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Detective Story
As readers, we are accustomed to reading stories of war and injustice from the victims鈥� point of view, sympathizing with their plight. In Detective Story, the tables have been turned, leaving us in the mind of a monster, as Nobel Laureate Imre Kert茅sz plunges us into a story of the worst kind, told by a man living outside morality.
Now in prison, Antonio Martens is a torturer for the secret police of a recently defunct dictatorship. He requests and is given writing materials in his cell, and what he has to recount is his involvement in the surveillance, torture, and assassination of Federigo and Enrique Salinas, a prominent father and son whose principled but passive opposition to the regime left them vulnerable to the secret police. Preying on young Enrique鈥檚 aimless life, the secret police began to position him as a subversive and then targeted his father. Once this plan was set into motion, any means were justified to reach the regime鈥檚 chosen end鈥攖he destruction of an entire liberal class.
Inside Martens鈥檚 mind, we inhabit the rationalizing world of evil and see firsthand the inherent danger of inertia during times of crisis. A slim, explosive novel of justice railroaded by malevolence, Detective Story is a warning cry for our time.
Now in prison, Antonio Martens is a torturer for the secret police of a recently defunct dictatorship. He requests and is given writing materials in his cell, and what he has to recount is his involvement in the surveillance, torture, and assassination of Federigo and Enrique Salinas, a prominent father and son whose principled but passive opposition to the regime left them vulnerable to the secret police. Preying on young Enrique鈥檚 aimless life, the secret police began to position him as a subversive and then targeted his father. Once this plan was set into motion, any means were justified to reach the regime鈥檚 chosen end鈥攖he destruction of an entire liberal class.
Inside Martens鈥檚 mind, we inhabit the rationalizing world of evil and see firsthand the inherent danger of inertia during times of crisis. A slim, explosive novel of justice railroaded by malevolence, Detective Story is a warning cry for our time.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1977
18 people are currently reading
769 people want to read
About the author
Imre Kert茅sz
72听books367听followersBorn in Budapest in 1929, during World War II Imre Kert茅sz was imprisoned at Auschwitz in 1944 and later at Buchenwald. After the war and repatriation, Kert茅sz soon ended his brief career as a journalist and turned to translation, specializing in German language works. He later emigrated to Berlin. Kert茅sz was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 2002 for "writing that upholds the fragile experience of the individual against the barbaric arbitrariness of history".
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November 22, 2020
Nazi toplama kamplar谋na 莽ocuk denecek ya艧ta d眉艧en ancak mucize say谋lacak 艧ekilde kurtulan Macar yazar Imre Kertesz鈥檇en m眉kemmel bir uzun hikaye. Bu novellay谋 yazd谋臒谋 y谋llarda 眉lkesindeki sans眉rden daha do臒rusu bask谋c谋 rejimden ka莽abilmek i莽in 枚yk眉s眉n眉 bir Latin Amerika 眉lkesinde kurgulam谋艧. O 眉lkelerde fa艧ist askeri diktat枚rl眉kler o zamanlar (70鈥檒i y谋llar) 莽ok say谋da oldu臒undan kendi 眉lkesine ait ger莽ekleri ancak bu 艧ekilde kamufle edebilmi艧.
脰zg眉rl眉k yanl谋s谋 burjuva bir gen莽 ile babas谋n谋n sab谋rlar谋 zorlayan 枚yk眉s眉. 陌艧kenceler, sorgulamalar, komplolar ve 鈥渟orumsuzluk z谋rh谋na鈥� b眉r眉nen devletini sevdi臒ini s枚yleyen katiller. Te艧kilat, yani derin devlet ad谋na 莽al谋艧an siyasi b眉ro ve ya艧ananlar hi莽 de yabanc谋s谋 olmad谋臒谋m谋z, d眉nyan谋n her yerinde, otokrat y枚netimlerde g枚r眉len uygulamalar, yarg谋s谋z infazlar. 陌nsan谋n i莽ini karart谋yor okurken ama so臒ukkanl谋kla anlatmay谋 ba艧arm谋艧 Kertesz ya艧anan insanl谋k d谋艧谋 olaylar谋.
Kurguda 枚nemli bir de臒i艧iklik yapm谋艧 yazar, olaylar谋 kurbanlar谋n a臒z谋ndan de臒il, bizzat i艧kencecinin dilinden aktarm谋艧, b枚ylece daha 莽arp谋c谋 bir eser 莽谋km谋艧 ortaya. Etkileyici, sars谋c谋 枚nemli bir uzun 枚yk眉. 脰neririm.
