Bernard Foy's Third Castling

by Lars Gustafsson, Yvonne L. Sandstroem (Translator)

Traces three alternate lives for Bernard Foy, as a rabbi, a poet, and a juvenile delinquent

Genres: Swedish Literature, Novels, Sweden, Fiction, Scandinavian Literature

260 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Lars Gustafsson was a Swedish poet, novelist and scholar. He completed his secondary education at the Västerås gymnasium and continued to Uppsala University; he received his Licentiate degree in 1960 and was awarded his Ph.D. in Theoretical Philosophy in 1978. He lived in Austin, Texas until 2003, and has recently returned to Sweden. From 1983 he served as a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, where he taught Philosophy and Creative Writing, until May 2006, when he retired. In 1981 Gustafsson converted to Judaism.

Reviews

[Meike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This meta detective story seems to have huge clout among literary scholars, but it is less well-known among average readers (except probably in Gustafsson's native Sweden). In an extravaganza of Laurent Binet-like proportions, this author gives us three plots, each centering on the title-giving Bernard Foy - but it's a different one in every rendition: One is a rabbi from Houston with James-Bond-like qualities who is caught up in a crime scheme, the second one is an old Swedish poet who writes a thriller, and the third one is a Swedish teenager who also writes and yada yada yada (this plot is out of control). Oh, and the characters are connected as they are turned into fictional characters by the following Foys. Yup, this is catnip for people who research life-writing and metafiction.

As this was first published in 1986, lots of theory that might be applied wasn't even written yet, so Gustafsson himself refers to Descartes when elaborating on his concept. There is also some magical realism, references abound, and it's all quite A LOT, but also well-made and fun for people who like literature that is crafted like a game, like three-dimensional chess with leitmotifs, recurring ideas and riddles.

It's not an ideal example for the paper on autofiction I'm currently putting together, but it plays on the aspect of contingent identity construction, so let's see what I can do with it. Speaking strictly about enjoyment, I found it a little too self-contained, and then this 19th century narrative voice - aaargh. When it comes to extreme meta fiction, I prefer the daring wit and sharp imagination of works like The Seventh Function of Language.

[James Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember being mesmerized by the unique fictional world(s)of this novel. the author manages to narrate three disparate lives, all belonging to characters with the same name, done with a voice reminiscent of my favorite nineteenth century novels. At the same time it is a philosophical tour de force in three long sections from Swedish writer who also wrote Death of a Beekeeper (The Tennis Players; Funeral Music for Freemasons; etc.). This was my introduction to his work and it was an astounding discovery. At its best, it is intellectually challenging in the tradition of Borges or Calvino.
The title is an obvious metaphorical reference to the game of chess, but the novel's complexity goes beyond that of mere characters moved about on a chessboard. Bernard Foy is alternatively an American rabbi who gets caught up in an episode of international intrigue, an 83-year-old poet unable to finish his memoirs because he's lost his memory, and a gifted juvenile delinguent who is writing a novel that contains poetry, vanishing with Baudelaire's poems into a bog. Though self-indulgent at times, the book is witty and engaging, and Gustafsson has it both ways: in a ruminative 19th-century voice, he's written a brilliantly contemporary novel, a playful chess game that cancels itself out.
It is truly indescribable and must be experienced; it can be frustrating, but it is a brilliant conception.

[May Hylander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Det var helt klart en upplevelse!

[The Tick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. I was intrigued by the concept of the story. The problem (and I don't know if this was a translation issue or if the original story was like this too) was that the prose was incredibly difficult to wade through. I often found myself having to go back and reread passages because they just didn't make sense, and sometimes they didn't make sense upon the reread either.

[Håkan Torevik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jag blir som så ofta med herr Gustafssons verk, alldeles lycklig av att läsa Bernard Foys tredje rockad. Titelfiguren själv är en ung rabbin som genom förväxlingar dras in i en internationell spionkupp, men i själva verket är romanfigur i en gammal akademiledamots sista, dementa kreativa utlopp, som i själva verket är ett sätt för en brådmogen, föräldralös sextonåring att våga uttrycka sina dikter i ett fiktivt ramverk.

Alla inkarnationer av Bernard Foy är människor som glider genom sprickorna i väggen till något annat, okänt och utanför den lilla, välbekant kvävande världen. Det är långt från någon perfekt roman men sättet han använder sitt arv från bland andra Borges och Sartre blir ändå så otroligt lyckat när han låter det växa i en ursvensk mylla av folkhemssatir.

Gustafssons poetiska formuleringskonst gör språket njutbart och det hände mer än en gång att jag stannade vid någon särskilt vältalig fras för att läsa den igen.

[Anders Kauranen · Rating 2 out of 5]

En gång om året brukar jag läsa en bok av Lars Gustafsson. Jag hade sett fram mot årets bok för det är tydligen den mest sålda och mest utlånade av hans böcker. Tyvärr tycker inte jag att det är den bästa boken han skrivit. Den har inte åldrats särskilt väl. Det kalla kriget är slut sedan länge, det Sverige som författaren hyser sådan antipati till finns inte heller längre och metoorörelsen har satt ljuset på gubbsnusket som tydligen var helt OK när boken skrevs. Dessutom tycker jag att bokens röds tråd är så tunn att den stundtals faktiskt brister i berättandet. Hoppas att nästa års bok blir bättre.

[Joseph Sverker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rolig bok. Annorlunda deckare även om jag tycker avslutet var något avhugget.

[Yrsa Anckers · Rating 4 out of 5]

väldigt spännande och helt förvirrande berättelsen om en förvirrad man som följer sin nyfikenhet

[Barak · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting ars-poetical story composed out of three shorter stories/threads which intertwine, the latter ones informing those before them, and in the centre of them all the figure of Bernard Foy as a character, author, poet and some other configurations as well. I have quite enjoyed this postmodern and non-linear work of fiction.

[Carl]

Mycket intressant, men jag blir kanske aldrig klar med det.

[Jonas Wiklund · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lars Gustafsson experimenterar med romanformen med ovanligt läsvärt resultat.

[Yaronkretchmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

just read this book. the plot(s) are twisted, the atmosphere calm and very swedish.