How does it compare to audio works by the same author?
Excellent
Advantages:
Funny, gripping, eminently readable
Disadvantages:
None
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
10 1/2 Chapters? Not only does Julian Barnes manage to condense the history of, not only the world, put the workings of the human psyche into under 11 chapters, he skilfully provides an extremely intriguing title to his novel. This gimmick is successful, as once you embark upon the journey of his tale you will not be disappointed.
Each chapter of the book relates a self-contained short story and yet each chapter is inextricably linked from the rest of the book, through themes, topics, emotions and the human condition.
1. The Stowaway
Barnes starts his epic journey by recounting the events surrounding the flooding of the earth and the 'rescue' of the animals by Noah in the Ark.
This is certainly the most unique depiction of this story. The chapter is written in the first person and, it slowly transpires that it is being told by one of the passengers on board the Ark, a stowaway who is a woodworm!
As I say - unique and a promising and very entertaining (if slightly blasphemous!) start to the book.
2. The Visitors
The tale of an arrogant, selfish lecturer/historian who is employed on a cruise, which is running to plan until the ship is hijacked and the passengers held hostage.
The lecturer is treated as a spokesman for the passengers, as he is a figure of authority and has to face a dilemma as to whether to concede to the demands of the hijackers and lose the respect of the others in order to save the life of another (although it could also be argued that it is ultimately an act of self-egotism, in an attempt to bolster his own self-opinion and when he eventually gains the contempt of other passengers, we can't really sympathesise as we remember how obnoxious he was!)
3. The Wars of Religion
An echo of the first chapter is felt, as this is the supposed transcripts of a trial which took place involving the citizens of a French town, who were prosecuting a colony of woodworm for blasphemy and damaging the wood in their church and resulting in injury to the bishop!
Bizarre? Unquestionably! But once again, unique and, by that token, fascinating and a refreshing read!
4. The Survivor
A complete change of style in this chapter, which describes a troubled world, which is nearing breaking point. Nuclear war is inevitable and one woman takes to the seas with nothing for company but two cats, in an attempt to escape the radiation and start a life for herself far from civilisation.
Fascinating descriptions of her lucid dreams/nightmares and the odd ramblings and reflections of a woman disturbed by the state of society.
Once again, unarguably, so original!
5. Shipwreck!
Possibly my favourite chapter, which is itself divided into two separate parts.
Barnes starts by relating the true story of the Raft of the Medusa, when over a hundred naval personnel find themselves adrift on the sea on a large raft, after fleeing their sinking ship. Their raft floats without direction while steadily the food and water aboard dwindles.
The sailors slowly turn towards violence, selfishness and self-preservation. There are murders, cannibalism and hopelessness.
The second element to this chapter consists of Barnes dissecting the tale and trying to decide why an artist called Gericault decided to paint the scene of the Medusa as he did. The book contains a reproduction of the painting and Barnes ends the chapter with a discussion of its composition.
Barnes leaps from novelist to art historian in one fluid and talented stride!
6. The Mountain
A story of a rich lady, who sets out on a personal mission to climb Mount Ararat. The lady's views on religion and God's acts of retribution are somewhat orthodox and she views the destruction of a village on the foothills of the mountain as divine punishment for making wine from the grapes on Ararat!
Once again Barnes interweaves this tale with previous chapters with discussions on both Noah and the story of the Medusa.
7. Three Simple Stories
i) A survivor from the Titanic ii) Jonah and the whale iii) The true story of a shipload of refugees from Nazi Germany being denied entrance to safe countries
It is interesting that Barnes should choose to group these tales together in the same chapter. They all certainly share the same theme of the water and also of redemption and arguably divine retribution and salvation.
8. Upstream!
An absolutely fascinating series of letters written by an actor as he goes 'on location' in a jungle far from 'civilisation'. Although the natives have their own moral values and culture, which the actor regards with at first awe and later confusion.
Another different writing format as the story slowly unfolds as we read the letters written by our narrator to his fiancee, to whom it eventually transpires he has been unfaithful and who is seemingly unconcerned in our narrator's brush with death.
PARENTHESIS (or.. the 1/2)
An extremely eye-opening and insightful discussion of 'love'. Gripping and thought-provoking reading.
9. Project Ararat
(Recurring theme alert!)
An American astronaut is involved in a moon landing. While there he hears the voice of God, which tells him to find the remains of the Ark on Mount Ararat.
Fearing her husband has finally lost his marbles, our hero's wife doubtfully stands by her husband's side. However, the ex-astronaut proves to be an extremely convincing and enthusiasm-building person and he soon has his wife and numerous others interested in his venture.
Once again, aside from the Ararat/Ark topic, the subject of religion and faith is again explored.
10. The Dream
At the end of the 'History of the World' what could Barnes possibly have finished with when life, as we know it, continues?
Barnes completes his work with a description of Heaven and very interesting it is too. Would this be our idea of heaven? If not, we would certainly be able to adapt our surroundings to represent what we expected. What is it that our narrator wants from heaven? Sex, endless rounds of golf, cooked breakfasts and meeting famous people (ooo - and, of course, sex with famous people!).
And then we find ourselves at the end of our epic journey. Barnes has opened our eyes to the morality of man, faith, religion, man's attitude to love, war, peace and humanity.
Unputdownable. Unique. Read it!
OTHER INFO
Publisher: Picador
ISBN 0-330-31399-1
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