脰zg眉rl眉k yanl谋s谋 burjuva bir gen莽 ile babas谋n谋n sab谋rlar谋 zorlayan 枚yk眉s眉. 陌艧kenceler, sorgulamalar, komplolar ve 鈥渟orumsuzluk z谋rh谋na鈥� b眉r眉nen devletini sevdi臒ini s枚yleyen katiller. Te艧kilat, yani derin devlet ad谋na 莽al谋艧an siyasi b眉ro ve ya艧ananlar hi莽 de yabanc谋s谋 olmad谋臒谋m谋z, d眉nyan谋n her yerinde, otokrat y枚netimlerde g枚r眉len uygulamalar, yarg谋s谋z infazlar. 陌nsan谋n i莽ini karart谋yor okurken ama so臒ukkanl谋kla anlatmay谋 ba艧arm谋艧 Kertesz ya艧anan insanl谋k d谋艧谋 olaylar谋.
Kurguda 枚nemli bir de臒i艧iklik yapm谋艧 yazar, olaylar谋 kurbanlar谋n a臒z谋ndan de臒il, bizzat i艧kencecinin dilinden aktarm谋艧, b枚ylece daha 莽arp谋c谋 bir eser 莽谋km谋艧 ortaya. Etkileyici, sars谋c谋 枚nemli bir uzun 枚yk眉. 脰neririm.
February 7, 2019
丿丕爻鬲丕賳: 賮賵賯鈥屫з勜关ж囏� 鬲乇噩賲賴: 賲鬲賵爻胤貨 丌賲丕丿賴鈥屫池ж槽� 讴鬲丕亘: 丕賮鬲囟丕丨
亘賴 毓賱鬲 賴賲丕賳 賲賵乇丿 丌禺乇貙 賳賲乇賴鈥屰� 賵丕賯毓蹖 讴鬲丕亘 蹖讴 爻鬲丕乇賴 丕爻鬲貙 賵賱蹖 爻賴 丿丕丿賲 讴賴 亘丕毓孬 賳卮賵賲 丕夭 禺賵丕賳丿賳 讴鬲丕亘 賲賳氐乇賮 卮賵蹖丿
亘賴 毓賱鬲 賴賲丕賳 賲賵乇丿 丌禺乇貙 賳賲乇賴鈥屰� 賵丕賯毓蹖 讴鬲丕亘 蹖讴 爻鬲丕乇賴 丕爻鬲貙 賵賱蹖 爻賴 丿丕丿賲 讴賴 亘丕毓孬 賳卮賵賲 丕夭 禺賵丕賳丿賳 讴鬲丕亘 賲賳氐乇賮 卮賵蹖丿
June 6, 2021
唳唳班Ε唳� 唳灌唳權唳椸唳班唳唳距Θ 唳灌唳膏唳 唳膏唳灌唳む唳 唳ㄠ唳唳� 唳唳班Ω唰嵿唳距Π 唳唳溹Ο唳监 唳唳︵唳唳膏唳熰唳� 唳膏唳灌唳む唳唳� 唳囙Ξ唳班 唳曕唳班唳む唳溹唳� 唳侧唳栢 唳溹唳Θ唰囙Π 唳唳班Ε唳� 唳︵唳曕唳距Π 唳班唳ㄠ 唳忇唳苦イ
唳唳侧 唳侧唳椸唳涏, 唳むΜ唰� 唳嗋唳距Ξ唳班 唳曕唳涏 唳Θ唰� 唳灌Ο唳监Θ唳苦イ
唳唳侧 唳侧唳椸唳涏, 唳むΜ唰� 唳嗋唳距Ξ唳班 唳曕唳涏 唳Θ唰� 唳灌Ο唳监Θ唳苦イ
April 6, 2010
This book was really crap. The author won the Nobel Prize for Literature. But I repeat myself.
While I'm at it, this is easily the worst translation, ever. The author is Hungarian and the story appears (it's never really stated) to be set in either Europe or (by the character names) South or Central America. Here are some examples of chosen dialect:
"Dern right!" Rodrigeuz concurred, with a guffaw.
and....
"I'm asking you, Jack!"
There is, of course, no one named 'Jack'.
While I'm at it, this is easily the worst translation, ever. The author is Hungarian and the story appears (it's never really stated) to be set in either Europe or (by the character names) South or Central America. Here are some examples of chosen dialect:
"Dern right!" Rodrigeuz concurred, with a guffaw.
and....
"I'm asking you, Jack!"
There is, of course, no one named 'Jack'.
Read
January 19, 2022"sen ne istiyorsun sevgili Rodriguez?"
"D眉zeni. Ama benim d眉zenimi" dedi Rodriguez."
"D眉zeni. Ama benim d眉zenimi" dedi Rodriguez."
