America, America

by Elia Kazan

"America, America!" These words are the vision of a young man, Starvos Topouzoglou, 20 years old and ablaze with the dream of a new, far-off world. Nothing can stand in his way. AMERICA, AMERICA is about immigration, the tyranny of our ancestors' homelands and the obsessive drive that brought our families to this country. It is difficult for us to imagine the realities of our heritage, but Elia Kazan shows us how the America we know today emerged from our forefathers' drive for a life of greater freedom and opportunity.

Genres: Fiction, American, Film, 20th Century

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1961

About the author

Credits of Turkish-born American stage and film director Elia Kazan include A Streetcar Named Desire (1947) of Tennessee Williams and the movies On the Waterfront (1954) and East of Eden (1955).

This award-winning theatrical producer, screenwriter, and novelist co-founded of the influential actors studio in New York in 1947. Kazan won Academy Award thrice, Tony Award five times, and Golden Globes four times and received numerous awards and nominations in other prestigious festivals as the Cannes film festival and the Venice film festival.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elia_Kazan

Reviews

[Boris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went to Turkey. I read this book. It reads like a movie. You don't know what will happen. I bought a rug. I now know what that rug means to the girl who made it.
It's hard for me to like Turkey after reading this short book. I loved the book. Kudos to Elia Kazan. He knows how to tell a story.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um pequeno livrinho que me intrigou desde o primeiro momento em que o vi. Estava num daqueles armazéns pertencentes a associações solidárias que recolhem e vendem recheios de casas, deslocado entre os livros policiais. A "camuflagem" foi quase eficaz e foi mesmo por muito pouco que não me passou despercebido, não fosse o nome "Elia Kazan" ter-me despertado a atenção.

Elia Kazan.. o realizador que "descobriu" Marlon Brando e James Dean? Encenador e/ou realizador de obras tão conhecidas de Tennessee Williams (como "Um Eléctrico Chamado Desejo" ou "Gata em Telhado de Zinco Quente"), Arthur Miller ("Morte de Um Caixeiro Viajante") ou John Steinbeck (A Leste do Paraíso)? Seria o mesmo Elia Kazan? A contracapa confirmou que sim, mas que título seria este? O cineasta escrevera um livro? Seria um guião?

As minhas perguntas não demoraram muito a ter resposta e foi com muito interesse que li a Nota do Editor e o divertido texto introdutório de autoria de S.N. Behrman intitulado "A Audácia de um Realizador".

Esclarece-se por exemplo que ao iniciar este América América, Elia Kazan pretendia escrever o guião para um filme, mas que o resultado final se revelou algo mais, uma obra literária que poderia existir por si mesma, ainda que o filme nunca chegasse a ser realizado (a pesquisa google revelou-me que o filme foi realizado por Kazan em 1963).

O tema do livro é a emigração. Kazan, também ele um emigrante nos Estados Unidos, ter-se-á baseado na história verdadeira de seu tio. O livro conta-nos a história de Stavros, um jovem grego da Turquia e do seu sonho de ir para os Estados Unidos. É uma história dura, de perseverança face às dificuldades, sobre sobrevivência e sobre o preço a pagar para manter vivos os sonhos.

Terminei este livro no mesmo dia em que o iniciei, o que para mim diz muito sobre a forma como esta história me prendeu. Lê-se muito rapidamente e com grande facilidade. O estilo é simples, muito perto do que seria um "guião puro". Ler este livro foi mesmo uma experiência muito similar à de ver um filme.

O autor apresenta-nos um conjunto de cenas, de imagens, de falas e de ações, onde tudo se sucede muito rapidamente. Para mim, apesar de ter gostado bastante e ter considerado que este estilo "cinematográfico" resultou e que esta história foi bem contada, no final ficou-me a "faltar qualquer coisa. Talvez um pouco mais de profundidade, de substância, de palavras...mais palavras. Fiquei até com pena que uma história tão boa não tivesse beneficiado de todo o potencial das palavras.

Tem no entanto o potencial das imagens, o das ações, a força arrebatadora das suas personagens. É sem dúvida um bom "filme"😁 (e fora de brincadeiras, se me "cruzar" com o filme irei com certeza vê-lo porque ler o livro despertou muito essa vontade)

[Amir · Rating 1 out of 5]

خیلی ضعیف بود، از الیا کازان انتظار نداشتم.
چون همیشه داستان های سفر به امریکا جالبه به خوندنش ادامه دادم وگرنه هیچ قابل خوندن نبود.
البته باید بگم که ترجمه نسخه ای که من خوندم هم خیلی بد بود.

[Donald Trump (Parody) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about immigrants at a time when that wasn't a dirty word. I swear anybody come from Turkey today would be half a terrorist. But this is a standup guy, like some of the characters I knew on 7th Ave and Atlantic City. No whining about "lost kids" and boo hoo hoo like these Mexicans today. I don't know what they're complaining about, kids are a nuisance. Besides, we're keeping them nice and warm in those cages, I know they can get pretty hot, but we trained those ICE Warriors how to say "Don't touch the bars!" in Spanish s0 they don't get burnt. #complicatedbusiness

[Nara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very important to me. It's a story of survival of an Ottoman citizen during the height of the Hamidian Massacres in 1884, as he tries to escape to America. It is a beautiful story.

[Sharon]

This deceptively small book is the true story of the early life of author Elia Kazan's uncle, but contains the story of countless immigrants who prevailed against impossible odds to reach America. Kazan was a director, producer, actor, and writer, and the story of Stavros unfolds as if ready for the stage or silver screen--and in fact was filmed the following year, with Kazan writing the screenplay and directing.

The story had particular significance for me. My paternal grandfather was from the same part of the world as Kazan's protagonist Stavros. Cyprus was already a British protectorate, no longer under the exclusive rule of the Ottoman Turks, when my grandfather was born. I don't really know my grandfather's full story--I don't think he endured quite the same setbacks on his journey here--but Kazan's sort novel illuminates my own grandfather's life as no non-fiction account has ever done for me.

[Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

This work is part novel and part script. In it, director and writer Elia Kazan describes the difficulties for minorities living in Turkey at the turn of the century and the greater difficulty of leaving for the new world.

Stravos sees and experiences discrimination, poverty, duplicity and thuggery. He is single minded. He makes up his mind to go to America.

There is a 1950’s simplicity in this story.The narrator is uncritical of the protagonist who perseveres with luck and pluck. There is no follow up, so you can only imagine what happens to his well meaning family and the humiliation of his kindly benefactor and his daughter.

Kazan says that this based on the story of his uncle.

[Simone Subliminalpop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Storia di un giovane greco che parte dall'Anatolia, sulle spalle tutte le aspettative della famiglia e dei loro pochi averi, con il progetto comune e condiviso di recarsi a Costantinopoli per diventare socio in affari di un cugino, ma con l'intimo segreto invece di raggiungere il ben più lontano e agognato sogno dell'America.
Un romanzo breve pieno di imprevisti, raccontato in modo semplice, a tratti sembra quasi la sceneggiatura del suo omonimo film (1 Oscar e 3 nominations nel 1964), e che descrive, spesso sottolinea, le difficoltà del diventare uomini e rincorrere i propri sogni.

http://www.subliminalpop.com/?p=4791

[John Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Violence, cunning, cruelty, murder, sex, poverty, degradation, filth, wealth, duplicity, power, cheating, lying, love, tenderness, loyality, truth, and clarity are all interworven between the covers of in this slim volume. Easy to read and infectious to follow this young man's dream to achieving freedom from the shackles of corruption into the storied land of liberty. My heart beat faster as I turned each page, reading the awful inequities and travisties he underwent. Throughout the horrors he remained true to himself. A lesson in perseverance of the human spirit. Bravo.

[Jcb · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great little book.

*SPOILER ALERT*

The reader follows a young Greek living in Turkey, as he desperately strives to leave there and get to the promised land: America, America. I loved all the detail; Kazan does a nice job of putting us into the mind of someone in the late 1800's. An old-ish book that feels very fresh.

Highly recommended.

[Bobby Damore · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've seen the movie, you've read the book and vice versa. It reads a little more like a script than a novel. I'm not sure which one actually came first. Still a good story and an accurate portrayal of minority life under the Ottoman Empire.

[Alena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't give five stars only because of the morale of the hero. He "forgot" the girl who actually had saved him life. True that she had stolen money from him at the first opportunity, but the situation she had been in justified her for doing so. She should not be forgotten - that's my feeling. The world full of injustice and cruelty - but us, people, shall not forget the one who does a good thing to us.
When he was offered 500 turkish pounds for marriage he should either take it all or at least ask more than just for himself.
He could send some money to his family (he owed them, they gave him all their property) for another member to try to escape. Why not give a chance to one of his brothers? He could arrange things for Varduhi - Thomna had a good heart, hadn't she? She could help an orphan girl. She could give her some honest work in their house. Thomna could even explain the matter to her mother. He - when he got money - could use it for a good deed. He didn't. Stavros was selfish.

