1971 film Kill! , starring his now ex-wife Seberg.
Suffering from depression after Seberg's 1979 suicide, Gary died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on December 2, 1980 in Paris, France though he left a note which said specifically that his death had no relation with Seberg's suicide.
Born Roman Kacew (Yiddish: קצב, Russian: Кацев), Romain Gary grew up in Vilnius to a family of Lithuanian Jews. He changed his name to Romain Gary when he escaped occupied France to fight with Great Britain against Germany in WWII. His father, Arieh-Leib Kacew, abandoned his family in 1925 and remarried. From this time Gary was raised by his mother, Nina Owczinski. When he was fourteen, he and his mother moved to Nice, France. In his books and interviews, he presented many different versions of his father's origin, parents, occupation and childhood.
He later studied law, first in Aix-en-Provence and then in Paris. He learned to pilot an aircraft in the French Air Force in Salon-de-Provence and in Avord Air Base, near Bourges. Following the Nazi occupation of France in World War II, he fled to England and under Charles de Gaulle served with the Free French Forces in Europe and North Africa. As a pilot, he took part in over 25 successful offensives logging over 65 hours of air time.
He was greatly decorated for his bravery in the war, receiving many medals and honors.
After the war, he worked in the French diplomatic service and in 1945 published his first novel. He would become one of France's most popular and prolific writers, authoring more than thirty novels, essays and memoirs, some of which he wrote under the pseudonym of Émile Ajar. He also wrote one novel under the pseudonym of Fosco Sinibaldi and another as Shatan Bogat.
In 1952, he became secretary of the French Delegation to the United Nations in New York, and later in London (in 1955).
In 1956, he became Consul General of France in Los Angeles.
He is the only person to win the Prix Goncourt twice. This prize for French language literature is awarded only once to an author. Gary, who had already received the prize in 1956 for Les racines du ciel , published La vie devant soi under the pseudonym of Émile Ajar in 1975. The Académie Goncourt awarded the prize to the author of this book without knowing his real identity. A period of literary intrigue followed. Gary's little cousin Paul Pavlowitch posed as the author for a time. Gary later revealed the truth in his posthumous book Vie et mort d'Émile Ajar .
Gary's first wife was the British writer, journalist, and Vogue editor Lesley Blanch (author of The Wilder Shores of Love ). They married in 1944 and divorced in 1961. From 1962 to 1970, Gary was married to the American actress Jean Seberg, with whom he had a son, Alexandre Diego Gary.
He also co-wrote the screenplay for the motion picture, The Longest Day and co-wrote and directed the 1971 film Kill! , starring his now ex-wife Seberg.
Suffering from depression after Seberg's 1979 suicide, Gary died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on December 2, 1980 in Paris, France though he left a note which said specifically that his death had no relation with Seberg's suicide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 302 reviews
May 15, 2020
The earth nourishes the sky… So mankind and all forms of life are The Roots of Heaven.
The novel is packed with colourful and vividly grotesque characters…
Man and nature… One mustn’t forget that human beings are the integral part of nature. The main hero vehemently defends the nature and wildlife; he boldly stands on the side of ideals and reason. But the world is full of unscrupulous politicians ready to utilize anything and anyone to fulfill their dubious and often paranoid ambitions…
And those paranoid politicos will never believe that they are the meanest scum of them all.
Every normal human being sincerely admires nature but, of course, there are some special admirers of nature…
Those who destroy nature destroy themselves.
The novel is packed with colourful and vividly grotesque characters…
“Humanity has not yet reached that degree of defeatism or – or of loneliness, which makes it so necessary for the old ladies to console themselves with Pekingese. Or with elephants, if you prefer. Love of animals is one thing, but hatred for men is another, and that is what we are dealing with in our friend. That‘s why I intend to put him under lock and key as quickly as possible, and with a certain pleasure.”
Man and nature… One mustn’t forget that human beings are the integral part of nature. The main hero vehemently defends the nature and wildlife; he boldly stands on the side of ideals and reason. But the world is full of unscrupulous politicians ready to utilize anything and anyone to fulfill their dubious and often paranoid ambitions…
“Odd how all great chapters in human endeavor depended at certain moments on vulgar scum. Arms traffickers, spies, agents provocateurs, shady money-lenders – they were intimately bound up with some of mankind’s noblest achievements. Which did not, unfortunately, mean that having them with you was enough to guarantee success.”
And those paranoid politicos will never believe that they are the meanest scum of them all.
Every normal human being sincerely admires nature but, of course, there are some special admirers of nature…
Lovers of a nice shot had flocked there from all over the world, certain of getting their money’s worth: over fifty safaris in one month, a fine congregation of impotents, alcoholics and those females whose sexuality is so pleasantly tickled by bullfights and who reach their climax with a finger on the trigger and an eye fixed on the horn of a rhino, or the tusk of a fine male – with a professional hunter at their side, just in case.
Those who destroy nature destroy themselves.
January 6, 2019
The first environmentalist novel - or a sum total of the conundrum of la condition humaine?
Morel travels in Africa in the middle of post-World War II chaos, with the sole mission of protecting elephants against two enemies: trophy hunters and local meat hunters. As he gathers followers and enemies, people start spinning webs of rumours around him. Surely, nobody dedicates a life to loving and saving NATURE? There must be something else behind it.
Depending on personal standpoint, each individual who connects with Morel gives him another layer of interpretation or purpose. Is his love for elephants politically motivated? Does he support political independence in Africa? Is he looking for fame and glory? Has his time in a concentration camp driven him to complete and incurable misanthropy?
Step by step, authorities and local rebels as well as international photographers and adventurers try to make Morel part of their own reality, and they try to rationalise a behaviour they can't understand.
But Morel is one of those idealists who are happy to keep fighting for what they believe in, no matter how many obstacles they find. He genuinely believes in the worthiness of his cause, and that is incomprehensible to corrupted characters.
Thus, Morel remains remote. His choices are challenged by professional whataboutists without him even raising an eyebrow. People starving somewhere else is not his cause. His cause is saving elephants. Other causes can't bring him to give up his own vision and mission.
I think the world needs more Morels for all the lost causes nobody cares about because "it is not as bad as something else". Taking partial responsibility for nature is much more effective and valuable than loudly yelling: "What about ...?"
Just like a mother does well to take care of her own children and dedicate her time to making sure they have a good childhood even while there are other children starving somewhere else, Morel continues to take care of his elephants while nations are struggling. Chapeau!
Morel travels in Africa in the middle of post-World War II chaos, with the sole mission of protecting elephants against two enemies: trophy hunters and local meat hunters. As he gathers followers and enemies, people start spinning webs of rumours around him. Surely, nobody dedicates a life to loving and saving NATURE? There must be something else behind it.
Depending on personal standpoint, each individual who connects with Morel gives him another layer of interpretation or purpose. Is his love for elephants politically motivated? Does he support political independence in Africa? Is he looking for fame and glory? Has his time in a concentration camp driven him to complete and incurable misanthropy?
Step by step, authorities and local rebels as well as international photographers and adventurers try to make Morel part of their own reality, and they try to rationalise a behaviour they can't understand.
But Morel is one of those idealists who are happy to keep fighting for what they believe in, no matter how many obstacles they find. He genuinely believes in the worthiness of his cause, and that is incomprehensible to corrupted characters.
Thus, Morel remains remote. His choices are challenged by professional whataboutists without him even raising an eyebrow. People starving somewhere else is not his cause. His cause is saving elephants. Other causes can't bring him to give up his own vision and mission.
I think the world needs more Morels for all the lost causes nobody cares about because "it is not as bad as something else". Taking partial responsibility for nature is much more effective and valuable than loudly yelling: "What about ...?"
Just like a mother does well to take care of her own children and dedicate her time to making sure they have a good childhood even while there are other children starving somewhere else, Morel continues to take care of his elephants while nations are struggling. Chapeau!
June 14, 2020
بعد از ترجمه بسیار بد و افتضاح کتاب فهرست شیندلر ، کتاب ریشه های آسمان از منوچهر عدنانی بدترین ترجمه ای بود که اخیرا خوانده ام .
تنها کافی ایست که خواننده این ترجمه را با ترجمه بسیار ظریف ، طنازانه و جسورانه سرکار خانم لیلی گلستان از کتاب زندگی پیش رو از همین نویسنده مقایسه کند تا دریابد با چه ترجمه بی ارزش و مضحکی روبروست .
یک ترجمه سردرگم ،جملاتی که به هم پیوستگی معنایی ندارند ، بی هدف و شاید هم خنده دار ، که خواننده را هم به خنده می اندازد که چگونه چنین ترجمه ای به چاپ ششم رسیده است .
تنها کافی ایست که خواننده این ترجمه را با ترجمه بسیار ظریف ، طنازانه و جسورانه سرکار خانم لیلی گلستان از کتاب زندگی پیش رو از همین نویسنده مقایسه کند تا دریابد با چه ترجمه بی ارزش و مضحکی روبروست .
یک ترجمه سردرگم ،جملاتی که به هم پیوستگی معنایی ندارند ، بی هدف و شاید هم خنده دار ، که خواننده را هم به خنده می اندازد که چگونه چنین ترجمه ای به چاپ ششم رسیده است .
December 26, 2020
I spent several weeks this year editing an online edition of Antigone; curiously enough, this book, which I started reading by accident without knowing anything about it, comes across as a direct descendant. Antigone is willing to die rather than let her brother be refused the burial rites that Greek custom requires. It doesn't matter that the funeral ceremony is a dumb superstition she doesn't even believe in, or that her brother was a worthless piece of shit, or that her gesture is completely futile. She just knows the decision that King Creon has taken is wrong. She doesn't want to have anything to do with it. When Creon tries reasoning with her, she can't justify her actions, but she doesn't change her mind either. She simply says no, and dies.
Similarly, Morel, in this book, sees something happening which instinctively disgusts him. He's living in 1950s French Equatorial Africa, where many people hunt elephants for sport or profit. Elephants are highly intelligent animals with a complex social structure. It is wrong to kill them so that you can display their tusks on your wall or turn their feet into umbrella stands. Morel starts circulating a petition to change the laws governing elephant hunting, but hardly anyone is interested; they treat him as an amusing eccentric. After a while, he decides he'll move to direct action. Together with a small band of associates, he beats up elephant hunters or sets their houses on fire. Several of Morel's band are native Africans and members of the nationalist movement, who see this as a political operation directed against the colonial powers. They want him to say he's on their side. But he isn't. He's happy to ally himself with them when they have goals in common, but he's neither on the side of the African nationalists nor on the side of the colonists. He's on the side of the elephants. This gets him into a lot of trouble: hardly anyone is on the side of the elephants.
The recurrent image, which turns up many times in a variety of ways, is of vast hordes of elephants thundering across the African brush. They are huge, ungainly creatures who knock down everything in their path, quite incompatible with the well-organised modern society the nationalists dream of. The book is constructed that way too. It is a huge, lumbering thing, and Gary, I am pretty sure intentionally, writes less elegantly than he normally does. He doesn't want to think it through carefully and persuade us with his subtle French intellect, he just want to knock things down and trample over them. It works pretty well. As Antigone says in one of her best lines, sometimes you shouldn't think too much.