December 22, 2019
"He perched one buttock on Rodriguez's desk."19
"He makes his way ponderously around the desk and parks one buttock on it." 98
"He makes his way ponderously around the desk and parks one buttock on it." 98
June 9, 2021
This extremely interesting novel consists of a last minute narrative or confession submitted by a henchman Antonio Rojas Martens of a military coup regime which has been toppled, as he awaits his execution. It is similar to a police procedural told from the henchman, Antonio麓s, point of view, except the point of the activities of the counter intelligence department is to harass and ultimately crush the opposition to the dictatorship - that is, his unit麓s work is political repression rather than standard or anti-crime police work. In fact, Antonio麓s main target is a hapless, vaguely rebellious, upper middle class lad Enrique Salinas who does not know what he is getting himself into - and how his actions will drag his father Federigo into jail, and most probably, the same fate that befell him, execution. Diaz has stolen Enrique麓s diary, and includes portions of that diary, which gives Enrique麓s inner dialog about why he tried to pursue a relationship with the counter-coup plotters, in his confession. The horror of the story is how banal and commonplace the security forces of the military regime regard their work, of pulling a circumstantial net around their victims. Even if the object of their efforts are plotting a counter coup, the security forces are unflappable - almost until the end - nothing can stop their dreary banal work. This is truly a finely crafted, astonishing novel that tells the tragic story of the police state under a military dictatorship from the point of view of a low-level security operative, who simply does the dirty work he is told to do. The book goes inside his head and examines his reactions to the work, how superficially committed he is to it, what he thinks of his boss Diaz and the dictator, the Colonel, and how flippantly really he regards the work of entrapping the hapless victim, whose only crime is resenting the dictatorship.
Here are some quotes from the novel:
篓Let me see, how did it start? And when?篓
篓Sure, sure, 篓 says I. 篓It麓s just...how should I put it...I mean, I actually thought we were serving the law here.篓 篓Those in power, sonny boy,篓 Diaz corrects me. My head started to ache. Oddly it was actually Diaz who made it ache, not Rodriguez [a fellow security colleague, who is a sadist]. To that I say, 篓up till now I thought the two were the same.篓 篓Fair enough,篓 Diaz concedes. 篓Only you shouldn't lose sight of the order.篓 篓What order is that?篓 篓Those in power first, then the law, 篓 Diaz says quietly with that inimitable smile of his.篓
篓[Federigo to Enrique, from Enrique麓s diary:] 篓A person usually fights against a power in order to gain power himself. Or else because the power in question is threatening his life. You have to acknowledge, though, that in our case neither of these holds true.篓
篓[Federigo to Enrique, from Enrique麓s diary:] 篓You do realize, don麓t you,篓 I heard his voice continue, 篓you do realize that every faction with a sense of purpose needs its unsuspecting tools.篓
篓We stun him with a deluge of questions. He has to feel that he is utterly alone, whereas there are a lot of us; that we are able to do with him what we want; and that we know everything, much more than he could suspect.篓
篓I finally grasped [Diaz麓s] ... logic, or at least I believe I grasped it. I grasped that we had now cast away everything that bound us to the laws of man; I grasped that we could no longer place our trust in anyone except ourselves.篓
Here are some quotes from the novel:
篓Let me see, how did it start? And when?篓
篓Sure, sure, 篓 says I. 篓It麓s just...how should I put it...I mean, I actually thought we were serving the law here.篓 篓Those in power, sonny boy,篓 Diaz corrects me. My head started to ache. Oddly it was actually Diaz who made it ache, not Rodriguez [a fellow security colleague, who is a sadist]. To that I say, 篓up till now I thought the two were the same.篓 篓Fair enough,篓 Diaz concedes. 篓Only you shouldn't lose sight of the order.篓 篓What order is that?篓 篓Those in power first, then the law, 篓 Diaz says quietly with that inimitable smile of his.篓
篓[Federigo to Enrique, from Enrique麓s diary:] 篓A person usually fights against a power in order to gain power himself. Or else because the power in question is threatening his life. You have to acknowledge, though, that in our case neither of these holds true.篓
篓[Federigo to Enrique, from Enrique麓s diary:] 篓You do realize, don麓t you,篓 I heard his voice continue, 篓you do realize that every faction with a sense of purpose needs its unsuspecting tools.篓
篓We stun him with a deluge of questions. He has to feel that he is utterly alone, whereas there are a lot of us; that we are able to do with him what we want; and that we know everything, much more than he could suspect.篓
篓I finally grasped [Diaz麓s] ... logic, or at least I believe I grasped it. I grasped that we had now cast away everything that bound us to the laws of man; I grasped that we could no longer place our trust in anyone except ourselves.篓
April 21, 2015
螒蟺蠈 蟿伪 蟺蟻蠋蟿伪 尾喂尾位委伪 蟺慰蠀 苇纬蟻伪蠄蔚 慰 慰 谓慰渭蟺蔚位委蟽蟿伪蟼 螝苇蟻蟿蔚蟼, 渭蠈位喂蟼 蟿慰 蟺蟻蠋蟿慰 蟺慰蠀 未喂伪尾维味蠅 伪蟺'伪蠀蟿蠈谓, 胃伪 伪谓伪味畏蟿萎蟽蠅 蟽蟿伪 未喂维蠁慰蟻伪 蟺伪位伪喂慰尾喂尾位喂慰蟺蠅位蔚委伪 蟿伪 蠀蟺蠈位慰喂蟺伪 尾喂尾位委伪 蟿慰蠀, 萎 蟿慰蠀位维蠂喂蟽蟿慰谓 蟿慰 伪蟻喂蟽蟿慰蠉蟻纬畏渭维 蟿慰蠀, 蟿慰 "螠蠀胃喂蟽蟿蠈蟻畏渭伪 蔚谓蠈蟼 伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺慰蠀 未委蠂蠅蟼 蟺蔚蟺蟻蠅渭苇谓慰", 纬喂伪 谓伪 苇蠂蠅 蟺位萎蟻畏 蔚喂魏蠈谓伪.