Motto from this book: People think different when they don't have a penny and when they come to money.

[Bartosz Bukowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rozszerzony o ścieżkę dialogową treatment do scenariusza klasycznego filmu Kazana, napisany w charakterystycznym dla tej formy zero style. Sen o lepszym życiu, gorzkie bildungsroman, moralitet o celu uświęcającym środki – rozpisane wg. wzorcowych reguł dramaturgicznych. Dla adeptów tworzenia scenariuszy i filmoznawców rzecz nieoceniona, pozwala bowiem zapuścić żurawia w filmową kuchnię klasyka kina. Dla reszty – przyjemność taka sobie, ze względu na lakoniczność opisu i skupienie na świecie widzialnym.

[Grace Hyslop · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up from a small book exchange bus stop in Auckland. It is written somewhat like a screenplay, which I enjoyed. The story was interesting enough without really having an impact on me. 3/5

[Ultra Lisse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sympa, comme toujours avec les récits sur les parcours d'individus qui veulent tout graille
Ça ressemble à un film par plein d'aspects
Pas si mémorable si on le compare à d'autres romans du même genre mais ça me donne quand même un drôle de sentiment revanchard et j'aime bien

[Asia i Mateusz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[bekah malik · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this in one sitting on a random park bench in boston. i think it was meant to be read this way

[Rita Fonseca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Espero que tenha escrito mais. Procurarei

[Kayt Manwaring · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kuchuk!!!

[John Pitcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conversational style for the most part. Dream, act, and overcome setbacks.

[Malgorzata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uczta czytelnicza, uwielbiam taką oszczędność słów i maksimum treści.

[Armin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Das seinerzeit vor dem Film als Buch veröffentliche Treatment zu dem bildgewaltigen Film ist eine gute Verständnishilfe bezüglich der (für heutige Zuschauer) nicht immer auf Anhieb nachvollziehbaren Motivationen der handelnden Personen und der zugehörigen Zusammenhänge. Den Film von 1963 kann man sich (im französisch untertitelten Original) auf You tube ansehen. Trotz der kläglichen Bildqualität ein großes Vergnügen, insbesondere die archaischen Szenen in Stavros Heimat, die streckenweise an Stummfilm und frühen Tonfilm gemahnen.
Angeblich soll ein Verleger aus lauter Begeisterung das Treatment als Buch verlegt haben, gleichbedeutend mit dem Beginn der literatischen Karriere des Regisseurs, der nach Amerika, Amerika nur noch drei Filme drehte, darunter die Leinwand-Version seines Bestsellers „Das Arrangement“. Eine Lektüre des Treatments ohne Absichten den Film zu sehen oder das richtig ausformulierte Buch „Der Mann aus Anatolien“ zu lesen, halte ich persönlich nicht für sinnvoll oder genussversprechend.

[Annie Rachele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story. This book shows how Elia Kazan's vision of every moment --
he breathed every moment of this epic immigration journey into life, into words, into film.
It's all here. I saw the film first, several times, and now, years later read the book --
written in the present tense,
moment to moment
a perfect unity of characters to create this journey.
The phenomenal film is extremely close in detail to the book, remarkably so,
showing the specificity of Kazan's vision.

I am a fan for life
and greatful I got to speak with him while we both lived...

long live his vision!

[Ffiamma · Rating 3 out of 5]

storia di stavros, greco di turchia che vuole, a tutti i costi, andare a far fortuna in america. la determinazione ostinata, la vita che non fa sconti, la durezza delle scelte che siamo obbligati a fare in nome di quel che si vuole. romanzo breve e "cinematografico", da cui kazan ha tratto il suo film del 1963.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though fairly simplistic in the storytelling, there are a few inventive and charming moments which made this book worth reading. It is formatted like a script, which means it is able to conjure up strong visuals, as if watching a film unfold.

[Hazar Bayindir · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poorly written. extremely prejudice!

[Bebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never give up on your dreams. This story is more than a 5 star, just wish the movie was available on DVD.