Similarly, Morel, in this book, sees something happening which instinctively disgusts him. He's living in 1950s French Equatorial Africa, where many people hunt elephants for sport or profit. Elephants are highly intelligent animals with a complex social structure. It is wrong to kill them so that you can display their tusks on your wall or turn their feet into umbrella stands. Morel starts circulating a petition to change the laws governing elephant hunting, but hardly anyone is interested; they treat him as an amusing eccentric. After a while, he decides he'll move to direct action. Together with a small band of associates, he beats up elephant hunters or sets their houses on fire. Several of Morel's band are native Africans and members of the nationalist movement, who see this as a political operation directed against the colonial powers. They want him to say he's on their side. But he isn't. He's happy to ally himself with them when they have goals in common, but he's neither on the side of the African nationalists nor on the side of the colonists. He's on the side of the elephants. This gets him into a lot of trouble: hardly anyone is on the side of the elephants.
The recurrent image, which turns up many times in a variety of ways, is of vast hordes of elephants thundering across the African brush. They are huge, ungainly creatures who knock down everything in their path, quite incompatible with the well-organised modern society the nationalists dream of. The book is constructed that way too. It is a huge, lumbering thing, and Gary, I am pretty sure intentionally, writes less elegantly than he normally does. He doesn't want to think it through carefully and persuade us with his subtle French intellect, he just want to knock things down and trample over them. It works pretty well. As Antigone says in one of her best lines, sometimes you shouldn't think too much.
November 22, 2025
Nature or man?
This is one of the early works of Romain Gary, though written when the author was already in his fourties. Gary has a cosmopolitan background: born in Lithuania, with Jewish-Russian-Polish roots, but raised in France and very engaged in the Second World War, and afterwards as a diplomat for France.
This novel testifies to his capability to focus on the concept of human dignity in its existential context. The story is situated in what was formerly French Equatorial Africa, stretched between Congo-Brazzaville and Chad. And it focuses on the fight of a French idealist, Morel, against elephant hunters. The elephant is allegorical for human dignity that is threatened by Western modernity. This modernity now (the fifties of last century) also threatens Africa, by Gary presented as one of the last resorts where primordial nature can be found.
Around protagonist Morel circulate a lot of other, engaging and ambiguous figures. Especially the black "évolué" Waïtari testifies to the prophetic talent of Gary. Morel also has a holocaust-related background, and - remarkably - that is the source of his ecological commitment. The story is built in very complex way with continuous changing narrators and time jumps, making it one of the most interesting novels of the twentieth century!
This is one of the early works of Romain Gary, though written when the author was already in his fourties. Gary has a cosmopolitan background: born in Lithuania, with Jewish-Russian-Polish roots, but raised in France and very engaged in the Second World War, and afterwards as a diplomat for France.
This novel testifies to his capability to focus on the concept of human dignity in its existential context. The story is situated in what was formerly French Equatorial Africa, stretched between Congo-Brazzaville and Chad. And it focuses on the fight of a French idealist, Morel, against elephant hunters. The elephant is allegorical for human dignity that is threatened by Western modernity. This modernity now (the fifties of last century) also threatens Africa, by Gary presented as one of the last resorts where primordial nature can be found.
Around protagonist Morel circulate a lot of other, engaging and ambiguous figures. Especially the black "évolué" Waïtari testifies to the prophetic talent of Gary. Morel also has a holocaust-related background, and - remarkably - that is the source of his ecological commitment. The story is built in very complex way with continuous changing narrators and time jumps, making it one of the most interesting novels of the twentieth century!
May 8, 2019
رومن گاری، اشتغالات فکریاش و کارهایی که در طول زندگی انجام داده و حتی خودکشیاش، همیشه ذهن مرا به خود مشغول میکند. او نویسنده محبوب من است. کسی که دغدغههای فکریاش، بدجور دغدغههای زمانه ماست.
رومن گاری از آن نویسندههایی است که به خوبی توانسته در بسیاری از آثارش، در عین داستانپردازی و حفظ جنبههای ادبی داستان، روایتش را برای چیزی بیش از روایت به خدمت گیرد. نمونه حیرتانگیز این توانمندی، همین کتاب "ریشههای آسمان" است. این کتاب، سراسر یک بیانیه سیاسی است، البته نه به معنای رایج و عوامانه سیاست. بلکه شاید به همان معنای رانسیری: "سیاست، به مثابه دفاع از حقوق به شمار نیامدهها." با اینحال، از جذابیت داستانی کتاب، به هیچ وجه کاسته نشده است. هیچ چیز آزارنده و نامتناسبی در سخنان شخصیتها نیست. همه چیز به خوبی بر تن داستان نشسته است. از همان آغاز، با ریتم ملایمی عازم یک سفر قهرمانی همراه با قهرمان داستان، در دفاع از یک حاشیه بشری، دفاع از فیلها میشویم.
بارها و بارها از قوت تصویرپردازیها، خود را در حال تماشای یک فیلم حماسی تصور میکردم. با اینحال باید هشدار بدهم که از آن داستانهایی نیست که آدم میخواهد یکشبه تمامش کند. از آن داستانهایی است که با ملایمت با حوادث روزمره زندگیات عجین میشود و وقتی تمام شد، دلت برای گریزهایی که به هنگام فرار از روزمرگی به آن میزدی، تنگ خواهد شد.
رومن گاری از آن نویسندههایی است که به خوبی توانسته در بسیاری از آثارش، در عین داستانپردازی و حفظ جنبههای ادبی داستان، روایتش را برای چیزی بیش از روایت به خدمت گیرد. نمونه حیرتانگیز این توانمندی، همین کتاب "ریشههای آسمان" است. این کتاب، سراسر یک بیانیه سیاسی است، البته نه به معنای رایج و عوامانه سیاست. بلکه شاید به همان معنای رانسیری: "سیاست، به مثابه دفاع از حقوق به شمار نیامدهها." با اینحال، از جذابیت داستانی کتاب، به هیچ وجه کاسته نشده است. هیچ چیز آزارنده و نامتناسبی در سخنان شخصیتها نیست. همه چیز به خوبی بر تن داستان نشسته است. از همان آغاز، با ریتم ملایمی عازم یک سفر قهرمانی همراه با قهرمان داستان، در دفاع از یک حاشیه بشری، دفاع از فیلها میشویم.
بارها و بارها از قوت تصویرپردازیها، خود را در حال تماشای یک فیلم حماسی تصور میکردم. با اینحال باید هشدار بدهم که از آن داستانهایی نیست که آدم میخواهد یکشبه تمامش کند. از آن داستانهایی است که با ملایمت با حوادث روزمره زندگیات عجین میشود و وقتی تمام شد، دلت برای گریزهایی که به هنگام فرار از روزمرگی به آن میزدی، تنگ خواهد شد.
March 6, 2024
Из клю чи те ле н
роман.
Все още ми е прясно всичко, но веднага поставям Ромен Гари в сферата на съвършените за мен писа... не, не писатели, а хора, живели на тази земя. Още докато бях по средата на книгата го назначих за един от любимите си мисловни събеседници.
Повече смислени неща за романа ще напиша по-късно. Ум, проницателност, опит, висок стил, жестоко страхотен сюжет, необятен по обсега си, почерпaн от живия свят... перла, перла.
роман.
Все още ми е прясно всичко, но веднага поставям Ромен Гари в сферата на съвършените за мен писа... не, не писатели, а хора, живели на тази земя. Още докато бях по средата на книгата го назначих за един от любимите си мисловни събеседници.
Повече смислени неща за романа ще напиша по-късно. Ум, проницателност, опит, висок стил, жестоко страхотен сюжет, необятен по обсега си, почерпaн от живия свят... перла, перла.
April 9, 2024
Well, I eventually managed to finish this. I considered cutting my losses more than once but for whatever reason I ploughed on to the end. At 375 pages it’s not a short novel, and the edition I read had a small text size. A modern edition would probably have a higher page count. It certainly felt to me like it was never going to end.
This is sometimes described as the world first “environmentalist” novel, and looking at the other reviews, it is clearly much beloved. It also won the 1956 Prix Goncourt, which I understand is the most prestigious of French literary prizes. I’m obviously an extreme outlier in my reaction, but as an unqualified and amateur reviewer, I base my comments on my own personal enjoyment of the book. This turned out to be a wrong choice for me.
My biggest issue with the novel was that I found it excruciatingly boring, especially the first half, which was full of rambling and repetitive polemics and (imo) cod philosophizing. I will allow that I read the book in English translation, and that might have made a difference. However this was one of those books where the author feels the need to make the same point over and over again. It’s as if he worried that otherwise the reader wouldn’t notice. I feel this approach is a little insulting towards the reader.
The setting was interesting, in French colonial Chad. The early part of the book is set in the capital city of Fort Lamy (today N’Djamena), where the colonial expats gather at an establishment called the Hotel Tchadien. They are a collection of shady characters, ne’er-do-wells and life’s losers. Into this setting arrives one Morel, on a mission to save the African elephant from extinction. Donning his superhero cape, the protector of the pachyderms races around the countryside wreaking vengeance on big game hunters, ivory traders, and farmers, and always outsmarting the authorities. I couldn’t help thinking there was a large element of literary wish fulfilment going on here.
Although the book was ahead of its time in its theme of wildlife conservation, in other respects it has not aged well. Morel inflicts floggings on those involved in killing elephants. Early on there is a description of how an Indian trader is given “four strokes of the rod” for dealing in ivory. Towards the end of the book Morel “inflicts punishment” on African villagers for hunting elephants, and at one point he catches a female big game hunter and has her publicly thrashed on her naked behind. We are invited to approve of such behaviour, presumably on the basis Morel’s victims “deserve” to be treated in this way. Had this happened in real life, it would have been a case of sadism masquerading as righteousness.
The novel has a secondary theme of spirituality. The author admires the unquestioning piety of the local Muslims, and
There were a few plus points. The author is cynical about all political movements, of whatever stripe. Another of the secondary characters is an African nationalist. The novel predicts that if he gains power he will treat the people worse than the colonial authorities, which is exactly what happened in many African countries after independence. Writing in the mid-1950s, it was quite perceptive of the author to spot this tendency among the future leaders of Africa, but these aspects weren’t enough for me to up my rating. I just didn’t like this book.
One silver lining is that it won’t be competing for space on my already groaning bookshelves. Into the bin with this one, although, in deference to the subject matter, I will make sure it’s the recycling bin.
This is sometimes described as the world first “environmentalist” novel, and looking at the other reviews, it is clearly much beloved. It also won the 1956 Prix Goncourt, which I understand is the most prestigious of French literary prizes. I’m obviously an extreme outlier in my reaction, but as an unqualified and amateur reviewer, I base my comments on my own personal enjoyment of the book. This turned out to be a wrong choice for me.
My biggest issue with the novel was that I found it excruciatingly boring, especially the first half, which was full of rambling and repetitive polemics and (imo) cod philosophizing. I will allow that I read the book in English translation, and that might have made a difference. However this was one of those books where the author feels the need to make the same point over and over again. It’s as if he worried that otherwise the reader wouldn’t notice. I feel this approach is a little insulting towards the reader.
The setting was interesting, in French colonial Chad. The early part of the book is set in the capital city of Fort Lamy (today N’Djamena), where the colonial expats gather at an establishment called the Hotel Tchadien. They are a collection of shady characters, ne’er-do-wells and life’s losers. Into this setting arrives one Morel, on a mission to save the African elephant from extinction. Donning his superhero cape, the protector of the pachyderms races around the countryside wreaking vengeance on big game hunters, ivory traders, and farmers, and always outsmarting the authorities. I couldn’t help thinking there was a large element of literary wish fulfilment going on here.