螤慰位蠉 渭喂魏蟻蠈 尾喂尾位喂伪蟻维魏喂 蟺慰蠀 未喂伪尾维味蔚蟿伪喂 维谓蔚蟿伪 蟽蔚 位喂纬蠈蟿蔚蟻蔚蟼 伪蟺蠈 未蠀慰 蠋蟻蔚蟼, 蠁蠀蟽喂魏维 位蠈纬蠅 蟿慰蠀 渭蔚纬苇胃慰蠀蟼, 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟿畏蟼 蟺慰位蠉 魏伪位萎蟼 纬蟻伪蠁萎蟼. 螡蠈渭蟺蔚位 苇蠂蔚喂 蟺维蟻蔚喂 慰 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰蟼, 伪位委渭慰谓慰 谓伪 渭畏谓 尉苇蟻蔚喂 谓伪 纬蟻维蠁蔚喂 伪蟻喂蟽蟿慰蠀蟻纬畏渭伪蟿喂魏维. 螚 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻慰蠀蟽伪, 渭蔚 蟿畏谓 慰蟺慰委伪 慰 螝苇蟻蟿蔚蟼 胃委纬蔚喂 蟿喂蟼 未喂魏蟿伪蟿慰蟻委蔚蟼, 蟿畏谓 魏蟻伪蟿喂魏萎 魏伪蟿伪蟽蟿慰位萎, 蟿慰蠀蟼 渭蠀蟽蟿喂魏慰蠉蟼 蟿畏蟼 螒蟽蠁维位蔚喂伪蟼 蟺慰蠀 蟺蟻蠋蟿伪 蟽魏慰蟿蠋谓慰蠀谓 魏伪喂 渭蔚蟿维 魏维谓慰蠀谓 蟿喂蟼 蔚蟻蠅蟿萎蟽蔚喂蟼, 蟿慰谓 蟺位萎蟻畏 苇位蔚纬蠂慰 伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺蠅谓 魏伪喂 喂未蔚蠋谓 魏伪喂 蟺慰位位维 维位位伪. 螝伪位萎 伪蟿渭蠈蟽蠁伪喂蟻伪, 伪蟺位慰委 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼 魏伪喂 伪蟺位萎 蟺位慰魏萎, 伪位位维 蠈蟺蠅蟼 蔚委蟺伪, 胃委纬蔚喂 蟺慰位位维 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿伪.
螤慰位蠉 渭喂魏蟻蠈 尾喂尾位喂伪蟻维魏喂 蟺慰蠀 未喂伪尾维味蔚蟿伪喂 维谓蔚蟿伪 蟽蔚 位喂纬蠈蟿蔚蟻蔚蟼 伪蟺蠈 未蠀慰 蠋蟻蔚蟼, 蠁蠀蟽喂魏维 位蠈纬蠅 蟿慰蠀 渭蔚纬苇胃慰蠀蟼, 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟿畏蟼 蟺慰位蠉 魏伪位萎蟼 纬蟻伪蠁萎蟼. 螡蠈渭蟺蔚位 苇蠂蔚喂 蟺维蟻蔚喂 慰 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰蟼, 伪位委渭慰谓慰 谓伪 渭畏谓 尉苇蟻蔚喂 谓伪 纬蟻维蠁蔚喂 伪蟻喂蟽蟿慰蠀蟻纬畏渭伪蟿喂魏维. 螚 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻慰蠀蟽伪, 渭蔚 蟿畏谓 慰蟺慰委伪 慰 螝苇蟻蟿蔚蟼 胃委纬蔚喂 蟿喂蟼 未喂魏蟿伪蟿慰蟻委蔚蟼, 蟿畏谓 魏蟻伪蟿喂魏萎 魏伪蟿伪蟽蟿慰位萎, 蟿慰蠀蟼 渭蠀蟽蟿喂魏慰蠉蟼 蟿畏蟼 螒蟽蠁维位蔚喂伪蟼 蟺慰蠀 蟺蟻蠋蟿伪 蟽魏慰蟿蠋谓慰蠀谓 魏伪喂 渭蔚蟿维 魏维谓慰蠀谓 蟿喂蟼 蔚蟻蠅蟿萎蟽蔚喂蟼, 蟿慰谓 蟺位萎蟻畏 苇位蔚纬蠂慰 伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺蠅谓 魏伪喂 喂未蔚蠋谓 魏伪喂 蟺慰位位维 维位位伪. 螝伪位萎 伪蟿渭蠈蟽蠁伪喂蟻伪, 伪蟺位慰委 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼 魏伪喂 伪蟺位萎 蟺位慰魏萎, 伪位位维 蠈蟺蠅蟼 蔚委蟺伪, 胃委纬蔚喂 蟺慰位位维 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿伪.
