عظماء وأحلام مزعجة

by Bertrand Russell, نصار عبد الله (Translator), برتراند رسل

Nightmares, says Bertrand Russell, are very revealing phenomena, for they represent people's fears that their dominant passion will not be fulfilled. So if you take as diverse a group of people as Stalin, Eisenhower, Dean Acheson, the Queen of Sheba, and Dr Bowdler (notorious Shakespearian censor) - not to mention an anonymous mathematician, psychoanalyst, metaphysician, and existentialist - then their respective nightmares ought to tell us a great deal about human nature, if only we knew them. And now we do, with Lord Russell's help! To say more would be to give away the fun - and the shocks; for these are warnings are well as fantasies.

The other stories in this book agreeably mix satire and whimsy.

Genres: Fiction, Philosophy, Short Stories, Fantasy, Classics, Satire, Religion

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1954

About the author

Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRS, was a Welsh philosopher, historian, logician, mathematician, advocate for social reform, pacifist, and prominent rationalist. Although he was usually regarded as English, as he spent the majority of his life in England, he was born in Wales, where he also died.

He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950 "in recognition of his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought."

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stalin tries to lead a group of Quakers - only one of the 'nightmares' in this book. Russell is a very hard philosopher to understand; not surprising considering his view on the limits of human knowledge. In my limited reading (and even more limited understanding) of Russell it seems to me that he believes knowledge is always suspect; but most men do not suspect this when applying knowledge to problems. Of all his works I think that this is his most approachable text.

[Peiman E iran · Rating 5 out of 5]

دوستانِ گرانقدر، داستان در موردِ شخصی متدین و خداپرست است به نامِ «تادیوس»، که خواب میبیند مرده است و راهیِ « بهشت» شده است
هدفِ این داستان این است که نشان دهد ما انسانها و کرۀ زمین به اندازۀ یک ذرۀ اتم و حتی کوچکتر از آن در این جهان و کهکشانهایش هستیم، و آنگونه که گفته اند و خیال میکنیم با ارزشترین موجوداتِ جهان نیستیم
در زیر خلاصه ای از این داستانِ زیبا را برایتان مینویسم... درود بر « برتراند راسل» و یادش گرامی باد
وقتی «تادیوس» به بهشت میرسد، نگهبان به او میگوید تو کیستی؟ « تادیوس» میگوید: انسانی شریف و متدین هستم... نگهبان با تعجب میگوید: انسان! « انسان» دیگر چیست؟؟ « تادیوس» میگوید: انسان اشرفِ مخلوقات و برترین آفریدة خالقِ یگانه است... نگهبان میگوید: من تردید دارم که هرگز كسي در این جا دربارۀ آنچه تو انسانش مي نامي چیزي شنیده باشد
خلاصه نگهبان، کتابدارِ خدا را خبر میکند و کتابدار می آید و با تعجب به « تادیوس» نگاه کرده و از کتابدار میپرسد: این دیگر چه موجودیست؟!! نگهبان در جواب میگوید: این ميگوید یكي از انواع است که « انسان» نام دارد و در « زمین» زندگي مي كند، و تصورات عجیب و غریبي دارد مبني بر این که آفریدگار علاقۀ خاصي به این مكان و این گونه ای که انسان نامیده شده، دارد
کتابدار گفت: حالا این زمین کجاست؟... « تادیوس» گفت: بخشی از منظومۀ شمسی است
کتابدار گفت: آهان، راه شیري یكي از کهکشانهاست. یكي از آن صدها میلیون کهکشانی که وجود دارد... 3 هفته طول میکشد تا اسناد و مدارکِ مربوط به راهِ شیری را پیدا کنند تا ببینند چه بوده است
بعد از 4 سال موجودی 4 چهره و خسته ای آمد و گفت: در موردِ « زمین» اطلاعات کسب کردم، پس از بررسي هایِ دقیق متوجه شدم که حداقل برخي از سیاره ها دارايِ زوائدي انگلي هستند که « زمین» هم جزئی از آنهاست و اهمیت ندارد
در این هنگام، « تادیوس» با حالتی خشمگین و برآشفته گفت: چرا؟؟؟ آخر چرااا؟ پروردگار این را تاكنون از ما ساكنانِ بیچاره و مفلوكِ زمین پنهان كرده بود که این تنها ما انسانها نبودیم که او را در آفرینشِ آسمان ها تشویق و ترغیب كرده و مي ستودیم. من در سراسرِ عمرِ دراز خود، با جدیت و تلاش پي گیر و از روي اخلاص به او خدمت كردم، با این باور که خدمتم را در نظر دارد و باسعادت و نعمتِ ابدي پاداشم میدهد. و اكنون چنین پیداست که او حتي از وجودم نیز باخبر نبوده است.... تو مي گویي که من موجودِ ذره بیني و ناچیزي درمجموعة سیصد میلیارد ستاره اي هستم که خودِ آن تنها یكي از صدها میلیون چنین مجموعه هایي است!!... نه ... دیگر بس است... نمي توانم این وضع را تحمل كنم... پرستشِ پروردگار بیش از این برایم ممكن نیست
نگهبان گفت : پس اكنون ميتواني به جايِ دیگري بروي