Although the book was ahead of its time in its theme of wildlife conservation, in other respects it has not aged well. Morel inflicts floggings on those involved in killing elephants. Early on there is a description of how an Indian trader is given “four strokes of the rod” for dealing in ivory. Towards the end of the book Morel “inflicts punishment” on African villagers for hunting elephants, and at one point he catches a female big game hunter and has her publicly thrashed on her naked behind. We are invited to approve of such behaviour, presumably on the basis Morel’s victims “deserve” to be treated in this way. Had this happened in real life, it would have been a case of sadism masquerading as righteousness.
The novel has a secondary theme of spirituality. The author admires the unquestioning piety of the local Muslims, and
There were a few plus points. The author is cynical about all political movements, of whatever stripe. Another of the secondary characters is an African nationalist. The novel predicts that if he gains power he will treat the people worse than the colonial authorities, which is exactly what happened in many African countries after independence. Writing in the mid-1950s, it was quite perceptive of the author to spot this tendency among the future leaders of Africa, but these aspects weren’t enough for me to up my rating. I just didn’t like this book.
One silver lining is that it won’t be competing for space on my already groaning bookshelves. Into the bin with this one, although, in deference to the subject matter, I will make sure it’s the recycling bin.
September 25, 2017
This is my second book by Romain Gary and I really enjoy his writing. This book, written in 1956, is a post war book that examines what it takes to survive. This is a tale of Morel, a French dentist that has come to French Equatorial Africa to campaign for the elephants which are in danger of extinction. This is shortly after WWII, colonialism is reaching its end in Africa and the people of Africa are seeking independence. We have various characters; missionaries, anthropologists, prostitutes, gun runners, hunters, deserters. Morel is considered crazy by most but he also rises to legendary status. He is hero, traitor, and dangerous and a tool to be used by others. Many questions arose for me while reading this book. Such questions as, do we have to sacrifice nature for development? If we love nature do we hate man? Those Africans seeking freedom, are they really seeking freedom or have they already been tainted by westernization. Are they sacrificing their own culture for westernization without realizing.
I loved this book a lot. There are different voices that tell this story about Morel and his campaign for elephants.
Here are some quotes I wrote down.
"weight of memories which was oppressing him in his solitude"
"move a little away from the flames in order to regain the company of the stars."
"as for Morel...Everything has been said about him, 'a man who has gone even further into loneliness than othrs.
"It seems the elephants Morel was trying to save were purely imaginary and symbolic, a parable as they say, and that the poor bastard was really defending the old human rights, the rights of man.
"The years of isolation in the depths of the jungle have no power against the tenacious hope, and that a hundred acres of land at the height of the rainy season are easier to clear than are certain intimate nooks of our soul."
"...,patience was ceasing to be a virtue and was becoming a luxury he could less and less afford."
"Islam calls that 'the roots of heaven' and to the Mexican Indian it is the 'tree of life' -- the thing that makes both of them fall on their knees and raise their eyes and beat their tormented breasts. A need for protection and company, from which obstinate people like Morel try to escape by mean of petition, fight committees, by trying to take the protection of the species in their own hands."
"our needs for justice, for freedom and dignity are roots of heaven that are deeply embedded in our hearts, but of heaven itself, men know nothing but the gripping roots."
"when you live too long you end up knowing nobody" and "where there are elephants, there I go free"
The book references that a nation must give up something of its nature for its freedom; for America it was the bison, for Russia-the wolves and for Africa, the elephant. Is that so, why does that have to be? It also mentions that a good news story (there is a lot about journalism in this book) will sell magazines such as a story about killing helpless turtles for turtle soup boost sales of the magazine but did it really effect the sale of turtle soup?
So this story will appeal to each person on a personal basis. For some it is about animal rights, for others it is about dignity and for another it is colonialism. For me, it was about survival and I was most reminded of Man's Search for Meaning Viktor E. Frankl.
Rating: 4.75. This rating is objective, my personal experience of this book after completing it and thinking about it is probably a 5.
I loved this book a lot. There are different voices that tell this story about Morel and his campaign for elephants.
Here are some quotes I wrote down.
"weight of memories which was oppressing him in his solitude"
"move a little away from the flames in order to regain the company of the stars."
"as for Morel...Everything has been said about him, 'a man who has gone even further into loneliness than othrs.
"It seems the elephants Morel was trying to save were purely imaginary and symbolic, a parable as they say, and that the poor bastard was really defending the old human rights, the rights of man.
"The years of isolation in the depths of the jungle have no power against the tenacious hope, and that a hundred acres of land at the height of the rainy season are easier to clear than are certain intimate nooks of our soul."
"...,patience was ceasing to be a virtue and was becoming a luxury he could less and less afford."
"Islam calls that 'the roots of heaven' and to the Mexican Indian it is the 'tree of life' -- the thing that makes both of them fall on their knees and raise their eyes and beat their tormented breasts. A need for protection and company, from which obstinate people like Morel try to escape by mean of petition, fight committees, by trying to take the protection of the species in their own hands."
"our needs for justice, for freedom and dignity are roots of heaven that are deeply embedded in our hearts, but of heaven itself, men know nothing but the gripping roots."
"when you live too long you end up knowing nobody" and "where there are elephants, there I go free"
The book references that a nation must give up something of its nature for its freedom; for America it was the bison, for Russia-the wolves and for Africa, the elephant. Is that so, why does that have to be? It also mentions that a good news story (there is a lot about journalism in this book) will sell magazines such as a story about killing helpless turtles for turtle soup boost sales of the magazine but did it really effect the sale of turtle soup?
So this story will appeal to each person on a personal basis. For some it is about animal rights, for others it is about dignity and for another it is colonialism. For me, it was about survival and I was most reminded of Man's Search for Meaning Viktor E. Frankl.
Rating: 4.75. This rating is objective, my personal experience of this book after completing it and thinking about it is probably a 5.
October 22, 2016
3.5*
O percurso de um homem que fez da defesa dos elefantes a sua cruzada, um homem com carisma suficiente para mobilizar gente à sua volta e criar um movimento que provocou uma onda de agitação, varreu continentes e granjeou simpatia e admiração pela sua obstinação. Rodeou-se de um grupo de gente de coração infeliz, desiludidos com a vida, ou roídos pelo remorso. Enterraram-se no continente Africano, ou porque sentiam afinidade com a causa, ou pela necessidade de encontrar um sentido para a vida. Todos se deixaram conquistar por esses gigantes desajeitados, um dos maiores símbolos da vida selvagem Africana ameaçados pelos caçadores clandestinos de olho no marfim, e pelas tribos esfomeadas em busca de carne que lhes enchesse a barriga e matasse a fome.
A reboque surgiram as diferentes fações políticas tentando tirar proveito da visibilidade da causa: uns em defesa do colonialismo e das tradições, outros em prol da independência e do progresso. Um jogo de interesses que visava favorecer em primeiro lugar, as ambições dos envolvidos e só em último, o bem-estar da população.
Um jogo onde nunca poderia haver vencedores: é evidente a incompatibilidade entre o progresso e a preservação da natureza e das espécies, entre o modo de vida ancestral e primitivo das populações africanas, e a desflorestação e industrialização.
Foi uma leitura difícil desde a primeira página: uma narrativa complexa e demasiado densa, personagens que não foram devidamente introduzidas; só a meio do livro comecei a perceber quem era quem, de onde vinha e que passado carregava. A estrutura da narrativa também não ajudou, os capítulos são muito extensos e é complicado encontrar uma divisão clara entre diálogos e reflexões por vezes muito repetitiva. Às tantas comecei a desconfiar que foi propositado; que o autor assim quis para vincar a convicção das ideias dos vários grupos; na verdade, do princípio ao fim, todos – quer fossem pelos elefantes, pelo colonialismo ou pela independência - se mantiveram fiéis às suas ideologias.
Gostei, mas deixou um sabor amargo...
November 11, 2022
Construcție complexă cu voci narative în continuă schimbare și alternare a timpurilor poveștii cartea lui Gary sigur și-a meritat Goncourt-ul la vremea respectivă. Tematica vastă(umanism, totalitarism, colonialism,modernizare,protecția naturii) abordată la jumătatea secolului trecut este cât se poate de actuală, iată, și după 70 de ani, ba mai mult, putem spune că s-a cronicizat. Multitudinea și varietatea personajelor: misionari,vânători,antropologi,traficanți de arme,prostituate,veterani, dezertori,negri și albi, buni și răi, francezi,englezi,germani,danezi,arabi,populații din ceea ce a fost Africa Ecuatorială Franceză se-nvârt în jurul lui Morel, eroul central,un idealist mânat de-un singur scop, protecția elefanților, elefanți care în carcera lagărelor naziste a devenit un simbol. Simbolul libertății.
November 18, 2017
★★½
Solitudine
Pubblicato nel 1956 “Le radici del cielo” ha l’ammirevole pregio di rappresentare lo spirito di delusione nei confronti dell’Umanità che caratterizza il secondo dopoguerra.
Tra i due grandi schieramenti ideologici che manovrano la politica e l’economia si pongono riflessioni che prendono le distanze da ogni ragion di stato.
L’Occidente vacilla sotto il peso di tutto questo e non a caso questa storia si svolge in Africa dove illudendosi di ripartire da zero, in realtà, si ricalcano le forme sociali e politiche già note.
Niente di nuovo, insomma ma le colonie sono sicuramente il contesto ideale dove si concentrano i reietti, i paria, chi crede di vedere nell’immensità del paesaggio africano non solo un’occasione di riscatto personale ma dell’Umanità tutta.
Questo è il caso del personaggio principale Morel a cui si affianca la tedesca Minna e poi una carrellata di personaggi che fungono da prototipo: Habib, de Vries, il maggiore Schölsche, il colonello Babcock, Saint- Denis, Orsini, Haas….Contrabbandieri, militari, poliziotti, commercianti, cacciatori…
Questa varietà umana contiene, tuttavia una sfumatura dello stesso colore: la solitudine.
Ciò che cambia è il tipo di risposta che viene data a questa sofferenza.
Tutto parte dalla petizione contro la caccia degli elefanti che Morel cerca di far firmare…
Siamo nel Ciad, a Fort- Lamy. L’Hotel- Ciaden è il punto in cui convergono un po’ tutti i protagonisti di questa storia e se non proprio di persona arrivano sicuramente le voci.
Gli elefanti così tanto difesi da Morel sono in realtà strumenti per cogliere le differenti interpretazioni esistenziali: gli avidi e materialisti non vedono altro che il guadagno; i poeti e gli artisti ne fanno esempio della perfetta estetica del Creato ed infine gli ecologisti che pensano alla salvaguardia del pianeta.
Così anche Morel è passivo delle diverse interpretazioni a seconda di come si voglia vedere le cose:
chi lo ammira ne riconosce il coraggio di fare ciò che gli altri osano solo pensare; i nemici gli attribuiscono un valore intenzionalmente politico, per cui Morel diventa il giustiziere anarchico e, in quanto tale, da abbattere senza rimorsi.
Il colonialismo sale sul banco degli imputati.
Un discorso da cui non ci si può sottrarre perché, se l’Occidente è appena uscito dal grande conflitto l’Africa è una pentola a pressione privata di valvole di sfogo adeguate e pronta ad esplodere da un momento all’altro. Il pericolo africano non sta tanto nella necessaria lotta per l’indipendenza ma nelle forme in cui questa andrà a configurarsi se ci sia lascia guidare unicamente dall’odio.
Un pericolo ben rappresentato dal nazionalista Waitari e che è ben espresso nelle parole di Saint- Denis, amministratore coloniale:
”anch'io ogni tanto penso all'indipendenza africana e agli Stati Uniti d'Africa, ma vorrei evitare a una razza che amo le Germanie africane e i Napoleoni neri, i Mussolini dell'Islam e gli Hitler di un razzismo a rovescio. “
Ci sono veramente grandi pensieri in questo libro.