February 22, 2025
Kitaptan bir al谋nt谋 " elbette ya艧amak da bir t眉r intihar: Yaln谋zca dezavantaj谋 艧u ki, korkun莽 uzun s眉r眉yor."
January 30, 2022
Come pu貌 uno scrittore ungherese vissuto ai tempi della dittatura raccontare una storia che parla degli abusi della polizia segreta nei confronti di cittadini considerati scomodi al regime?
Semplice, ambientandola in un non meglio specificato paese del Sud America. Il Nabucco di Verdi insegna!
Romanzo breve, ma molto bello. Una situazione perfettamente credibile, il novellino che entra in una non meglio specificata "Organizzazione" deve gestire il suo primo caso che coinvolge il figlio di un facoltoso commerciante e suo padre sta cercando di proteggerlo e di impedire che entri nei movimenti studenteschi.
Per quanto il colpo di scena finale sia ampiamente prevedibile, il racconto 猫 teso, pieno di suspense, drammatico per la verosimiglianza con cui vengono raccontati gli abusi dei regimi totalitari. Una lettura consigliatissima.
Semplice, ambientandola in un non meglio specificato paese del Sud America. Il Nabucco di Verdi insegna!
Romanzo breve, ma molto bello. Una situazione perfettamente credibile, il novellino che entra in una non meglio specificata "Organizzazione" deve gestire il suo primo caso che coinvolge il figlio di un facoltoso commerciante e suo padre sta cercando di proteggerlo e di impedire che entri nei movimenti studenteschi.
Per quanto il colpo di scena finale sia ampiamente prevedibile, il racconto 猫 teso, pieno di suspense, drammatico per la verosimiglianza con cui vengono raccontati gli abusi dei regimi totalitari. Una lettura consigliatissima.
August 14, 2023
Hist贸ria policial 茅 uma pequena novela, pouco mais de cem p谩ginas, escrita pelo Nobel de 2002, Imre Kert茅sz. H谩 muitas coisas surpreendentes, a come莽ar pelo fato que foi escrita na Hungria de meados da d茅cada de 1970, em tempos de ditadura comunista. 脡 uma est贸ria sobre ditadura e os seus por玫es. Como a censura h煤ngara deixou passar um livro desses 茅 um mist茅rio, mesmo que a est贸ria tenha como cen谩rio um pa铆s sul-americano sem nome e a ditadura em quest茫o seja de direita 鈥� o que no final das contas n茫o faz muita diferen莽a. Ditaduras s茫o ditaduras.
Antonio Martens 茅 o personagem principal e narrador. 脡 um policial que trabalhou para o regime anterior. 脡 plenamente consciente de seus crimes e n茫o tem pudores em contar a respeito. N茫o 茅 um grande criminoso, 茅 s贸 um agente, entre tantos, no meio da escala hier谩rquica. N茫o 茅 um grande chefe. 脡 s贸, como 茅 apresentado por seu advogado no primeiro cap铆tulo, um reles parafuso na engrenagem.
Martens relembra fatos de seu passado, quando era o novato na equipe. Seu chefe era D铆az, astucioso e desaparecido ap贸s a queda da ditadura e seu 煤nico colega era Rodriguez, truculento e que no futuro seria condenado 脿 morte.
A novela gira em torno do caso Salinas, pai e filho, e mesmo que milion谩rios, acabam por cair na rede da pol铆cia pol铆tica. Inoc锚ncia ou culpa pouco importa. Como o pr贸prio Martens afima em certo momento 鈥渙s acontecimentos em si nada significam. A vida tamb茅m pode ser vista como um acaso鈥�, mas mesmo assim, ele entende que 鈥淭emos que acreditar em alguma coisa para justificar nossa imund铆cie鈥� e que 鈥淣ossa profiss茫o 茅 assim: uma vez come莽ado, o caminho de volta j谩 茅 sempre para a frente鈥�.
Mas em uma conversa com seu chefe, Martens ouve de D铆az que 鈥淎 nossa profiss茫o 茅 arriscada. Hoje voc锚 est谩 aqui em cima na janela e amanh茫, quem sabe, l谩 embaixo, amarrado 脿 estaca鈥�. Ele responde que 鈥淒aquilo n茫o tenho medo. S贸 do longo caminho que conduz at茅 l谩鈥�. E por fim, talvez tudo se resuma ao que est谩 escrito no di谩rio do Salinas filho: 鈥溍� claro, a vida tamb茅m 茅 uma forma de suic铆dio: a desvantagem 茅 que demora demais鈥�.
