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ג'ורג' ברניני חוזר הביתה
ג'ורג' ברניני הוא בנם בן החמש של צמד לולייני טרפז בקרקס, הנוהגים להופיע ללא רשת ביטחון. לילה אחד קופצים השניים זה לזרועותיו של זה באוויר וצונחים אל מותם. ג'ורג' נשלח לפריז, אל דודו המופלא פריץ - איש בוהמה פוחז שאת חולשותיו לאלכוהול, לקלפים ולנשים אין לו שום כוונה לכבוש. תחת חסותו מגלה ג'ורג' הצעיר עולמות חדשים, מסעירים וחסרי כבולות. אך ההילולה נגמרת כאשר קרובי משפחה מהוגנים משיקגו מופיעים ומבקשים להציל את הנער מהשפעתו הרעה של הדוד פריץ. וכך מוצא עצמו ג'ורג' מעביר את שנות נעוריו בבית ספר פרטי בשיקגו האפרורית, בחברת סנובים עשירים ומשעממים ההופכים את חייו לבלתי נסבלים. ג'ורג' מחליט לברוח ולצאת למסע של חייו - בחזרה אל דודו האהוב פריץ.
- GenresFiction
337 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
About the author
Nicholas Meyer
46 books286 followersNicholas Meyer graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in theater and film-making, & is a film writer, producer, director and novelist best known for his involvement in the Star Trek films. He is also well known as the director for the landmark 1983 TV-Movie "The Day After", for which he was nominated for a Best Director Emmy Award. In 1977, Meyer was nominated for an Adapted Screenplay Academy Award for adapting his own 1974 novel, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, to the screen.
In addition to his work on Star Trek, Meyer has written several novels, and has written and/or directed several other films.Most notable being the 1983 made-for-television anti-nuclear movie The Day After.
Meyer wrote three Sherlock Holmes novels: The West End Horror, The Canary Trainer, and The Seven-Per-Cent Solution. The latter was Meyer's most famous Holmes novel and the project for which he was best known prior to his Star Trek involvement. It was also adapted into a 1976 film, directed by Herbert Ross, for which Meyer wrote the screenplay.
In addition to his work on Star Trek, Meyer has written several novels, and has written and/or directed several other films.Most notable being the 1983 made-for-television anti-nuclear movie The Day After.
Meyer wrote three Sherlock Holmes novels: The West End Horror, The Canary Trainer, and The Seven-Per-Cent Solution. The latter was Meyer's most famous Holmes novel and the project for which he was best known prior to his Star Trek involvement. It was also adapted into a 1976 film, directed by Herbert Ross, for which Meyer wrote the screenplay.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 17, 2008
I read this book a while ago so my memory is a little hazy, but I'm reviewing it anyway because if Goodreads is any indication, then virtually no one has heard of this book, and that needs to be rectified as quickly as possible.
Briefly, this is the story of George Bernini, orphan son of the Flying Berninis, circus acrobats who plummet to their deaths when George is still a young child (but don't worry, it's not THAT kind of book, whatever that means). George, who began his life in Manhattan in the 1950s, is shipped off to Paris to live with his uncle Fritz, under whose guidance George learns a good deal about life, art, alcohol and sex. Of course, at some point, 'respectable' relations appear out of nowhere (Chicago) and decide to take George away from all that inappropriateness and to give him a proper upbringing, which involves private school and a lot of rich, boring snobs who make his life miserable. Unsurprisingly, after a couple of years slogging through the American school system, George decides to make his escape.
For reasons incomprehensible to me, this book is something of a classic in Israel, where I grew up. So my first introduction to New York of the 1950s was through a Hebrew translation of "Confessions of a Homing Pigeon", with odd transliterations of words like "automat" and "malted" (when I read it later in English it all made a lot more sense). In fact, this book may be one of the reasons I fell in love with New York, or rather, the idea of New York as it used to be. Because this is very much a New York book, and George remains a New Yorker, even though he gets booted off the island at a tender age. I don't think I'll ever be able to walk through Central Park or visit the Eiffel Tower (I do both of those things almost every day) without thinking of George Bernini's adventures in those places, even though they're not really like that anymore.
Briefly, this is the story of George Bernini, orphan son of the Flying Berninis, circus acrobats who plummet to their deaths when George is still a young child (but don't worry, it's not THAT kind of book, whatever that means). George, who began his life in Manhattan in the 1950s, is shipped off to Paris to live with his uncle Fritz, under whose guidance George learns a good deal about life, art, alcohol and sex. Of course, at some point, 'respectable' relations appear out of nowhere (Chicago) and decide to take George away from all that inappropriateness and to give him a proper upbringing, which involves private school and a lot of rich, boring snobs who make his life miserable. Unsurprisingly, after a couple of years slogging through the American school system, George decides to make his escape.
For reasons incomprehensible to me, this book is something of a classic in Israel, where I grew up. So my first introduction to New York of the 1950s was through a Hebrew translation of "Confessions of a Homing Pigeon", with odd transliterations of words like "automat" and "malted" (when I read it later in English it all made a lot more sense). In fact, this book may be one of the reasons I fell in love with New York, or rather, the idea of New York as it used to be. Because this is very much a New York book, and George remains a New Yorker, even though he gets booted off the island at a tender age. I don't think I'll ever be able to walk through Central Park or visit the Eiffel Tower (I do both of those things almost every day) without thinking of George Bernini's adventures in those places, even though they're not really like that anymore.
December 30, 2009
This is such an endearing story, I didn't want it to end. George, who we follow to age 14 (a very old and experienced 14), is utterly humane - earnest, lovable, flawed - and sometimes I wanted to take him by the shoulders and shake him as he made bad choices for good reasons.
I came to this book because readers of my own novels said I was a similar writer of characters who you love for their flaws, their vulnerability, their humanity. Well, Nicholas Meyer did it better, and I bow to him.
I came to this book because readers of my own novels said I was a similar writer of characters who you love for their flaws, their vulnerability, their humanity. Well, Nicholas Meyer did it better, and I bow to him.
October 24, 2010
Another stunning book my great-grandmother gave me before she died. This book is my number one favorite non-series book ever. Dottie is such a dynamic character; I really didn't see the romance coming until it smacked me in the face! Granted, I /was/ in the sixth grade when I first read the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2022
לא משהו.
אפשר לדלג
אפשר לדלג
February 18, 2023
Fabulous. Could not put it down. Must read it again and see if I have the same opinion now all these years later. I've schlepped it from house to house so the least I can do is read it again.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews