圖書標籤: English 小說 fiction 史 英文原版 文藝 KatherineKressmannTaylor Fiction
发表于2024-12-23
Address Unknown pdf epub mobi txt 電子書 下載 2024
Address Unknown (1938)
(The title is actually a mistranslation of the term "Adressat unbekannt," which is marked on the last envelope. The correct translation of "Adressat" is "addressee," not "address"; which is much more in keeping with the plot of the story.) It is the story of two German friends and business partners, art dealers in San Francisco. Martin, a gentile, returns with his family to Germany, exhilarated by the advances in the old country since the humiliation of the Great War. The Jewish partner, Max, remains in the States to keep the business going. The story is told entirely in letters between them, from 1932 to 1934, the technique used in 84 Charing Cross Road.
Martin writes about the wonderful Third Reich and this fellow Hitler. At first Max is covetous: "How I envy you! ... You go to a democratic Germany, a land with a deep culture and the beginnings of a fine political freedom."
But Max soon doubts his friend’s enthusiasm, having heard from eyewitnesses who got out of Berlin that Jews were being beaten and their businesses boycotted. Martin responds, telling Max that, while they may be good friends, everybody knows that Jews have been the universal scapegoats, and "a few must suffer for the millions to be saved."
"This Jew trouble is only an incident," Martin says. "Something bigger is happening." Nonetheless, he asks Max to stop writing to him. If a letter were intercepted, he (Martin) would lose his official position and he and his family would be endangered.
Max writes anyhow when his own sister, an actress in Berlin, goes missing. He becomes frantic to learn her fate. Martin responds on bank stationery (less likely to be inspected) and tells Max his sister is dead. He admits that he turned Griselle away when she came to him, her brother’s dearest friend, for sanctuary.
There is a gap of about a month. After that, Max starts writing letters to Martin at home, carrying only what looks like business and remarks about the weather, but written as though they have a hidden encoded meaning, with strange references to exact dimensions of pictures and so on. The letters refer to "our grandmother" and imply that Martin is also Jewish. The letters from Munich to San Francisco get shorter and more panicky, begging Max to stop: "My God, Max, do you know what you do? ... These letters you have sent ... are not delivered, but they bring me in and ... demand I give them the code ... I beg you, Max, no more, no more! Stop while I can be saved."
But Max continues: "Prepare these for distribution by March 24th: Rubens 12 by 77, blue; Giotto 1 by 317, green and white; Poussin 20 by 90, red and white."
At last a letter is returned to Max, stamped: Adressat unbekannt. Addressee Unknown.
The book’s "Afterword," lovingly written by Mrs. Taylor’s son, says that the idea for her story came from a small news article: American students in Germany wrote home with the truth about the Nazi atrocities, a truth most Americans, including Charles Lindbergh, would not accept. Fraternity brothers thought it would be funny to send them letters making fun of Hitler, and they wrote back, "Stop it. We’re in danger. These people don’t fool around. You could murder [someone] by writing letters to him." Thus emerged the idea of "letter as weapon" or "murder by mail."
Address Unknown was performed as a stage play in France, 2001, in Israel from 2002 (still running) and at the Promenade Theater, New York, 2004. It has also been performed in Germany, Italy, Turkey,Argentina, South Africa and in various cities of the USA.
Address Unknown (Cimzett Ismeretlen) premieres on the stage of Spinoza Haz in Budapest, Hungary on September 6, 2008.
凱瑟琳•剋萊斯曼•泰勒(Kathrine Kressmann Taylor, 1903—1996)
被譽為“撼動美國文壇的女作傢”。泰勒是美國賓夕法尼亞州蓋茨堡大學第一位獲得終身教職的女性。她一生完成瞭三部小說和十餘篇短篇小說。
《查無此人》。我覺得這並不是體現什麼人性的善惡,全都是被曆史的洪流裹挾的渺小的個體。對今天的意義是,生在和平年代應該珍惜自己的幸福;為保留住和平做點什麼;look beyond what you see and protect your family from harm。
評分的確很短,也很精彩。馬丁為什麼在間接害死老友妹妹(曾經的戀人)後,還奢求老友能放過他?答案隻能是,他相信自己沒做錯,相信曾經的戀人該死。對比看路西法實驗,人本質上大概真的是從眾也愛權威的。
評分1938年一位女性作者用男人名字發錶,可惜當時並沒有引起很大關注。強推。內容就不介紹瞭;篇幅極短,少刷會兒票圈就讀完瞭。可下電子版,有中譯本,BBC有有聲書,還有stage play。
評分結局……我還想太多瞭。
評分結局很震撼,超難忘……世界真黑暗……
短短40分钟,认真读完。 当翻到“查无此人“页面时。 犹如一扇厚厚的铁门!哐当!关上了所有未来。 不得不仔细再次推敲一封封书信,闭上眼设身处地地幻想,惶恐、绝望、渴求……纸上依稀浮现。 真实的书信,黑色的邮戳,如此真实的反应,对二位主人公的心里变化确实感到震撼,...
評分看完书的第一感受是“我看完了?竟然查无此人了”,然后突然恍然大悟,果然,马丁已经被害死了吧……亲如兄弟的两人,在严峻的政治背景下开始出现分歧,尤其是马丁在短短的时间内真的像变了一个人一样,从一个善良的人变成了一个狂热的爱国主义者,是否真的狂热不知道,但是真...
評分与《查令十字街84号》形式相似,都是以书信组成全文,但是两者风格截然不同,《查令》读完,让我感觉到温暖,而这本书读完,则是噬骨的寒意,从头到脚的寒毛竖起来了,紧接着就是悲伤,再然后就是对那段历史的思考。 故事发生的背景是在一战之后,德国损伤惨重,纳粹分子趁虚而...
評分生在和平年代真心是祖国给我最好的礼物,这是我看完这本书当即最大的感受,薄薄的一本,看完还用不到一个小时,但是合上书之后却带给了我久久的震撼。 书中两次查无此人完美诠释了在大灾大难面前人性是多么经不起考验,无论是曾经的爱情还是现在的友情,在生命受到威胁的时候都...
評分不到两万字的内容。模拟出了我心中的对某种“不久可能”的恐惧;甚至部分的,是对某些“已经/正在发生”的困惑。写法当然很讨巧,不过节奏上感觉多少有点过快(也许是主观上不愿意接受),未免有“上帝视角”。不过也说不定,所谓“心路历程”,并不是什么匀速运动,许多转向/...
Address Unknown pdf epub mobi txt 電子書 下載 2024