Riflessioni che ti spiazzano perché non fanno- ahimè- una grinza neppure dopo più di sessanta anni dalla sua pubblicazione.
Ieri come oggi ci si può domandare: le battaglie etiche che mettono al centro gli animali sono legittime in un mondo che soffre la fame e l’ingiustizia in varie forme? Le campagne morali devono sottostare ad una graduatoria che ne gratifichi una piuttosto che l’altra?
Morel/Gary ci dimostra quello che oggi è lampante: salvaguardare gli animali è giocoforza un modo di difendere il pianeta e dunque l’Umanità.
E’ così che in passaggi -come quello che riporto- pare di leggere un libro di recente pubblicazione:
” bisogna lottare contro la degradazione delle ultime bellezze della terra e dell'idea che l'uomo si è fatto dei luoghi in cui abita. Davvero non siamo più capaci di rispettare la natura, la libertà vivente, che non dà profitti, non serve a nulla di immediato e non ha altro scopo che lasciarsi ammirare di quando in quando? Anche la libertà è anacronistica. (…) Bisogna che gli uomini riescano a salvare anche le cose che non gli servono per fare suole di scarpe o macchine da cucire, che conservino un margine, una riserva dove potersi rifugiare ogni tanto. Solo allora si potrà incominciare a parlare di civiltà. Una civiltà puramente utilitaristica arriverà sempre all'estremo, vale a dire ai campi di lavoro forzato. Abbiamo bisogno di un margine. E poi, insomma… Non abbiamo troppi motivi per essere orgogliosi di noi stessi, no? Ci resta solo la Torre Eiffel per guardare dall'alto in basso il resto della creazione.”
Discorsi che da contingenti si fanno Universali e paradigmatici nel loro voler fondare uno spirito nuovo che cancelli le brutture della Seconda Guerra Mondiale; che faccia giurare all’uomo che quei comportamenti da malati mentali che hanno ideato i lager non si ripetano più e perché tutto ciò si realizzi è necessario che nell’anima attecchiscano valori più alti.
Le ideologie politiche di ogni sorta non portano che al male (” Che gli americani fossero colpevoli o no, che i comunisti fossero colpevoli o no, era la stessa cosa. L'uomo era nel fango, insozzato dalla testa ai piedi. Era una vecchia storia che continuava… “) allora occorre che l’Uomo guardi più in alto per riscoprire le proprie profondità come ben esprime il naturalista danese Peer Qvist:
” Le radici erano innumerevoli e infinite per varietà e bellezza e alcune erano profondamente piantate nell'anima umana - l'incessante e tormentosa aspirazione ad andare più in alto e più avanti, il bisogno d'infinito, la sete, il presentimento di un altro mondo, un'attesa enorme: tutto ciò, riportato alle possibilità umane, diventava un bisogno di dignità… Libertà, uguaglianza, fraternità, dignità… queste le radici più profonde, più minacciate.”
Oppure come dice Morel stesso:
” «Bisognerà inventare una puntura speciale» brontolò. «O delle pastiglie. Finiranno certo per trovarle un giorno o l'altro. Ho sempre avuto fiducia, io. Credo al progresso e un giorno finiranno per mettere in vendita delle pastiglie di umanità. Bisognerà prenderne una al mattino, ancora digiuni, prima di recarsi fra la gente. E allora tutto diventerà più interessante, si potrà perfino fare della politica… » “
Un romanzo di grande profondità che sa cogliere lo spirito del proprio tempo ma che come una sorta di nefasta preveggenza sembra parlare direttamente al lettore di oggi.
E allora perché non mi è piaciuto?
Il fatto è che l’atto del leggere in questa occasione è stata per me una pura e semplice sofferenza.
Non sono nuova alla lettura di romanzi corali e neppure a narrazioni che fingono una ricostruzione di testimonianze e dunque procedono sulla base di continui: “si dice che/sembra che”.
Il fatto è che in questo specifico caso c’è un continuo alternarsi di spazi e tempi talmente repentino che all’interno di una stessa proposizione ci si ritrova ad ascoltare più voci e in luoghi diversi.
Una fatica immane.
Una lettura assolutamente disturbante per quel continuo dover tornare indietro alla ricerca del soggetto che sta parlando e scivola, slitta attraverso i paragrafi imprendibile.
D’altra parte Romain Gary non è stato un eccellente camaleonte della letteratura?
Finita la lettura ho avuto ben chiaro in mente l’analisi generale ma quello che mi è mancato è qualcosa di fondamentale nel mio diritto di lettrice, ossia quello di farne un momento di piacere.
Solitudine
Pubblicato nel 1956 “Le radici del cielo” ha l’ammirevole pregio di rappresentare lo spirito di delusione nei confronti dell’Umanità che caratterizza il secondo dopoguerra.
Tra i due grandi schieramenti ideologici che manovrano la politica e l’economia si pongono riflessioni che prendono le distanze da ogni ragion di stato.
L’Occidente vacilla sotto il peso di tutto questo e non a caso questa storia si svolge in Africa dove illudendosi di ripartire da zero, in realtà, si ricalcano le forme sociali e politiche già note.
Niente di nuovo, insomma ma le colonie sono sicuramente il contesto ideale dove si concentrano i reietti, i paria, chi crede di vedere nell’immensità del paesaggio africano non solo un’occasione di riscatto personale ma dell’Umanità tutta.
Questo è il caso del personaggio principale Morel a cui si affianca la tedesca Minna e poi una carrellata di personaggi che fungono da prototipo: Habib, de Vries, il maggiore Schölsche, il colonello Babcock, Saint- Denis, Orsini, Haas….Contrabbandieri, militari, poliziotti, commercianti, cacciatori…
Questa varietà umana contiene, tuttavia una sfumatura dello stesso colore: la solitudine.
Ciò che cambia è il tipo di risposta che viene data a questa sofferenza.
Tutto parte dalla petizione contro la caccia degli elefanti che Morel cerca di far firmare…
Siamo nel Ciad, a Fort- Lamy. L’Hotel- Ciaden è il punto in cui convergono un po’ tutti i protagonisti di questa storia e se non proprio di persona arrivano sicuramente le voci.
Gli elefanti così tanto difesi da Morel sono in realtà strumenti per cogliere le differenti interpretazioni esistenziali: gli avidi e materialisti non vedono altro che il guadagno; i poeti e gli artisti ne fanno esempio della perfetta estetica del Creato ed infine gli ecologisti che pensano alla salvaguardia del pianeta.
Così anche Morel è passivo delle diverse interpretazioni a seconda di come si voglia vedere le cose:
chi lo ammira ne riconosce il coraggio di fare ciò che gli altri osano solo pensare; i nemici gli attribuiscono un valore intenzionalmente politico, per cui Morel diventa il giustiziere anarchico e, in quanto tale, da abbattere senza rimorsi.
Il colonialismo sale sul banco degli imputati.
Un discorso da cui non ci si può sottrarre perché, se l’Occidente è appena uscito dal grande conflitto l’Africa è una pentola a pressione privata di valvole di sfogo adeguate e pronta ad esplodere da un momento all’altro. Il pericolo africano non sta tanto nella necessaria lotta per l’indipendenza ma nelle forme in cui questa andrà a configurarsi se ci sia lascia guidare unicamente dall’odio.
Un pericolo ben rappresentato dal nazionalista Waitari e che è ben espresso nelle parole di Saint- Denis, amministratore coloniale:
”anch'io ogni tanto penso all'indipendenza africana e agli Stati Uniti d'Africa, ma vorrei evitare a una razza che amo le Germanie africane e i Napoleoni neri, i Mussolini dell'Islam e gli Hitler di un razzismo a rovescio. “
Ci sono veramente grandi pensieri in questo libro.
Riflessioni che ti spiazzano perché non fanno- ahimè- una grinza neppure dopo più di sessanta anni dalla sua pubblicazione.
Ieri come oggi ci si può domandare: le battaglie etiche che mettono al centro gli animali sono legittime in un mondo che soffre la fame e l’ingiustizia in varie forme? Le campagne morali devono sottostare ad una graduatoria che ne gratifichi una piuttosto che l’altra?
Morel/Gary ci dimostra quello che oggi è lampante: salvaguardare gli animali è giocoforza un modo di difendere il pianeta e dunque l’Umanità.
E’ così che in passaggi -come quello che riporto- pare di leggere un libro di recente pubblicazione:
” bisogna lottare contro la degradazione delle ultime bellezze della terra e dell'idea che l'uomo si è fatto dei luoghi in cui abita. Davvero non siamo più capaci di rispettare la natura, la libertà vivente, che non dà profitti, non serve a nulla di immediato e non ha altro scopo che lasciarsi ammirare di quando in quando? Anche la libertà è anacronistica. (…) Bisogna che gli uomini riescano a salvare anche le cose che non gli servono per fare suole di scarpe o macchine da cucire, che conservino un margine, una riserva dove potersi rifugiare ogni tanto. Solo allora si potrà incominciare a parlare di civiltà. Una civiltà puramente utilitaristica arriverà sempre all'estremo, vale a dire ai campi di lavoro forzato. Abbiamo bisogno di un margine. E poi, insomma… Non abbiamo troppi motivi per essere orgogliosi di noi stessi, no? Ci resta solo la Torre Eiffel per guardare dall'alto in basso il resto della creazione.”
Discorsi che da contingenti si fanno Universali e paradigmatici nel loro voler fondare uno spirito nuovo che cancelli le brutture della Seconda Guerra Mondiale; che faccia giurare all’uomo che quei comportamenti da malati mentali che hanno ideato i lager non si ripetano più e perché tutto ciò si realizzi è necessario che nell’anima attecchiscano valori più alti.
Le ideologie politiche di ogni sorta non portano che al male (” Che gli americani fossero colpevoli o no, che i comunisti fossero colpevoli o no, era la stessa cosa. L'uomo era nel fango, insozzato dalla testa ai piedi. Era una vecchia storia che continuava… “) allora occorre che l’Uomo guardi più in alto per riscoprire le proprie profondità come ben esprime il naturalista danese Peer Qvist:
” Le radici erano innumerevoli e infinite per varietà e bellezza e alcune erano profondamente piantate nell'anima umana - l'incessante e tormentosa aspirazione ad andare più in alto e più avanti, il bisogno d'infinito, la sete, il presentimento di un altro mondo, un'attesa enorme: tutto ciò, riportato alle possibilità umane, diventava un bisogno di dignità… Libertà, uguaglianza, fraternità, dignità… queste le radici più profonde, più minacciate.”
Oppure come dice Morel stesso:
” «Bisognerà inventare una puntura speciale» brontolò. «O delle pastiglie. Finiranno certo per trovarle un giorno o l'altro. Ho sempre avuto fiducia, io. Credo al progresso e un giorno finiranno per mettere in vendita delle pastiglie di umanità. Bisognerà prenderne una al mattino, ancora digiuni, prima di recarsi fra la gente. E allora tutto diventerà più interessante, si potrà perfino fare della politica… » “
Un romanzo di grande profondità che sa cogliere lo spirito del proprio tempo ma che come una sorta di nefasta preveggenza sembra parlare direttamente al lettore di oggi.
E allora perché non mi è piaciuto?
Il fatto è che l’atto del leggere in questa occasione è stata per me una pura e semplice sofferenza.
Non sono nuova alla lettura di romanzi corali e neppure a narrazioni che fingono una ricostruzione di testimonianze e dunque procedono sulla base di continui: “si dice che/sembra che”.