دوستانِ بزرگوار، امیدوارم پسندیده باشید
پیروز باشید و ایرانی

[Argos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Felsefeci, yazar, savaş karşıtı, insan hakları ve özgürlükler için politik bir aktivist olan B. Russell’den kimisi fantastik, kimisi gerçekçi ama hepsi de “insanın” zaaflarının, hırslarının, kötücül veya zavallı yanlarının kabus şeklinde anlatıldığı oniki etkileyici öykü. Herbirinde bir mesaj, bir çıktı var, kimisi güldürürken kimisi öfkelendiriyor. Ortak noktaları insanın “aklına mukayyet” etmemesi halinde olabilecek (hatta olan) sonuçları göstermesi.

Öykülerden birisi için (Dean Acheson’ın Kabusu) internette kısa bir bilgilenme ihtiyacı duydum, diğerleri bilindik kişi veya olaylar hakkında. Shakespeare ve eserlerindeki kahramanların yer aldığı “Psikanalistin Kabusu” çok eğlenceli, “Matematikçinin Kabusu” çok zekice, “Stalin’in Kabusu” ve “Eisenhower’in Kabusu” yetkin kara mizah örnekleri olarak okunuyor. “Zahatopolk” isimli uzun öyküsü yaklaşık 50 sayfa ve mükemmel, kitabın kalbi. İnsanların yaşayan en zalim, en kötü, en acımasız canlı türü olduklarını ve binlerce yıldan beri bunun sürdüğünü, ve de süreceğini gösteren çok iyi bir metin. Son hikaye ise halen yaşananların fantastik bir toparlaması.

Kendisini tam olarak bir kategoriye dahil etmeyen (liberal, sosyalist, pasifist) ve analitik felsefenin kurucularından, aynı zamanda çok iyi bir matematikçi olan Bertrand Russell antiemperyalist ve barış yanlısı tutumuyla kötü insanlığa bile iyi gelebilecek bir düşünce insanı. Keyifle okudum, zaten çok rahat okunuyor, öneririm.

[Araz Goran · Rating 2 out of 5]

القراءة الأولى للعم راسل وللأسف لم تكن قراءة موفقة .. بدأت معه بـ هذه المجموعة القصصية والتي في معظمها ذات طابع فلسفي وربما لم يكن الأختيار صحيحاً بالنسبة لي، يدخلك في متاهات فلسفية ومنطقية معقدة محيرة والتي تعبر عن آرائه بأسلوب قصصي..

[فايز غازي Fayez Ghazi]

هذا الكتاب هو مثال حي عن "الترجمة العقيمة"، خصوصًا من منتصفه حتى نهايته. تراكيب جملية غير مفهومة بمعظمها.

