This Tale, set in an obscure, rustic, Austrian village in 1944 when the Lies of the Nazi Rulers are reaching some sort of frightful Fruition, is a rolThis Tale, set in an obscure, rustic, Austrian village in 1944 when the Lies of the Nazi Rulers are reaching some sort of frightful Fruition, is a roller coaster ride of various players. All can be labelled because all are various in aspirations and beliefs and loyalties. Some are totally ignorant and helpless and reliant - the condition of Every Baby and Child and so at the Mercy of the main Actors. These latter are either trapped or free to cause trouble. From the young boy who is loved by his mother and the Nazi farmer but an object of scorn to most Nazis because of his mental defects; others like him are seen as worthless their defects being physical. Both sets will be subject to annihilation as are the Jews. For some it will only be a matter of weeks before the family is informed they died of some rare or rapid disease. Others will be put through longer processes to test the power of some drug, or some state such as lack of warmth. But All will eventually die whether serving a purpose or not. There is even a sub-group made up of High Ranking Russian Officers in this village. They are dying of starvation- another process is being tested. They are escaping in a mad search for food...any food and the terrified locals have been lied to for so long they are prepared to kill. Even the "Dear Brother" of the Book's Title, but he enjoys killing his Officer, begging for his life. His faithful younger sister cannot help but wonder why.So gradually more and more groupings are revealed; more complex when some have divided loyalties. Others like to betray others who stray. A complexity, less obvious in a larger populations, is here very obvious and more entertaining to the torturers, who are not scant.
Others have disappeared. It will take a war to end to see how or if they have survived.
A French film, "Un Sac de Billes" was made of this book in 2016. It was shown early this year, 2017, in Sydney as part of the annual French Film Festiv A French film, "Un Sac de Billes" was made of this book in 2016. It was shown early this year, 2017, in Sydney as part of the annual French Film Festival and scheduled to be released in July full time, once the Festival had moved interstate. It's now early October but I'm still keeping my eye out.
I had read the book in 1976 and looked forward to a reread, also finding that I had no memory of the details after almost 40 years. It wavers between lulls and unbearable tension. I needed those 'lulls' just as the characters must have in Real Life. The Brave Parents sent their two youngest sons from Paris in 1941 into a World at War, their country occupied by a merciless enemy especially when it came to the Jewish population - this must have taken incredible bravery built on incredible Hope.
The boys began by heading South by train. Many others had the same idea. They hoped to meet up with their two older brothers there. And hopefully their parents. The Germans were on the alert. So, taking their chances, the boys go out into the Unknown, where strangers can help or hinder; where Germans can be deceived sometimes and sometimes not; where quick thinking can mean the difference between capture or freedom. The Reader is not spared either. I was relieved and glad when I finished it...how many Heart Palpitations can you take???? Strangely I DID enjoy it. I guess that makes it ...a Good Read, eh !!??
I DID find this book ...eventually. It is one of the many repeated covers shown when you go to look at other editions. There only seem to be these TWO oI DID find this book ...eventually. It is one of the many repeated covers shown when you go to look at other editions. There only seem to be these TWO other versions...it's a pale fawny cover with curvey lines down the sides.
I DID NOT find this book at all interesting because I didn't believe in what he was talking about. To claim that his SIX Chosen categories were more unifying than divisive was to me ...astounding. On the contrary, these 6 categories all seemed VERY divisive ones: -endless wars; -religious hatreds; - battle of the sexes; transgender has NEVER been an issue until recently not because people accepted it previously, but because they were too wise to mention it, too screwed up to discuss it, and if they did try who listened???; as for more obvious "genders"- well I did mention the Battle of the Sexes, no? yes !! -Race?? - WWII was a racist war ...65 million dead...no definitely NOT a problem!! the extinction of the aborigines and the american indians....no, no problem I can see there!!!???? -Nation, tribe, family...however you divide up the masses....are friendly on the whole, I suppose, but also where troubles start...hardly an example of union as is... -Class...even MORE divisive.
That's about the Lot...and surely there are less divisive ones. Probably...hopefully ???
I might just burn this book slowly as I briefly scan the pages before casting them into the Inferno and meantime soak up the Enlightenment given off by the Bright Flames... it then will have served the Purpose hoped for by the author even if only VERY INDIRECTLY.
I probably missed the WHOLE Point and Purpose of his Endeavour so if he reads this he might be inspired to REwrite it. Sorry, Mate !!! AND I didn't even get around to reading it ...just read alot of the reviews and THAt had people either agreeing with me OR doing an Intellectual Wank. I definitely will browse it now my curiosity has been aroused and I feel a definite empathy with a Bloke who wasted a fair bit of his Life writing IT ! Bad Luck, Mate...I'd take up writing Kids' Books if I were you....more
Began asking myself why WHY WHY had I just bought myself yet ANOTHER BLOODY BOOK ???????
I think it is this: What is BEHIND it ALL ?????? ?? And by that Began asking myself why WHY WHY had I just bought myself yet ANOTHER BLOODY BOOK ???????
I think it is this: What is BEHIND it ALL ?????? ?? And by that I mean, what informs the Human Mind to do what it does? It began long long ago with : Why the Final Solution ? So extreme , so callous , so UNcaring?
Robert Jay Lifton may be able to provide a discussion for me to partake in, although by now I have come up with reasons too.
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