Il fatto è che in questo specifico caso c’è un continuo alternarsi di spazi e tempi talmente repentino che all’interno di una stessa proposizione ci si ritrova ad ascoltare più voci e in luoghi diversi.
Una fatica immane.
Una lettura assolutamente disturbante per quel continuo dover tornare indietro alla ricerca del soggetto che sta parlando e scivola, slitta attraverso i paragrafi imprendibile.
D’altra parte Romain Gary non è stato un eccellente camaleonte della letteratura?
Finita la lettura ho avuto ben chiaro in mente l’analisi generale ma quello che mi è mancato è qualcosa di fondamentale nel mio diritto di lettrice, ossia quello di farne un momento di piacere.
April 23, 2024
Ромен Ґарі «Коріння небес»
«Екологічний» роман (2012)
«Він поволі гойдався в такт конячої ходи, часом хутко обертав голову, щоб поглянути на гори чи на дерево, на химерне плетиво галузок, яке тішило око, бо він давновже надавав перевагу знакові дерева, а не знаку хреста. Він усміхався».
Атмосферно, драматично та ностальгічно…
Морелю нічого в цьому житті не потрібно тільки захистити слонів. Цих славетних велетнів, що животіють на просторах Екваторіальної Африки. Від бісових браконьєрів, колоніальної влади французів, продажних чиновників, різних авантюристів, що браві на дзвінку монету та інших людей. Пройдисвітів, священників, жінок легкої поведінки та п’яниць.
Для кожного з них «слони» – це щось зовсім інше та особливе. Знакове. Індивідуальне. Спосіб заробити грубі гроші, позабавлятися, «просувати» політичні ідеї, втекти від самого себе та загубитися. Втратити все і здобути щось більше. Але…
У Мореля свій шлях. Для когось він злочинець та бунтівник. Для інших – новий лідер, коханець, друг або просто — божевільний. Але хто ж він насправді?! Невідомо. І що для нього означають ці кляті, нікому не потрібні в цілому світі, слони – не знає ніхто.
А він сам?!
Роман «Коріння небес» – багатогранний, глибокий та насичений історіями. Героями з непростими долями, зламаними життями, які і далі ступають на химерні стежки. Подіями, хоча й півстолітньої давнини, які знову зачіпають нас сьогодні. Досягають своїми коріннями. Коріннями, що тягнуться до небес…
Так що, вимкни wi-fi, читай книги.
«Екологічний» роман (2012)
«Він поволі гойдався в такт конячої ходи, часом хутко обертав голову, щоб поглянути на гори чи на дерево, на химерне плетиво галузок, яке тішило око, бо він давновже надавав перевагу знакові дерева, а не знаку хреста. Він усміхався».
Атмосферно, драматично та ностальгічно…
Морелю нічого в цьому житті не потрібно тільки захистити слонів. Цих славетних велетнів, що животіють на просторах Екваторіальної Африки. Від бісових браконьєрів, колоніальної влади французів, продажних чиновників, різних авантюристів, що браві на дзвінку монету та інших людей. Пройдисвітів, священників, жінок легкої поведінки та п’яниць.
Для кожного з них «слони» – це щось зовсім інше та особливе. Знакове. Індивідуальне. Спосіб заробити грубі гроші, позабавлятися, «просувати» політичні ідеї, втекти від самого себе та загубитися. Втратити все і здобути щось більше. Але…
У Мореля свій шлях. Для когось він злочинець та бунтівник. Для інших – новий лідер, коханець, друг або просто — божевільний. Але хто ж він насправді?! Невідомо. І що для нього означають ці кляті, нікому не потрібні в цілому світі, слони – не знає ніхто.
А він сам?!
Роман «Коріння небес» – багатогранний, глибокий та насичений історіями. Героями з непростими долями, зламаними життями, які і далі ступають на химерні стежки. Подіями, хоча й півстолітньої давнини, які знову зачіпають нас сьогодні. Досягають своїми коріннями. Коріннями, що тягнуться до небес…
Так що, вимкни wi-fi, читай книги.
October 2, 2010
I found this novel at our town's library sale and it was one of my luckiest finds ever, because I didn't know the book or the author, it's been out of print a long time (published in 1956), and it's one of the best books I've read in years. The story is compelling: Holocaust survivor misfits campaigning to save the African elephant, first by petition and argumentation, then by selective violence, in Post-WW2 Chad, who are themselves exploited, hunted and/or aided by African nationalists, European colonialists, Christian pietists, and one American journalist. The characters are drawn with tremendous sympathy. The political, ethical and metaphysical arguments proffered by all sides are complex and moving. And the writing is remarkably subtle, beautiful and humane.
December 5, 2012
I don't read books again, because there are just too many books I want to read and so little reading time that remains. This book, if I were to read a book again, it would be this book.
November 10, 2012
Elephants are edible. Strangely, however, I have never taken part in the eating of one, whether as a direct participant or a mere spectator, I who have eaten dogs, bats, monitor lizards, birds, snakes, and other reptiles. Not even on TV, on that show by the bald American who says if it looks good, eat it.
In fact, prior to this book, I didn't know that some people eat elephant meat. And after I was done reading, I still did not know what is elephant meat called, like pork is to pig.
Morel. That's that name of the Frenchman here. He had to be French because the author is French. Survivor of a Nazi death camp, he goes to Africa, wages a seemingly futile campaign, with his small band of misfits, to stop the wholesale killings of elephants.
So many hunting, and haunting, images. But I had wished the author had done more research, and brought the elephants closer to my eyes. Not just them wailing, dying by the hundreds, machine-gunned en masse for their tusks. I would have liked, too, a more dramatic ending. Like Morel, escaping death in the hands of his tormentors, facing a stampede of a horde of these giant creatures, arms wide open like a crucified Christ, embracing his end with all his love. Thus, the missing star.
So many haunting thoughts too. Do we make other living beings extinct because we are not human beings yet? Do we need them, need to be friends with them, so we can complete our evolution? When we save creatures like elephants from extinction do we save ourselves too? And is there any point at all in this when extinction is anyway a fate that is shared by all, including man himself?
Morel says that all he wants is for elephants to be saved. But others read hidden motives in this. Maybe he's just using elephants as a symbol, a way to turn world opinion against Western colonial powers in Africa. And, indeed, which is more important, that the African nations be finally free, or that the elephants continue to roam their lands?
One character here says that animals like the elephants hinder Africa's development and keep it poor. That people from the Western countries protest their wholesale killings and the sale of ivory only because they already enjoy the comforts of highly-developed societies and would want to keep Africa and its elephants only as some kind of a zoo.
Are you a "nature lover"? Do you agree with the international ban on ivory trade? Do you somehow feel a kind of spiritual or metaphysical kinship with these marvelous pachyderms? Do you read novels like All Creatures Great and Small? If given a chance would you like to be a member of, or at least make contributions to, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals?
If you answer affirmatively and enthusiastically to the above then I'd like you to imagine one morning, when you wake up, you find your cars and all the other cars of your neighbors and fellow city-dwellers had become elephants; your well-paved streets and highways had become vast savannahs with their shrubberies and greens; the buildings had become giant trees; your concrete-and-glass house had become a grass hut, no more faucet and running water because your city reservoirs had become wonderful lakes and rivers, and for you to bathe inside your house you have to go to them, only a kilometer walk away, with your pails, to fetch water, avoiding areas where crocodiles hang out.
So you, the nature lover, magically now has nature surrounding you. Would you not get your gun and begin shooting these damn elephants so you can get their precious ivory tusks, sell them, become rich, and live in New York?
In fact, prior to this book, I didn't know that some people eat elephant meat. And after I was done reading, I still did not know what is elephant meat called, like pork is to pig.
Morel. That's that name of the Frenchman here. He had to be French because the author is French. Survivor of a Nazi death camp, he goes to Africa, wages a seemingly futile campaign, with his small band of misfits, to stop the wholesale killings of elephants.
So many hunting, and haunting, images. But I had wished the author had done more research, and brought the elephants closer to my eyes. Not just them wailing, dying by the hundreds, machine-gunned en masse for their tusks. I would have liked, too, a more dramatic ending. Like Morel, escaping death in the hands of his tormentors, facing a stampede of a horde of these giant creatures, arms wide open like a crucified Christ, embracing his end with all his love. Thus, the missing star.
So many haunting thoughts too. Do we make other living beings extinct because we are not human beings yet? Do we need them, need to be friends with them, so we can complete our evolution? When we save creatures like elephants from extinction do we save ourselves too? And is there any point at all in this when extinction is anyway a fate that is shared by all, including man himself?
Morel says that all he wants is for elephants to be saved. But others read hidden motives in this. Maybe he's just using elephants as a symbol, a way to turn world opinion against Western colonial powers in Africa. And, indeed, which is more important, that the African nations be finally free, or that the elephants continue to roam their lands?
One character here says that animals like the elephants hinder Africa's development and keep it poor. That people from the Western countries protest their wholesale killings and the sale of ivory only because they already enjoy the comforts of highly-developed societies and would want to keep Africa and its elephants only as some kind of a zoo.
Are you a "nature lover"? Do you agree with the international ban on ivory trade? Do you somehow feel a kind of spiritual or metaphysical kinship with these marvelous pachyderms? Do you read novels like All Creatures Great and Small? If given a chance would you like to be a member of, or at least make contributions to, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals?
If you answer affirmatively and enthusiastically to the above then I'd like you to imagine one morning, when you wake up, you find your cars and all the other cars of your neighbors and fellow city-dwellers had become elephants; your well-paved streets and highways had become vast savannahs with their shrubberies and greens; the buildings had become giant trees; your concrete-and-glass house had become a grass hut, no more faucet and running water because your city reservoirs had become wonderful lakes and rivers, and for you to bathe inside your house you have to go to them, only a kilometer walk away, with your pails, to fetch water, avoiding areas where crocodiles hang out.
So you, the nature lover, magically now has nature surrounding you. Would you not get your gun and begin shooting these damn elephants so you can get their precious ivory tusks, sell them, become rich, and live in New York?
December 21, 2022
Ромен Гари е едно от най-лиричните пера, до които съм се докосвала в скромния си читателски опит и определено един от най-любимите ми автори.
В "Корените на небето" за пореден път сблъсква два различни свята по толкова пленителен начин, че не съм в състояние да го опиша. Единственото сигурно е, че веднъж попаднала в неговото повествование не мога да се откъсна нито за миг и неизбежната раздяла в края на всеки роман е болезнена.
„Дълго време бяхме живели в морален инкубатор, но нацистите и Сталин направиха всичко възможно, за да ни накарат да проумеем, че истината за човека е там, където са те, а не по зелените игрища на Итън… Възможно е онова, което наричаме цивилизация, да се свежда до продължително усилие да заблуждаваш хората по отношение на самите тях…“
"Нашата версия беше, че става въпрос за един луд, за мизантроп, въобразил си, че е призван да брани слоновете от ловците, и решил в известен смисъл да промени човешкия род поради омерзението си от него."
"Въобразяваше си, че е достатъчно да привлече вниманието ни към съдбата на последните слонове, и ние на секундата ще предприемем необходимите мерки за гарантирането на тяхното просъществуване. Най-влудяващ обаче беше фактът, че той продължаваше да изглежда все така спокойно убеден, че сме в състояние да направим нещо, че държим в ръце собствената си съдба и тази на слоновете, че опазването на природата е задача, която е по мярката на човешките ръце, че няма време нито за протакане, нито за слагане на край, че все още можем да се измъкнем безнаказано. Беше си чисто и просто един мръсник, един анахроничен рационално настроен дръвник, един от онези вечни рогоносци, които никога за нищо не се в състояние да се догадят дори когато ги поставят пред свършен факт."