حلم مستر باودلر و"تهذيب" شكسبير كانت مثيرة للإهتمام. حلم المحلل النفسي وإعادة صياغة شخصيات شكسبير بأصواتها كانت ممتعة. "حلم ستالين" كانت غاية في السخرية وحام الميتافيزيقي والحوارات في النار ونقد النقّاد الأدبيين كانت جيدة جدًا.

لن أقيّم الكتاب لسوء ترجمته.

[Ayeh · Rating 3 out of 5]

در اين‌ هنگام‌ دكتر تاديوس‌ با حالتي‌ برآشفته‌ و خشم‌آلود فرياد زد: چرا. آه‌آخر چرا، پروردگار اين‌ را تاكنون‌ از ما ساكنان‌ بيچاره‌ و مفلوك‌ زمين‌ پنهان‌كرده‌ بود كه‌ اين‌ تنها ما نبوديم‌ كه‌ او را در آفرينش‌ آسمان‌ها تشويق‌ و ترغيب‌كرده‌ مي‌ستوديم‌. من‌ در سراسر عمر دراز خود با جديت‌ و تلاش‌ پي‌گير و ازروي‌ اخلاص‌ به‌ او خدمت‌ كردم‌، با اين‌ باور كه‌ خدمتم‌ را در نظر دارد و باسعادت‌ و نعمت‌ ابدي‌ پاداشم‌ مي‌دهد. و اكنون‌ چنين‌ پيداست‌ كه‌ او حتي‌ ازوجودم‌ نيز باخبر نبوده‌ است‌. تو مي‌گويي‌ كه‌ من‌ موجود ذره‌بيني‌ ناچيزي‌ درمجموعة‌ سيصدميليارد ستاره‌اي‌ هستم‌ كه‌ خود آن‌ تنها يكي‌ از صدها ميليون‌چنين‌ مجموعه‌يي‌ است‌. نه‌... ديگر بس‌ است‌. نمي‌توانم‌ اين‌ وضع‌ را تحمل‌كنم‌. پرستش‌ پروردگار بيش‌ از اين‌ برايم‌ ممکن نیست .
نگهبان‌ گفت‌: پس‌ اكنون‌ مي‌تواني‌ به‌ جاي‌ ديگري‌ بروي‌.
در اين‌ هنگام‌ متألة‌ رانده‌ شده‌ با هيجان‌ و چهره‌اي‌ خسته‌ و رنگ‌باخته‌ ازخواب‌ بيدار شد و زيرلب‌ غريد: ببين‌، قدرت‌ شيطان‌ حتي‌ در تخيل‌ ما به‌هنگام‌خواب‌ نيز وحشتناك‌ و ترس‌آور است‌.

[Sheena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was disappointed with 'Satan in the Suburbs' so if you've read and been unimpressed with that, you still might like this.

The 'Nightmares' are mostly witty satires on various species of what Russell would call 'humbug': religion, mysticism, prudery, psychoanalysis and imperialism. Being dreams, they are often surreal: Shakespearean characters discuss their neuroses in purgatory; a mathematician finds himself in the middle of dancing numbers.

The best of the collection is the long story 'Zahatopolk', a wry parable about religion, set in the distant future. Like all Russell's fiction, it is more concerned with the moral than with either the story or rounded characters, but the moral is such a good one that I don't mind that. What I find so appealing about Russell is his combination of intellectual honesty and compassion. He reminds me, particularly with this story, of how good people can be.

'Faith & Mountains', the last story in the collection, has much the same theme as 'Zahatopolk'. However, rather than being a mere repetition it gives a twist to the preceding story by stressing, in the end, a melancholy aspect of scepticism.

[Harry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bertrand Russell - one of the most celebrated philosphers of the 20th century - wrote Nightmares of Eminent Persons and Other Stories in the 1950s, at which point he was in his 80s and nearing the twilight years of a long and illustrious career in nonfiction. This collection of short stories is varied in its themes and settings, but leans heavily on contemporary political satire now 70 years out of date and as a result it has not aged particularly well, unlike some of his philosophical works. I am interested in history but my knowledge of the postwar period is not great, so the nightmares relating to Einsenhower et al didn't really do much for me.