Um pequeno livro surpreendente e com tremendas reflex玫es sobre o poder, a arbitrariedade e o autoritarismo, coisas t茫o presentes nas hist贸rias de tantos lugares.
Antonio Martens 茅 o personagem principal e narrador. 脡 um policial que trabalhou para o regime anterior. 脡 plenamente consciente de seus crimes e n茫o tem pudores em contar a respeito. N茫o 茅 um grande criminoso, 茅 s贸 um agente, entre tantos, no meio da escala hier谩rquica. N茫o 茅 um grande chefe. 脡 s贸, como 茅 apresentado por seu advogado no primeiro cap铆tulo, um reles parafuso na engrenagem.
Martens relembra fatos de seu passado, quando era o novato na equipe. Seu chefe era D铆az, astucioso e desaparecido ap贸s a queda da ditadura e seu 煤nico colega era Rodriguez, truculento e que no futuro seria condenado 脿 morte.
A novela gira em torno do caso Salinas, pai e filho, e mesmo que milion谩rios, acabam por cair na rede da pol铆cia pol铆tica. Inoc锚ncia ou culpa pouco importa. Como o pr贸prio Martens afima em certo momento 鈥渙s acontecimentos em si nada significam. A vida tamb茅m pode ser vista como um acaso鈥�, mas mesmo assim, ele entende que 鈥淭emos que acreditar em alguma coisa para justificar nossa imund铆cie鈥� e que 鈥淣ossa profiss茫o 茅 assim: uma vez come莽ado, o caminho de volta j谩 茅 sempre para a frente鈥�.
Mas em uma conversa com seu chefe, Martens ouve de D铆az que 鈥淎 nossa profiss茫o 茅 arriscada. Hoje voc锚 est谩 aqui em cima na janela e amanh茫, quem sabe, l谩 embaixo, amarrado 脿 estaca鈥�. Ele responde que 鈥淒aquilo n茫o tenho medo. S贸 do longo caminho que conduz at茅 l谩鈥�. E por fim, talvez tudo se resuma ao que est谩 escrito no di谩rio do Salinas filho: 鈥溍� claro, a vida tamb茅m 茅 uma forma de suic铆dio: a desvantagem 茅 que demora demais鈥�.
Um pequeno livro surpreendente e com tremendas reflex玫es sobre o poder, a arbitrariedade e o autoritarismo, coisas t茫o presentes nas hist贸rias de tantos lugares.
January 11, 2024
鈥淒evam etmek istemiyorum,鈥� dedim. 鈥淏unun bir anlam yok .鈥�
鈥淕elece臒ini d眉艧眉nmelisin Enrique.鈥�
鈥溑瀒mdiki zamanda ya艧谋yorum baba.鈥�
鈥溍杅!鈥� diyerek kar艧谋 莽谋kt谋, 鈥溑瀒mdiki zaman ge莽ip gidiyor.鈥�
K谋zmaya ba艧lam谋艧t谋m.
鈥淏iliyorum,鈥� diye parlad谋m, 鈥渙nu hep ge莽ici olarak kabul etmek gerekir. Ge莽ici olarak ama her g眉n yeniden. Ve her g眉n daha da 莽ok. Ge莽ici olarak. Ta ki t眉m ge莽ici ya艧am谋m谋z谋 ya艧am谋艧 oluncaya ve sonra g眉zel bir g眉nde ge莽ici olarak 枚l眉nceye kadar. Hay谋r, baba! Hay谋r ve bir daha hay谋r!鈥�
kitab谋n 30. sayfas谋na gelene kadar benim nezdimde pek bi始 heyecan olu艧turmam谋艧t谋. hatta bu kadar k谋sa bi始 kitap olmasayd谋n b谋rakm谋艧t谋m 艧imdiye yorumlar谋 yapt谋m kendi kendime ama o andan itibaren kitab谋n i莽ine giren g眉nl眉k anlat谋s谋 枚yk眉ye ba艧ka bir boyut kazand谋rd谋 ve beni i莽ine 莽ekti. hatta son c眉mleye kadar da uyanan dikkatimi olduk莽a canl谋 tutarak devam ettirdi.
a莽谋k莽as谋 kendimi muhafazakar bi始 okur olarak tan谋ml谋yorum; belli ba艧l谋 眉lkelerden b眉y眉k 莽o臒unlukla okuma yapar, di臒erlerine kar艧谋 hep teredd眉t eder ve okumamak i莽in bin takla atar谋m. ama k眉t眉phaneye gidince kendimi m眉mk眉n mertebe farkl谋 眉lkelere vermeye 莽al谋艧谋yorum; bunun sonucu olarak ke艧fetmi艧tim kitab谋. kitaba dair yapabilece臒im olumsuz ele艧tiri san谋r谋m isim noktas谋nda olurdu, polisiye denilince ben t眉r bak谋m谋ndan polisiye bi始 艧eyler beklemi艧tim ama bir polis perspektifinden 枚yk眉ym眉艧.
