Ana Cecy itibaren Yazmakaya/Erzincan, Turkey

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05/03/2024

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Ana Cecy Kitabın yeniden yazılması (10)

2018-08-11 17:40

Cadı Burunlu Fabrika TrendKitaplar Kütüphanesi

Tarafından yazılmış kitap Tarafından: Uçanbalık Yayıncılık

Alex Kurzem is a retired television repair man living in Melbourne. In 1997 he arrived, without prior announcement, on the doorstep of his son Mark, an academic living in Oxford, England. In the days that follow, Alex takes the first of many tentative steps toward revealing his extraordinary past, a secret he has buried deep for almost 60 years. As a Jewish boy, aged only 5 or 6, Alex witnessed the murder of his mother and siblings by a German-led execution squad. Fleeing into the nearby forest, he survived the harsh conditions for several months; scavenging food and clothing from fallen soldiers by day, and strapping himself to the elevated branches of trees to avoid the threat of wolves at night. Eventually he is discovered by Latvian soldiers, and finding favour with a sergeant, is adopted as the "mascot" of the battalion. For the remainder of the war, he travelled with the soldiers, dressed in a miniature military uniform, climbing in esteem until he earned the title of "little corporal". Part propaganda tool, part good luck charm, the young boy is exposed to an unending sea of atrocity. He is coerced into finding girls for the pleasure of the solders, into handing chocolates to Jews as they board trucks destined for death camps, and armed with a weapon, he is even asked to kill another (a request he thankfully refuses to accept). The events of the story are undeniably extraordinary, yet equally fascinating is the tangential analysis of the mystery of memory. Even across the gulf of six decades, Alex is able to recall specific events with inexplicable vividness, whilst other facts remain entirely elusive (including his real name). Memories rise and recede like waves, and we can never be entirely sure of what recollections are real and what are imagined. Indeed, certain events are described in such detail that we inevitably begin to wonder if the memories are actually mental constructions aimed at building a cohesive and palatable narrative from a scattered collection of horrific intuitions. Another key theme raised by the story is that of complicity. There is perhaps little question that the young Kurzem cannot be held responsible for his actions whilst in the company of the soldiers, but the variable manner in which he recounts his experience, wavering between unwarranted guilt, and exaggerated self-praise, is fascinating - even disturbing. In some cases, he speaks of his actions with pride, considered and deliberate and seemingly well beyond his years; on another occasion he naively claimed to be ignorant of what would happen to the Jews that he helped usher onto the backs of trucks. This behaviour only serves to highlight the deep ambivalence that cuts through Kurzem's past. He abhors what he witnessed, yet is desperate to gain purpose and meaning, even joy, from a childhood he never had the freedom to savour. The book, which is written by Kurzem's son Mark, is predominantly presented as a series of long conversations interwoven with detective-like research into the past. The story is told with respect, and delivered with a diligent hand. It is also overtly polished. Mark admits in the End Note that timeframes were compressed to aid readability, but in my assessment, the entire book was sequenced as if it were penned as a script for a movie, with junctures of suspense, intrigue, and impending doom, all superbly placed. These treatments ultimately detract from the historical nature of the book, suggesting, perhaps incorrectly, that Kurzem's tragic past has also been tailored for our reading pleasure. I listened to the audio version of this book, read by David Tredinnick. It is without doubt, the best audiobook recording I've ever heard. Tredinnick's reading is simply outstanding, and perfectly captures the drama of Alex's quest. And a moving quest it is: a search for personal identity and inner peace; a longing for empathy, absolution, and purpose, that opens wounds, raises doubts, and surfaces as many questions as it resolves.

Okuyucu Ana Cecy itibaren Yazmakaya/Erzincan, Turkey

Kullanıcı, bu kitapları portalın yayın kurulu olan 2017-2018'de en ilginç olarak değerlendirdi "TrendKitaplar Kütüphanesi" Tüm okuyucuların bu literatürü tanımalarını tavsiye eder.