I found my attention wandering a lot and nearly gave up a couple of times, despite the low page count. The final couple of stories turned out to be the strongest works in the collection; oddly, both of them dropped the 'nightmares of eminent persons' theme altogether and dealt with visions of the future. Zahatopolk is one of the more serious tales in the collection. It's set in a future dystopia in which a resurgent (but sadly theocratic and thoroughly fascistic) Inca empire dominates the globe until it's brought down by conscientious rebels via science and reason. The final story, Faith and Mountains, charts the ultimate implosion of two absurist religious ideologies in the vein of scientology who have been competing for global supremacy whilst swelling the coffers of their founders. Both of these stories deal with issues that preoccupied Russell in his nonfiction, though I have to say that those works are far more effective.

I'd recommend anyone interested in dipping into Russell's work steer clear of these, or at least read his more celebrated nonfiction works first.

[Lientur Alkaman Kurüfilu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un grupo de historias que satiriza a políticos y teólogos y muestra cómo, a pesar de las diferencias, eñ ser humano puede encontrar formas de vida conjunta, pacífica y en pos del bien común. Destila a lo largo de su obra su postura política, basada en la ciencia, el ateísmo y el bien superior de todos los seres humanos.
Sí me gustó

[mona aghazade · Rating 3 out of 5]

جالب بود
حس می کنم حقیقتشم همینه
ما مثل یه نقطه ناچیزی در این جهان هستیم و تمام افکار در مورد مرگ و دنیای بعد مرگ زایده ذهنخود بشر و در اخرم باز هم می رسیم به این موضوع که مذهب شوخ سنگینی بود که محیط با ما کرد !

[نوري · Rating 2 out of 5]

لا أنكر إنها مجموعة قصصية من تأليف راسل تتحدث عن أحلام بعض المشاهير أو العظماء ما أطلق عليهم -بالرغم أن معظمهم ليسوا كذلك- في البداية كانت إنطلاقة جيدة ثم لا أعلم حقيقة ما الفخ الذي وقع فيه الكاتب حتى وجدت نفسي لا أفهم شيء. لا أدري هل تعثر أو تلعثم أو ماذا؟

[Raunaq · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Zahatapolk" and "Faith and Mountains" are some amazingly written short stories. Probably the highlights of this book. All the other stories in the beginning aren't as memorable or complicated as the last 2 but still a good read.

[Hamid · Rating 4 out of 5]

داستانی است کوتاه در مورد شخصی به نام تادیوس که در خواب می بیند که به بهشت رفته است. اما پس از پرس و جو متوجه میشود که هیچ چیز خاص و خارق العاده ای در مورد کهکشان ، منظومه شمسی و زمین و حتی حیات بر روی آن وجود ندارد. او می فهمد که راه شیری یکی از میلیاردها کهکشانی است که در جهان وجود دارد. خورشید نیز یک ستاره متوسط است که نمونه آن در کهکشان بسیار زیاد است. سیارات مشابه زمین نیز بسیار فراوان یافت می شوند و در نهایت با موجوداتی عجیب روبرو و هم صحبت می شود که نشان می دهد حیات بر روی زمین نیز چیز منحصر به فردی نیست. نومیدی در چهره اش موج می زند چرا که انتظار چنین چیزی را نداشت. او گمان می کرد خداوند توجه ویژه ای به منظومه شمسی و زمین و حیات روی آن داشته اما ظاهرا چنین نبوده است.

[Nath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed these short stories, some of them are probably meant as political commentary at the time but a lot of them are quite universal. Would highly recommend, easy to read and you can think about it to whatever depths you please.