"Разликата между англичаните и останалата част от простосмъртните е в това, че англичаните отдавна са наясно с истината за себе си и това винаги им позволява да я избегнат дискретно, да я заобиколят."
В "Корените на небето" за пореден път сблъсква два различни свята по толкова пленителен начин, че не съм в състояние да го опиша. Единственото сигурно е, че веднъж попаднала в неговото повествование не мога да се откъсна нито за миг и неизбежната раздяла в края на всеки роман е болезнена.
„Дълго време бяхме живели в морален инкубатор, но нацистите и Сталин направиха всичко възможно, за да ни накарат да проумеем, че истината за човека е там, където са те, а не по зелените игрища на Итън… Възможно е онова, което наричаме цивилизация, да се свежда до продължително усилие да заблуждаваш хората по отношение на самите тях…“
"Нашата версия беше, че става въпрос за един луд, за мизантроп, въобразил си, че е призван да брани слоновете от ловците, и решил в известен смисъл да промени човешкия род поради омерзението си от него."
"Въобразяваше си, че е достатъчно да привлече вниманието ни към съдбата на последните слонове, и ние на секундата ще предприемем необходимите мерки за гарантирането на тяхното просъществуване. Най-влудяващ обаче беше фактът, че той продължаваше да изглежда все така спокойно убеден, че сме в състояние да направим нещо, че държим в ръце собствената си съдба и тази на слоновете, че опазването на природата е задача, която е по мярката на човешките ръце, че няма време нито за протакане, нито за слагане на край, че все още можем да се измъкнем безнаказано. Беше си чисто и просто един мръсник, един анахроничен рационално настроен дръвник, един от онези вечни рогоносци, които никога за нищо не се в състояние да се догадят дори когато ги поставят пред свършен факт."
"Разликата между англичаните и останалата част от простосмъртните е в това, че англичаните отдавна са наясно с истината за себе си и това винаги им позволява да я избегнат дискретно, да я заобиколят."
December 29, 2025
Κάπου στα 50’s, στο σημερινό Τσαντ – τμήμα του ομοσπονδιακού κράτους της Γαλλικής Ισημερινής Αφρικής - σε μια περιοχή που δεν διέφερε πολύ από την Αμερική των μεγάλων πεδιάδων την εποχή της επέκτασης του Ευρωπαίου προς τα δυτικά. Μία περιοχή σε αναβρασμό όπου οι τοπικές ελίτ ετοιμάζονται να αναλάβουν δράση παραλαμβάνοντας από τους Γάλλους. Οι ελέφαντες - όπως άλλοτε οι βούβαλοι, αντίστοιχα - βρίσκονται πάνω στις διπλές σιδηροτροχιές της προόδου και της ανισότητας.
Οι χαρακτήρες που προσελκύονται από τη μεθόριο βρίσκονται επίσης εδώ: φυγάδες απ’ τη ζωή και το νόμο, sportsmen κυνηγοί, πεινασμένοι για κρέας κυνηγοί, λαθρέμποροι... Ακόμα και ιεροκήρυκες που μοιράζουν τη θεία χάρη, κατά αποκλειστικότητα στο ανθρώπινο ποίμνιο τους.
Κι ο Μορέλ, ο σαλός του θεού και υπερασπιστής των ελεφάντων, ένας ανεξήγητος μονόλιθος που έπεσε στη σαβάνα κρατώντας το δικό του ευαγγέλιο σ΄ ένα χαρτοφύλακα. Τι δουλειά έχει ένας επιζήσας του Άουσβιτς ανάμεσα σ΄ όλους αυτούς, τους –ανεξαρτήτως στολής– ωφελιμιστές;
“Το ανθρώπινο είδος έχει μπει σε αντιπαλότητα με τον χώρο, τη γη, τον ίδιο τον αέρα που του χρειάζεται για να αναπνέει” διαπιστώνει ο Μορέλ, που μαζί με την ετερόκλητη ομάδα του ανάβει μικρές φωτιές ακτιβισμού στη σαβάνα. Οι τόσο διαφορετικοί μεταξύ τους esperados, εκτός από την αφοσίωση προς τον ηγέτη τους και την αγάπη για περιπέτεια, μοιράζονται ένα κοινό προαίσθημα• της επικείμενης, επώδυνης συνάντησης της πορείας της ανθρωπότητας με τη δική της περίφραξη.
Νομίζω ότι το πραγματικό θέμα του μυθιστορήματος δεν είναι η άγρια ζωή ούτε ο υπερασπιστής της, ούτε ο οικολογικός ακτιβισμός. Ίσως στον χαρτοφύλακα Γκαρύ να περιέχεται ένα υπόμνημα διαμαρτυρίας. Ένα εγχειρίδιο ίσως, για το πως θα μπορούσε να μοιάζει μια ζωή με νόημα, αξιοπρέπεια -και αρκετή γενναιοδωρία, προπάντων- ώστε να διεκδικήσει μια ανεμπόδιστη θέαση του ουρανού.
Οι χαρακτήρες που προσελκύονται από τη μεθόριο βρίσκονται επίσης εδώ: φυγάδες απ’ τη ζωή και το νόμο, sportsmen κυνηγοί, πεινασμένοι για κρέας κυνηγοί, λαθρέμποροι... Ακόμα και ιεροκήρυκες που μοιράζουν τη θεία χάρη, κατά αποκλειστικότητα στο ανθρώπινο ποίμνιο τους.
Κι ο Μορέλ, ο σαλός του θεού και υπερασπιστής των ελεφάντων, ένας ανεξήγητος μονόλιθος που έπεσε στη σαβάνα κρατώντας το δικό του ευαγγέλιο σ΄ ένα χαρτοφύλακα. Τι δουλειά έχει ένας επιζήσας του Άουσβιτς ανάμεσα σ΄ όλους αυτούς, τους –ανεξαρτήτως στολής– ωφελιμιστές;
“Το ανθρώπινο είδος έχει μπει σε αντιπαλότητα με τον χώρο, τη γη, τον ίδιο τον αέρα που του χρειάζεται για να αναπνέει” διαπιστώνει ο Μορέλ, που μαζί με την ετερόκλητη ομάδα του ανάβει μικρές φωτιές ακτιβισμού στη σαβάνα. Οι τόσο διαφορετικοί μεταξύ τους esperados, εκτός από την αφοσίωση προς τον ηγέτη τους και την αγάπη για περιπέτεια, μοιράζονται ένα κοινό προαίσθημα• της επικείμενης, επώδυνης συνάντησης της πορείας της ανθρωπότητας με τη δική της περίφραξη.
Νομίζω ότι το πραγματικό θέμα του μυθιστορήματος δεν είναι η άγρια ζωή ούτε ο υπερασπιστής της, ούτε ο οικολογικός ακτιβισμός. Ίσως στον χαρτοφύλακα Γκαρύ να περιέχεται ένα υπόμνημα διαμαρτυρίας. Ένα εγχειρίδιο ίσως, για το πως θα μπορούσε να μοιάζει μια ζωή με νόημα, αξιοπρέπεια -και αρκετή γενναιοδωρία, προπάντων- ώστε να διεκδικήσει μια ανεμπόδιστη θέαση του ουρανού.
June 21, 2019
Tôi đã chẳng hiểu gì về lũ voi cho tới lúc đọc được câu chuyện về lũ chó. Và chung quy, đây là cuốn sách về lũ con người và cái khoảng lề nhất định phải có trong nhân tính, mà đáng buồn thay, chúng ta chỉ nhận ra khi đã quá muộn.
Một cuốn sách đồ sộ nhưng vô cùng tuyệt.
Mặc dù bản dịch thực sự có nhiều lỗi diễn đạt, dù biết văn của Romain Gary dài và trắc trở nhưng có những câu hoàn toàn có thể diễn đạt rõ ràng hơn, thanh thoát hơn thì người dịch và cả người biên tập ngó lơ. Phải vì cuốn sách đồ sộ quá chăng?
August 7, 2020
کتاب را آبان ۹۸ شروع کردم و مرداد ۹۹ تمام...چه اتفاقها که در این میان نیفتاد...طولانیترین وقفه خواندنم در همه این سالها بود...
داستان و روایت کتاب عالیست. فلشبکهای زیادی دارد که در آغاز کمی گیجکننده است. در هر لحظهای از کتاب ممکن است فلشبک زده شود. مانند همه کارهای گاری پر از احساس است و چقدر در زمان خواندنش یاد نظر رومن گاری در مورد خانمها در کتاب “گذار روزگار” افتادم:
« تنها چیزی که بهش علاقه دارم زن است. توجه داشته باشید که نمیگویم به زنها علاقه دارم؛ میگویم زن. یعنی زنانگی. انگیزه قوی و سرخوشی عمیقم در زندگی عشقم به زنها و مفهوم زن است. من هیچوقت از زنها دلبری نکردهام؛ حالا بگذارید هرچه دلشان میخواهد پشت سرم بگویند. این تصویر کاملا جعلی است. حتی همین جا هم میگویم به لحاظ جسمی و روانی توان این کار را ندارم قضیه همینطور اتفاقی نیست،یک جور معامله است. نه آنطور که فلان مجله هنری یا فلان فرقه مذهبی بهش میگوید تصاحب. آنچه این شوق به زنانگی را در من بیدار کرد و الهامبخش تمام کتابها و نوشتههایم شد، درک تصویر مادرم بود...معتقدم اولین صدای زنانه جهان، اولین مردی که با صدای زنانه حرف زد عیسی مسیح بود. محبت، قدر و منزلت محبت، همدردی و عشق، ارزشهای زنانهای هستند که نخستین بار بر زبان عیسی جاری شد. ... هرگز چیزی از نوشتههای من نمیفهمید اگر این حقیقت ساده را درنظر نگیریدکه کتابهای من در وهله اول آثاری عاشقانهاند و تقریبا پای ثابت همهشان عشق به زنانگی است...»
این ترجمه از کتاب نیاز به یک ویرایش خوب دارد که در این صورت عالی خواهد شد. ترجمه خانم بجانیان را هم چند صفحهای خواندم اما ترجیح دادم همین را ادامه بدهم.
داستان و روایت کتاب عالیست. فلشبکهای زیادی دارد که در آغاز کمی گیجکننده است. در هر لحظهای از کتاب ممکن است فلشبک زده شود. مانند همه کارهای گاری پر از احساس است و چقدر در زمان خواندنش یاد نظر رومن گاری در مورد خانمها در کتاب “گذار روزگار” افتادم:
« تنها چیزی که بهش علاقه دارم زن است. توجه داشته باشید که نمیگویم به زنها علاقه دارم؛ میگویم زن. یعنی زنانگی. انگیزه قوی و سرخوشی عمیقم در زندگی عشقم به زنها و مفهوم زن است. من هیچوقت از زنها دلبری نکردهام؛ حالا بگذارید هرچه دلشان میخواهد پشت سرم بگویند. این تصویر کاملا جعلی است. حتی همین جا هم میگویم به لحاظ جسمی و روانی توان این کار را ندارم قضیه همینطور اتفاقی نیست،یک جور معامله است. نه آنطور که فلان مجله هنری یا فلان فرقه مذهبی بهش میگوید تصاحب. آنچه این شوق به زنانگی را در من بیدار کرد و الهامبخش تمام کتابها و نوشتههایم شد، درک تصویر مادرم بود...معتقدم اولین صدای زنانه جهان، اولین مردی که با صدای زنانه حرف زد عیسی مسیح بود. محبت، قدر و منزلت محبت، همدردی و عشق، ارزشهای زنانهای هستند که نخستین بار بر زبان عیسی جاری شد. ... هرگز چیزی از نوشتههای من نمیفهمید اگر این حقیقت ساده را درنظر نگیریدکه کتابهای من در وهله اول آثاری عاشقانهاند و تقریبا پای ثابت همهشان عشق به زنانگی است...»