*puan konusunda 莽ok karars谋z谋m 3陆 猸� ama 3 m眉 4 m眉 hi莽 bilmiyorum
鈥淜orkuyor musun?鈥� (...)
鈥淣eden?鈥� diye sordum Diaz始a.
鈥溎芭焧e,鈥� ba艧谋yla avluyu i艧aret etti, 鈥渂耻苍诲补苍!鈥�
鈥淏undan,鈥� dedim omuzlar谋m谋 silkerek, 鈥渒orkmuyorum. Yaln谋zca oraya g枚t眉ren uzun yoldan korkuyorum.鈥�
December 2, 2021
螆谓伪 伪魏蠈渭畏 渭喂魏蟻慰蠉位喂魏慰 尾喂尾位喂伪蟻维魏喂 105 渭蠈位喂蟼 蟽蔚位委未蠅谓, 蟺慰蠀 未喂伪尾维味蔚蟿伪喂 蟺维蟻伪 蟺慰位蠉 蔚蠀蠂维蟻喂蟽蟿伪 蟽蔚 2 蠅蟻委蟿蟽蔚蟼 蟿慰 蟺慰位蠉. 螤蟻蠈魏蔚喂蟿伪喂 纬喂伪 渭喂伪 蟺慰位蠉 魏伪位慰纬蟻伪渭渭苇谓畏 鈥撐蔽晃晃课嘉课轿�, 谓慰渭蟺蔚位委蟽蟿伪蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 慰 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰蟼- 伪位位维 慰渭慰位慰纬慰蠀渭苇谓蠅蟼 未蠀谓伪蟿萎 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪. 螠喂伪 魏位蔚蠁蟿萎 渭伪蟿喂维 蟽蟿伪 伪蟺蟻蠈慰蟺蟿伪 魏伪喂 蟿畏谓 伪谓慰畏蟽委伪 蟿畏蟼 芦蔚尉苇位喂尉畏蟼禄 蟿畏蟼 伪谓胃蟻蠅蟺蠈蟿畏蟿伪蟼. 螠喂伪 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 纬喂伪 芦魏位苇蠁蟿蔚蟼 魏喂 伪蟽蟿蠀谓蠈渭慰蠀蟼禄, 畏 慰蟺慰委伪 蠈渭蠅蟼 渭伪蟼 蟽蟺蟻蠋蠂谓蔚喂 谓伪 蟽魏蔚蠁蟿慰蠉渭蔚 蟿畏谓 伪蟽蟿蠀谓慰渭委伪 蠅蟼 渭喂伪 芦蔚尉蠅魏蟻伪蟿喂魏萎 慰谓蟿蠈蟿畏蟿伪禄, 伪蠀蟿蠈尾慰蠀位畏 魏伪喂 伪蠀蟿慰魏喂谓慰蠉渭蔚谓畏. 韦畏谓 伪谓伪蟿蟻慰蟺萎 蟿慰蠀 蟿苇位慰蠀蟼 鈥撓€蠈蟽慰 胃位喂尾蔚蟻萎 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪- 蟿畏谓 蔚委未伪 谓伪 苇蟻蠂蔚蟿伪喂 伪位位维 魏伪蟿维 蟿伪 维位位伪 伪蟺蠈位伪蠀蟽伪 蟿慰 蟺蠋蟼 畏 蟺位慰魏萎 蟽蟿蟻慰尾喂位喂味蠈蟿伪谓 蟽蔚 喂位喂纬纬喂蠋未蔚喂蟼 蟽蟺蔚委蟻蔚蟼 伪蟻蠂喂魏维, 蟺蟻慰蟿慰蠉 伪蟺慰纬蔚喂蠅胃蔚委 未蟻伪渭伪蟿喂魏维 魏伪喂 渭伪蟼 慰未畏纬萎蟽蔚喂 蟽蔚 苇谓伪 蠀蟺苇蟻慰蠂慰 蟿苇位慰蟼!
芦螡伪喂, 畏 蟽喂蠅蟺萎 蔚委谓伪喂 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪. 螒位位维 渭喂伪 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪 蟺慰蠀 蟽喂蠅蟺维, 魏伪喂 蠈蟽慰喂 渭喂位维谓蔚 胃伪 苇蠂慰蠀谓 未委魏喂慰禄.
芦螡伪喂, 畏 蟽喂蠅蟺萎 蔚委谓伪喂 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪. 螒位位维 渭喂伪 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪 蟺慰蠀 蟽喂蠅蟺维, 魏伪喂 蠈蟽慰喂 渭喂位维谓蔚 胃伪 苇蠂慰蠀谓 未委魏喂慰禄.