[Sabahun Jajiba]

বইটা একটা উপহার হিসেবে পেয়েছিলাম। ছোট বই আর দুঃস্বপ্ন ব্যাপারটার টানে পড়া শুরু করি।
বইয়ের শুরুতেই লেখা ছিলো এটা রাজনৈতিক প্রহসন বা নিছক ফ্যান্টাসি হিসেবে অনেকে মনে করেন। যাই হোক, আমার মতে রাজনৈতিক ইতিহাস বা অস্তিত্ববাদ বা গণিতের মতো অনেক বিষয়ে সুন্দর ধারণা না থাকলে ভীতর থেকে আনন্দ নেয়াটা কষ্টকর। আর অনুবাদটাও খুব আকর্ষণীয় লাগে নি। কিন্ত আশা করি আরো একটু বিষয়াদি নিয়ে পড়াশুনা করার পর হয়তো বইটার পূর্ণ স্বাদ গ্রহণ করতে পারবো।

[Raúl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Un título fascinante para una serie de historias de fantasía de corte científico nque le deben mucho a H. G. Wells, pero sin esa capacidad de Wells para dejarnos llevar por lo lírico, lo fatal, lo humano. Un libro que acaba decepcionando, más interesado por llevarnos a lo alegórico que por explorar las posibilidades de la ficción y de lo orínico.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty very short stories of what the title says. Then two longer dystopian stories lampooning racism and religion. At times a little slow and at times quite funny. Zahatopolk touched on the cyclical search for the divine, which I would connect to interest in royalty or big personality leaders. Faith and Mountains could also be an allegory of polarized political parties.

[Erik Graff · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having become acquainted with Russell in high school as a peace activist, then having a college friend date one of his grand-daughters while on a year abroad at the University of Kent in Canterbury, I was intrigued to discover that he had written fiction as well as philosophy and political tracts.

Although Russell is a decent writer overall, he would have been well advised not to have tried literature. The stories are satirical but their objects (Eisenhower, Dean Acheson, Stalin etc.) are often dated.

[Liedzeit Liedzeit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really nice. One nightmare is about a man who cleaned up Shakespeare from the filth. But his wife is already infected. One star about a future society where the Indians are the superior race. A girls wants to change society (she does not like the fact that it is assumed a privilege for a girl to become a sacrifice for the gods being consumed by the priest before that. She gets burned for this. Her boy friend manages to overthrow the regime only to be deified some time later and so establishing the next Theocracy.

[Squib · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was curious about this book after seeing it referenced in the first chapter of Mossner's biography of David Hume and it sounded like a short but amusing book, which was enough to make me buy it at the very low price of 7 shillings. It's divided up into 10 short stories and two novella length stories.

The short stories vary from being childishly moralistic to being genuinely funny, with my favorite being Dean Acheson's Nightmare in which the anti-communist senator Acheson is put on trial for sedition and experienced a vision of the last president of the USA boldly declaring the eternal, moral superiority of the USA as the country is overwhelmed by Mexican communists. Ancheson then confesses his nightmare to his lawyer, who then uses this confession to have him tried as a madman instead of a criminal. Incredibly deadpan, dry British humor.

The two novellas were Ok. But Zahatopolk spent so much time describing how a neo-Mesoamerican empire came to be, it leaves little time to develop the characters and then rushed towards the conclusion. Faith and Mountains is better as it feels more relatable to today on how corporations can manufacture artificial fake ideologies to create more money and the overall story flow feels more even. Both novellas felt obvious and juvenile but I think such stories are still relevant today.

[Ta Tuyet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cuốn này viết khá trào phúng, và đôi lúc là báng bổ đối với tôn giáo. Có lẽ Bertrand Russell là một người vô thần? Những cơn ác mộng viết về những chuyện khó có thể xảy ra hoặc gần như trái ngược với đời thực khiến mình thấy giống với thế giới phản địa đàng trong khoa học viễn tưởng. Tuy nhiên, truyện ngắn của Bertrand Russell chủ yếu bàn luận về vấn đề tôn giáo với đạo đức và hành vi con người nên mình không xếp cuốn này vào khoa học viễn tưởng.