این ترجمه از کتاب نیاز به یک ویرایش خوب دارد که در این صورت عالی خواهد شد. ترجمه خانم بجانیان را هم چند صفحهای خواندم اما ترجیح دادم همین را ادامه بدهم.
December 31, 2022
ამ წიგნზე ამბობენ "ეკოლოგიური" რომანიაო... დიახ, ასეა. ამ წიგნის გმირები ცხოველებს, ბუნებას იცავენ, მაგრამ ფესვები ბევრად ღრმადაა... აქ ყველა - მორელი, რომელიც არავინ იცის შეშლილია, მიზანტროპი, რომელიმე ქვეყნის აგენტი, აფრიკის დამოუკიდებლობისთვის მებრძოლი, კრიმინალი, თუ უბრალოდ სპილოებზე შეყვარებული კეთილი ადამიანი, ძალადობის მსხვერპლი გერმანელი ქალი, პროგრესზე მეოცნებე ევროპული განათლების მქონე აფრიკელი, დანიელი მეცნიერი, ჟურნალისტები, ბნელ საქმეებში ჩართული ადამიანები, ჩინოვნიკები, ძველ (ხშირად შემზარავ) ტრადიციებს ჩაბღაუჭებული აფრიკელები - მხოლოდ თავისუფლებას ეძებს და მარტოობას გაურბის... ცის ფესვები მათ გულებს შემოხვევია და თვალებს რომ ხუჭავენ მხოლოდ ერთი სურათი უდგებათ თვალწინ - როგორ გარბის უამრავი სპილო და გზად ყველა წინააღმდეგობას თელავს, მიქრის წინ უსასრულობისკენ...
January 3, 2019
ریشههای آسمان رومن گاری فوق العاده بود. واقعا از مطالعهاش لذت بردم. شاید بخاطر اینکه عاشق فیلها هستم. واقعا دوست داشتم میتونستم به مورل کمک کنم. رومن گاری تمام آثارش زیباست و میتونم بگم کتاب بد نداره. فقط بعضی ترجمههای خوب نداره. مثل همین کتاب ریشههای آسمان که آقای منوچهر عدنانی با جملههای دو سه خطی ترجمه کرده و راستش خیلی خوشم نیومد.
Read
September 10, 2020بلندترین رمان رومن گاری که متاسفانه یک ترجمه بد (شاید هم ویراست خیلی بد) باعث بوجود آمدن یک تجربه ناخوشایند شد،این کتاب رو حتما با یک ترجمه دیگر ابتیاع کنید(من هم همین کار را خواهم کرد),در ضمن اینجا صفحات رو ششصد صفحه مشخص شده اما نسخه چاپ سوم نشر ثالث که من دارم ۵۷۲ صفحست(چراییش با خودتون)
November 3, 2017
Duped Dreamer Fails to Protect Pachyderms
Ah, well, I was not enamored of the first of Gary's novels that I read, but I thought I'd give another one a try. Alas, it was not better at all. This is an extremely youthful novel set in a country (Chad) that I doubt he ever saw. This is always a mistake. While on one hand claiming to stand for freedom, equality, and the romance of Life---maybe the common bonds that exist in the souls of all men---Gary's love of cynicism drags him into creating a very romantic view of colonialism. All the characters are valiant, if world-weary. The colonialist images crop up thick and fast. Africa is populated by Frenchmen, the proper Englishman, the queer Dane, the German prostitute, the odd American, the raffish but crooked Arab, the posing Africans who (don't y'know) are really just primitives or wannabe Europeans. The image of elephants as symbols of freedom---they roam the wide open spaces---is done to death. (At least almost my death !) The story, such as it is, concerns a former French prisoner of a German WW II concentration camp who dreamt there of the free elephants that he imagined roam Africa and headed for Chad as soon as he got out. He realized that Europeans were shooting them and decided to protect them in a one man bush crusade against anyone who hunted the giant creatures. A ragtag group of Africans, more bandit and arms smugglers than freedom-fighters, joined him, using his activity as cover for their own. The French government has to take action. The German prostitute helps bring more arms for the anti-hunting crusader who always believes that the world would support him if only they knew. What ending could such a novel have? You can guess.
This novel is way too long and wordy, full of pretentious epigrams---attempts to be clever---and loaded with stereotypes. In short, I didn't like it. Sure, you might, so give it a shot, but don't say I didn't warn you. As for the elephants, yes, they are still being shot. How long will they remain?
Ah, well, I was not enamored of the first of Gary's novels that I read, but I thought I'd give another one a try. Alas, it was not better at all. This is an extremely youthful novel set in a country (Chad) that I doubt he ever saw. This is always a mistake. While on one hand claiming to stand for freedom, equality, and the romance of Life---maybe the common bonds that exist in the souls of all men---Gary's love of cynicism drags him into creating a very romantic view of colonialism. All the characters are valiant, if world-weary. The colonialist images crop up thick and fast. Africa is populated by Frenchmen, the proper Englishman, the queer Dane, the German prostitute, the odd American, the raffish but crooked Arab, the posing Africans who (don't y'know) are really just primitives or wannabe Europeans. The image of elephants as symbols of freedom---they roam the wide open spaces---is done to death. (At least almost my death !) The story, such as it is, concerns a former French prisoner of a German WW II concentration camp who dreamt there of the free elephants that he imagined roam Africa and headed for Chad as soon as he got out. He realized that Europeans were shooting them and decided to protect them in a one man bush crusade against anyone who hunted the giant creatures. A ragtag group of Africans, more bandit and arms smugglers than freedom-fighters, joined him, using his activity as cover for their own. The French government has to take action. The German prostitute helps bring more arms for the anti-hunting crusader who always believes that the world would support him if only they knew. What ending could such a novel have? You can guess.
This novel is way too long and wordy, full of pretentious epigrams---attempts to be clever---and loaded with stereotypes. In short, I didn't like it. Sure, you might, so give it a shot, but don't say I didn't warn you. As for the elephants, yes, they are still being shot. How long will they remain?
April 24, 2025
Il y a fort longtemps qu'un livre ne m'avait pas tant touché, n'avait pas tant résonné, dont on peut simplement dire qu'il est beau.
"Il faut absolument que les hommes parviennent à préserver autre chose que ce qui leur sert à faire des semelles, ou des machines à coudre, qu'ils laissent de la marge, une réserve, où il leur serait possible de se réfugier. C'est alors seulement que l'on pourra commencer à parler d'une civilisation. Une civilisation utilitaire ira toujours jusqu'au bout, c'est-à-dire jusqu'aux camps de travail."
"On commence par dire, mettons, que les éléphants c'est trop gros, trop encombrant, qu'ils renversent les poteaux télégraphiques, piétinent les récoltes, qu'ils sont un anachronisme, et puis on finit par dire la même chose de la liberté - la Liberté et l'Homme
deviennent encombrants à la longue"
"Il m'a souvent paru qu'à partir d'un certain degré de sérieux, de gravité, un homme, dans la vie, est un infirme, on a toujours envie de l'aider à traverser la rue."
"Liberté, égalité, fraternité, dignité... Il n'y avait pas de racines plus profondes et pourtant de plus menacées"
Quelques passages bien peu représentatifs de ce roman, de son écriture sensible, de ses personnages travaillés. Difficile de rédiger un avis qui lui rende justice. Je crois que je le relirai.
"Il faut absolument que les hommes parviennent à préserver autre chose que ce qui leur sert à faire des semelles, ou des machines à coudre, qu'ils laissent de la marge, une réserve, où il leur serait possible de se réfugier. C'est alors seulement que l'on pourra commencer à parler d'une civilisation. Une civilisation utilitaire ira toujours jusqu'au bout, c'est-à-dire jusqu'aux camps de travail."
"On commence par dire, mettons, que les éléphants c'est trop gros, trop encombrant, qu'ils renversent les poteaux télégraphiques, piétinent les récoltes, qu'ils sont un anachronisme, et puis on finit par dire la même chose de la liberté - la Liberté et l'Homme
deviennent encombrants à la longue"
"Il m'a souvent paru qu'à partir d'un certain degré de sérieux, de gravité, un homme, dans la vie, est un infirme, on a toujours envie de l'aider à traverser la rue."
"Liberté, égalité, fraternité, dignité... Il n'y avait pas de racines plus profondes et pourtant de plus menacées"
Quelques passages bien peu représentatifs de ce roman, de son écriture sensible, de ses personnages travaillés. Difficile de rédiger un avis qui lui rende justice. Je crois que je le relirai.
June 5, 2018
Sulle tematiche affrontate in questo romanzo hanno già parlato altri molto diffusamente e non mi sento di aggiungere nulla di utile. A me è piaciuto, mi piace di solito Romain Gary e qui ho scoperto un altro dei numerosi registri che questo scrittore era in grado di utilizzare. Perché solo 3 stelle quindi? La verità è che l'ho trovato estremamente prolisso, ampolloso (mi accade così raramente di poter usare questo termine) insomma luuuungo. Certo credo di aver ben compreso i concetti che Gary voleva affrontare, non mi rimane alcun dubbio del tipo "chissà cosa voleva dire con questa frase" perché tutto è stato ampiamente sviscerato e affrontato sotto tutte le sue sfaccettature. Quindi per qualche anno non venitemi più a parlare di elefanti.
June 5, 2023
„O femeie n-ar îndura toate astea de dragul unor idei, mă pricep totuși la femei, o femeie nu poate avea atâta curaj, perseverență și nepăsare față de tot ce i s-ar putea întâmpla, decât dacă e îndrăgostită de un bărbat”.
„Rădăcinile cerului” a fost una dintre cele mai tulburătoare lecturi pe care le-am avut în ultima perioadă, atât pentru tema ecologică (salvarea elefanților din Africa într-o perioadă în care popoarele încercau să-și recapete independența și să se desprindă de imperiile coloniale), cât și pentru cea referitoare la natura umană.
Pot oamenii să-și (re)descopere demnitatea pierdută în timpul războaielor în care au luptat de partea greșită a istoriei? Își pot găsi în natură, acolo unde a început totul, când o reptilă, pe care Romain Gary o numește „strămoașa noastră, a tuturor”, a ieșit din mâl și a avut curajul nebun de a încerca să respire cu plămânii încă neformați, puterea de a schimba ceea ce este profund zdruncinat în condiția umană? Ce anume ne face diferiți, ce ne salvează de mediocritate, cum reușim să continuăm atunci când inimile noastre se zbat în mocirlă sau când trupurile ne trădează și ne îngreunează eforturile de a rezista în fața atacurilor repetate?
„Rădăcinile cerului” a fost una dintre cele mai tulburătoare lecturi pe care le-am avut în ultima perioadă, atât pentru tema ecologică (salvarea elefanților din Africa într-o perioadă în care popoarele încercau să-și recapete independența și să se desprindă de imperiile coloniale), cât și pentru cea referitoare la natura umană.
