The Elected Member
ロンドン東部のユダヤ系家族を舞台に、優秀だった息子ノーマンが中年になって薬物依存と幻覚に苦しみ、家族の愛情と罪責感が崩れていく過程を描く。痛みの深さと、そこに差し込む皮肉なユーモアが同居する作品。
作品情報
家族の期待が、そのまま重荷にもなる。
1970年のブッカー賞受賞作として知られる長編小説。東ロンドンのユダヤ系一家を舞台に、薬物依存と幻覚に苦しむ息子ノーマンを中心に、父、母、姉が抱える愛情、責任、後悔がゆっくりとほつれていく。深刻な主題を扱いながらも、痛みとユーモアを往復する筆致が際立つ。
レビュー要約
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強い設定と家族関係の描写を評価する声が多く、重い題材の中にある可笑しさや不穏な余韻が印象に残るという反応が目立つ。一方で、象徴性や心理描写の濃さに読みづらさを感じる読者もいる。
書籍情報
- 出版社
- Abacus
- 発売日
- 1991-07-01
- ページ数
- 240ページ
- 言語
- 英語
- サイズ
- 12.7 x 1.59 x 19.69 cm
- ISBN-13
- 9780349130224
- ISBN-10
- 0349130221
- 価格
- 2750 JPY
- カテゴリ
- 洋書/Literature & Fiction/Genre Fiction/Family Saga
Norman is the clever one of a close-knit Jewish family in the East End of London. Infant prodigy; brilliant barrister; the apple of his parents' eyes... until at forty-one he becomes a drug addict, confined to his bedroom, at the mercy of his hallucinations and paranoia. For Norman, his committal to a mental hospital represents the ultimate act of betrayal. For Rbbi Zweck, Norman's father, his son's deterioration is a bitter reminder of his own guilt and failure. Only Bella, the unmarried sister, still in her childhood white ankle socks, can reach across the abyss of pain to bring father and son the elusive peace which they both desperately crave.
Bernice Rubens was born is Wales and worked as both a writer and a film maker. She is the winner of the Booker Prize for The Elected Member, and was shortlisted for the same prize for a subsequent novel: A Five Year Sentence. She died in 2004.
レビュー
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his is an impeccably written, deeply insightful, at times hilarious but mostly totally depressing story about a pious Jewish family in East London and the burden of secrets, guilt and remorse that each member carries. Not one of them is innocent, to a larger or lesser degree all have contributed to each other’s miserable, stunted lives, and none more than Norman whose descent into lunacy is brilliantly described. For me it was the father, soft-hearted, timid, vulnerable, faithful old Rabbi Zweck who really made this story heart-breaking and unforgettable.
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We just read this book in our book club and we are all pleasantly surprised at what great discussion it generated. While reading the book, one can get a sense that parallel plots are orbiting the primary plot all the time but you never can quite put your finger on exactly what they are. As a group we all picked up on different concepts that once someone said it we would agree at how right on the person was and how we didn't come up with it on our own. After the discussion we all wanted to read the book again with our new insight into the book.
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Norman's dysfunctional Jewish family drives him to take drugs, and when Norman is sectioned we find out he has more than a few skeletons in the cupboard himself... I hesitated to pick this up but it was a really great novel; well written and fresh as a daisy (considering it is nigh on 50 years old). Rubens has a deft touch and the admirable ability to tell a humorous yet life-affirming story. A memorable quick read.
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Darkly humerous, a great read.
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Manchmal vielleicht etwas schwieriger zu lesen, als ihre übrigen Bücher, zeigt es doch einen interessanten Einblick in eine Irrenanstalt. Packend geschrieben.
関連する文学賞
- ブッカー賞 第2回（1970年） ・Winner