"Zahatopolk" giống như đảo ngược lịch sử giữa người da trắng và người da đỏ. "Đức tin và Núi" thì giống như vô vàn những câu chuyện bánh vẽ, lợi dụng đức tin để những nhóm người vô tri hoang dã có chỗ bám víu về mặt tinh thần. Cả 2 truyện ngắn này đều xoay quanh một câu hỏi lớn về nhân sinh: Ta sẽ lựa chọn sống trong mông muội êm đềm hay đối diện với sự thật chân phương nhưng tàn khốc của thế giới?

[Víctor Sampayo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Relatos que pretenden ser satíricos pero que, a fuerza de una prosa áspera y un humor negro con muy escasa fortuna, por momentos emanan más bien un tufillo moralino. Uno concluye que la narrativa no era el fuerte de Bertrand Russell...

[Kinosfronimos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just brilliant. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

[Thomas Covert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always hold doubt, but make sure to believe in something

[Humaira · Rating 4 out of 5]

some of my favourite short stories to pick up

[Ignacio Azpiazu · Rating 3 out of 5]

kind of a strange books considering my other readings on the author.
The edition is beautiful and a joy to read.

[Cuddle Spike]

Maybe Papa's favorite philosopher, I'm on a minor quest to read what I can of BR's writing. I found the stories in this collection very characteristic of mid-20th century post-WWII European thinking.
Enjoyed some of the stories more than other but overall a meh experience.

[Moa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I might just not have "got it", but not as interesting or witty a work as it feels like it's trying to be. While I thought it would be the most annoying to read, as it was longer than the very short stories before, one of the later stories inside called "Zahatopolk" saved this collection for me.

Also, Men Writing Women syndrome at some parts. Ehhhh.

[فيصل · Rating 2 out of 5]

الكتاب عبارة عن مجموعة قصصية لشخصيات تاريخية مختارة وكوابيس مخيفة تهجم عليهم. راسل قارئ نهم لكتب التاريخ وسبر أغوار العديد من الشخصيات المركزية. فهذه المجموعة القصصية هي محاولة منه لمزج الانطباعات التي تكونت عنده أثناء قراءته لتلك السير والمخاوف التي -ربما- طرأت عليهم أثناء حياتهم على شكل أحلام مزعجة. واختيار راسل للأحلام سمة تتكرر في قصصه كونه يتبنى نظرية فرويد للأحلام حيث أنها وسيلة تلجأ لها النفس لتحقيق رغباتها ومتنفس من المخاوف المكبوتة.

هي مجموعة لطيفة وظريفة ولا أظن بأن لها قيمة فنية حقيقية وقراءتي لها من باب الدهشة من أن يكون راسل صاحب العقلية الرياضية المنطقية الصارمة التي درس الرياضيات لكونها " لاإنسانية" يتجه لكتابة القصص . بالنسبة لي أحببت كابوس ستالين وملكة سبأ وضحكت كثيراً من كابوس عالم الرياضيات التي تتراقص الأعداد حوله.

[Shahriar Kabir · Rating 3 out of 5]

লেখাস্বপ্ন পড়ে যে ঘোরের স্বপ্ন দেখলাম তার মধ্যে পাক খাচ্ছি।
মহারথীদের স্বপ্নগুলোয় মহারথীরা যতটা না বড় তাদের স্বপ্নগুলো তার চেয়ে বড় মহারথের।
বৈশ্বিক, প্রভাববিস্তারকারী ঘটনার ইঙ্গিত।
প্রহসন- তাও দুঃস্বপ্ন, কয়েকটা জগত- তাও সে জগতের মাত্র একজনের কাছে ধরাচিত্র!
হাত দিয়ে দুঃস্বপ্ন দেখানো যায়- বার্ট্রান্ড রাসেলের এই কল্পবিশ্লেষণ একেকটা কূটনীতি পাঠ।
দশ দুঃস্বপ্ন, দশদিক-দুনিয়া, একহাতে ঘুমাইয়া।