Pot oamenii să-și (re)descopere demnitatea pierdută în timpul războaielor în care au luptat de partea greșită a istoriei? Își pot găsi în natură, acolo unde a început totul, când o reptilă, pe care Romain Gary o numește „strămoașa noastră, a tuturor”, a ieșit din mâl și a avut curajul nebun de a încerca să respire cu plămânii încă neformați, puterea de a schimba ceea ce este profund zdruncinat în condiția umană? Ce anume ne face diferiți, ce ne salvează de mediocritate, cum reușim să continuăm atunci când inimile noastre se zbat în mocirlă sau când trupurile ne trădează și ne îngreunează eforturile de a rezista în fața atacurilor repetate?
July 24, 2007
[http://jonathan.touboul.free.fr/artic...]
Cet ouvrage est le premier roman de Romain Gary à avoir obtenu le Prix Goncourt. Un livre incroyable, qui m’a accaparé pendant un moment. J’ai beaucoup aimé, même si ce n’est pas mon préféré de Gary. Ecrit en 1956. Gary est encore un jeune auteur. Mais on voit déjà apparaître son cynisme, ses analyses fines de personnes, ses réflexions sur le sens de la vie, tous ces aspects que j’adore d’autant plus dans ses romans suivants, en particulier dans les mangeurs d’étoiles, La danse de Gengis Kohn ou encore Clair de Femme.
Morel est un ancien prisonnier français interné dans un camps de concentration, qui y a survécu en rêvant à la liberté des éléphants. Il vit désormais au Tchad et y défend les éléphants contre chasseurs, braconniers, et sportifs de la chasse ! Plaidoyer pour la nature certes, avec des descriptions saisissantes de la nature africaine, le roman a été qualifié d’écologique. Mais il y a plus, biensûr. Sur l’homme, sa part de merveilleux, le bien et le mal, sur la condition humaine, toujours avec humour et avec une acuité étonnante.
Le combat de Morel est un combat désintéressé, pur. Mais beaucoup veulent le détourner. Ainsi nous voyons apparaître des personnages tels que Waïtari, de ceux qui seront les dictateurs africains de la deuxième moitié du XXe siècle. Mais aux manipulations politiques s’ajoûte l’incrédulité de l’opinion publique, qui fait réfléchir à la nature humaine. Nihiliste pour certains, nationaliste africain pour d’autres, communiste, émissaire français venu dresser un pudique mur de fumée pour masquer les luttes pour la décolonisation, Morel, pour personne, ne peut être désintéressé.
Mais la complexité de Morel n’est qu’un exemple de l’extraordinaire galerie de personnages créée par Gary. Tous ont en commun une certaine solitude et un passé douloureux. Que ce soit Minna, une jeune femme allemande, qui a pris le maquis car il fallait bien une allemande, dit-elle, Peer Qvist, de tous les combats perdus par avance, Waïtari et ses rêves de grandeur, qui présage les futurs grands dictateurs africains, Habib l’éternel contrebandier, Fields le reporter photo, issu d’une famille de rescapés d’Auschwitz, qui redevient humain face à l’homme qui sait pas désespérer, et la femme imaginaire, dans le camp de concentration et de travail du IIIe Reich où Morel est détenu. Mais les éléphants sont bien sûr une méthaphore, celle de nos combats, parfois perdus d’avance. Les éléphants sont fort, capables de renverser des arbres, mais aussi tellement vulnérables. Tout comme nos rêves. Oui, nous avons tous nos éléphants, "ils sont de chair et de sang, comme les droits de l’homme justement", ce que l’islam appelle les racines du ciel, plantées dans le coeur des hommes. Avec au centre de son roman, la quète de sens. Superbe.
Cet ouvrage est le premier roman de Romain Gary à avoir obtenu le Prix Goncourt. Un livre incroyable, qui m’a accaparé pendant un moment. J’ai beaucoup aimé, même si ce n’est pas mon préféré de Gary. Ecrit en 1956. Gary est encore un jeune auteur. Mais on voit déjà apparaître son cynisme, ses analyses fines de personnes, ses réflexions sur le sens de la vie, tous ces aspects que j’adore d’autant plus dans ses romans suivants, en particulier dans les mangeurs d’étoiles, La danse de Gengis Kohn ou encore Clair de Femme.
Morel est un ancien prisonnier français interné dans un camps de concentration, qui y a survécu en rêvant à la liberté des éléphants. Il vit désormais au Tchad et y défend les éléphants contre chasseurs, braconniers, et sportifs de la chasse ! Plaidoyer pour la nature certes, avec des descriptions saisissantes de la nature africaine, le roman a été qualifié d’écologique. Mais il y a plus, biensûr. Sur l’homme, sa part de merveilleux, le bien et le mal, sur la condition humaine, toujours avec humour et avec une acuité étonnante.
Le combat de Morel est un combat désintéressé, pur. Mais beaucoup veulent le détourner. Ainsi nous voyons apparaître des personnages tels que Waïtari, de ceux qui seront les dictateurs africains de la deuxième moitié du XXe siècle. Mais aux manipulations politiques s’ajoûte l’incrédulité de l’opinion publique, qui fait réfléchir à la nature humaine. Nihiliste pour certains, nationaliste africain pour d’autres, communiste, émissaire français venu dresser un pudique mur de fumée pour masquer les luttes pour la décolonisation, Morel, pour personne, ne peut être désintéressé.
Mais la complexité de Morel n’est qu’un exemple de l’extraordinaire galerie de personnages créée par Gary. Tous ont en commun une certaine solitude et un passé douloureux. Que ce soit Minna, une jeune femme allemande, qui a pris le maquis car il fallait bien une allemande, dit-elle, Peer Qvist, de tous les combats perdus par avance, Waïtari et ses rêves de grandeur, qui présage les futurs grands dictateurs africains, Habib l’éternel contrebandier, Fields le reporter photo, issu d’une famille de rescapés d’Auschwitz, qui redevient humain face à l’homme qui sait pas désespérer, et la femme imaginaire, dans le camp de concentration et de travail du IIIe Reich où Morel est détenu. Mais les éléphants sont bien sûr une méthaphore, celle de nos combats, parfois perdus d’avance. Les éléphants sont fort, capables de renverser des arbres, mais aussi tellement vulnérables. Tout comme nos rêves. Oui, nous avons tous nos éléphants, "ils sont de chair et de sang, comme les droits de l’homme justement", ce que l’islam appelle les racines du ciel, plantées dans le coeur des hommes. Avec au centre de son roman, la quète de sens. Superbe.
August 31, 2018
Oltre l'Africa, l'umanità
Dopo aver vissuto la profonda umanità de 'La vita davanti a sé', volevo ritrovare Romain Gary, prolifico e a me poco noto. Preso nota di diversi titoli, mi è capitato questo suo romanzo sugli elefanti, e non solo. In quello che fu considerato il primo romanzo ecologista anni '50, ho trovato di più che la difesa della natura. Il messaggio che soggiace in tutta la vicenda a me sembra la difesa della nostra umanità più profonda, in un tempo già reduce dalle barbarie e le persecuzioni naziste e sotto la minaccia atomica.
Sensibilità che appare sopratutto nei tantissimi personaggi. Culture e trascorsi diversi, confrontati dalla caccia agli elefanti, di fronte a cui si manifestano limiti e personali visioni. Personaggi approfonditi con grande bravura, ma mai definiti in modo univoco e preda come tutti noi di dubbi e soggetti ad evoluzione. Ciascuno così diverso e così assolutamente umano nel bene e nel male, ciascuno così solo, come ciascuno di noi. Tutto ciò mi è molto piaciuto, e vi ho ritrovato ciò che di Gary mi aveva colpito.
Mi ha meno convinto lo sviluppo della trama. Non perché l'idea non fosse più che brillante ed accattivante, ma perché ho avuto l'impressione che avesse bisogno di affinamenti, quasi ci fosse stata fretta nel mandare il romanzo alla stampa. Salti temporali e di luogo non mi sono sembrati così calibrati, a volte difficili da seguire. E forse anche l'estensione del romanzo non ne ha aiutato concentrazione ed intensità. Come se così lungo fosse fuori dalle corde dell'autore, o avesse solo bisogno di più elaborazione.
Quindi, bellissimo il messaggio di fondo sull'umanità e lo sviluppo delle personalità, in particolare Minna tedesca sopravvissuta alla sconfitta e Waitari leader politico tribale, due solitudini a confronto tra bisogno di redenzione e aspirazione a modernità e potere. Grandiosa l'ambientazione africana e la sua natura, anche se il contesto francese coloniale è apparso insieme valore aggiunto e limite. Da affinare la trama, ampia, forse da rifinire nei collegamenti, che a volte sembrano volutamente vaghi.
Bello? Si, comunque molto bello. E da leggere.
Dopo aver vissuto la profonda umanità de 'La vita davanti a sé', volevo ritrovare Romain Gary, prolifico e a me poco noto. Preso nota di diversi titoli, mi è capitato questo suo romanzo sugli elefanti, e non solo. In quello che fu considerato il primo romanzo ecologista anni '50, ho trovato di più che la difesa della natura. Il messaggio che soggiace in tutta la vicenda a me sembra la difesa della nostra umanità più profonda, in un tempo già reduce dalle barbarie e le persecuzioni naziste e sotto la minaccia atomica.
Sensibilità che appare sopratutto nei tantissimi personaggi. Culture e trascorsi diversi, confrontati dalla caccia agli elefanti, di fronte a cui si manifestano limiti e personali visioni. Personaggi approfonditi con grande bravura, ma mai definiti in modo univoco e preda come tutti noi di dubbi e soggetti ad evoluzione. Ciascuno così diverso e così assolutamente umano nel bene e nel male, ciascuno così solo, come ciascuno di noi. Tutto ciò mi è molto piaciuto, e vi ho ritrovato ciò che di Gary mi aveva colpito.
Mi ha meno convinto lo sviluppo della trama. Non perché l'idea non fosse più che brillante ed accattivante, ma perché ho avuto l'impressione che avesse bisogno di affinamenti, quasi ci fosse stata fretta nel mandare il romanzo alla stampa. Salti temporali e di luogo non mi sono sembrati così calibrati, a volte difficili da seguire. E forse anche l'estensione del romanzo non ne ha aiutato concentrazione ed intensità. Come se così lungo fosse fuori dalle corde dell'autore, o avesse solo bisogno di più elaborazione.
Quindi, bellissimo il messaggio di fondo sull'umanità e lo sviluppo delle personalità, in particolare Minna tedesca sopravvissuta alla sconfitta e Waitari leader politico tribale, due solitudini a confronto tra bisogno di redenzione e aspirazione a modernità e potere. Grandiosa l'ambientazione africana e la sua natura, anche se il contesto francese coloniale è apparso insieme valore aggiunto e limite. Da affinare la trama, ampia, forse da rifinire nei collegamenti, che a volte sembrano volutamente vaghi.
Bello? Si, comunque molto bello. E da leggere.
July 20, 2018
Libro con cui Romain Gary vinse il premio Goncourt nel 1956 (lo rivinse nel 1975, dribblando la regola dell'unica assegnazione per autore, con "La vita davanti a sé", firmato da un allora sconosciuto Émil Adjar): "Le radici del cielo" è un romanzo ambientato nell'allora Africa Equatoriale Francese a tema prioritario ambientalista, concentrato specialmente sulla condanna della strage di elefanti - trentamila uccisioni all'anno in quei tempi - dovute in parte a motivazioni alimentari, ma perlopiù al commercio dell'avorio "allo scopo di fabbricare tagliacarte e palle da biliardo". L'insistenza protratta sul tema e una certa farraginosità della trama alla lunga tendono a stancare, distanziando chiaramente quest'opera dalle migliori di Gary.
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