May 19, 2010
The text of this book should be submitted as the new dictionary definition of "ineluctable." I predicted the sad little plot twist but otherwise really "enjoyed" how this one swirled at first in semi-confounding spirals before it took off on a 45-degree angle, rising drama-wise. The translation seemed a bit wonky sometimes, especially before the story clarified and took off for me. Recommended if you're thinking about writing a syllabus for a class called "The Literature of Atrocity" . . .
January 12, 2021
Brutal relato escrito a modo de cajas chinas interconectadas. Para pensar algunas cosas: la polic铆a como ente extraestatal, la insignificancia del mal, el poder conservador del ius puniendi estatal. Genial.
March 28, 2023
"Un relato policiaco" es una reflexi贸n sobre los mecanismos de opresi贸n en los reg铆menes totalitarios que, aunque contiene algunas tesis interesantes por parte de v铆ctimas y verdugos, me ha decepcionado bastante debido a la escasa originalidad de sus ideas. Kert茅sz no termina de alejarse de los lugares comunes concernientes a las dictaduras y sus brazos ejecutores, y no aporta nada nuevo en cuanto a sus personajes, situaciones o ideas.
Un punto fuerte, digno de agradecimiento, es que el autor no haya sucumbido a la tentaci贸n de lo melodram谩tico ni de lo truculento. Escritores con menos oficio que Kert茅sz trufar铆an este "relato" de descripciones morbosas sobre la tortura o el sufrimiento de los reos con el fin de captar la atenci贸n del lector. A Kert茅sz le sobra con la presencia de un peque帽o mu帽eco (el columpio de Boger) y la sed de destrucci贸n fan谩tica de Rodr铆guez para insinuar una atm贸sfera corrupta y viciada en torno a los interrogados.
Tambi茅n resulta muy acertado el recurso de una narraci贸n aparentemente ca贸tica en la que el lector debe unir las piezas para componer un retrato cuya imagen final intuye desde las primeras p谩ginas. El discurso de Rojas Martens est谩 plagado de disgresiones, saltos temporales, declaraciones de otros implicados, fragmentos de diario de uno de los acusados... Tal diversidad de narraciones dentro de la narraci贸n principal, aunque tamizada por la perspectiva de Rojas, aporta una riqueza narratol贸gica de primer orden y mantiene el inter茅s del lector en una historia, por otra parte, bastante lineal.
No me parece un mal libro, a m铆 me ha gustado, pero quiz谩 esperaba algo m谩s de este autor.
Un punto fuerte, digno de agradecimiento, es que el autor no haya sucumbido a la tentaci贸n de lo melodram谩tico ni de lo truculento. Escritores con menos oficio que Kert茅sz trufar铆an este "relato" de descripciones morbosas sobre la tortura o el sufrimiento de los reos con el fin de captar la atenci贸n del lector. A Kert茅sz le sobra con la presencia de un peque帽o mu帽eco (el columpio de Boger) y la sed de destrucci贸n fan谩tica de Rodr铆guez para insinuar una atm贸sfera corrupta y viciada en torno a los interrogados.
Tambi茅n resulta muy acertado el recurso de una narraci贸n aparentemente ca贸tica en la que el lector debe unir las piezas para componer un retrato cuya imagen final intuye desde las primeras p谩ginas. El discurso de Rojas Martens est谩 plagado de disgresiones, saltos temporales, declaraciones de otros implicados, fragmentos de diario de uno de los acusados... Tal diversidad de narraciones dentro de la narraci贸n principal, aunque tamizada por la perspectiva de Rojas, aporta una riqueza narratol贸gica de primer orden y mantiene el inter茅s del lector en una historia, por otra parte, bastante lineal.
No me parece un mal libro, a m铆 me ha gustado, pero quiz谩 esperaba algo m谩s de este autor.
February 24, 2017
(This is a review of the Hebrew edition which actually contains two novellas - Detective Story and The Messenger)
As previous reviewers had written Detective Story deals with a familiar story about life under a totalitarian regime. The story has a "surprising twist" which is easily guessed. However as one have said "the story is nothing, how you tell it is everything!", and Imre Kert茅sz knows how to tell a story. The story, especially its first halve is very good..
The Messenger (might have been translated as 鈥� The Traces Seeker, I think) is a different story altogether. Whereas Detective story is an example of clever, precise and clear storytelling, The Messenger is enigmatic and surreal. Above all being a story of a survivor coming back to a place which holds some hideous meaning for him, it deals mainly with personal impressions and feelings which are harder to convey. This is a more obscure story (although you can easily guess what places are being revisited). It demands high concentration and eludes a full understanding. However it is a true Holocaust masterpiece. In a country that send high schoolers to visit such places meaning usually to drive them to some specific conclusions, reading this story with its troubling ambiguous lessons is a good idea.
As previous reviewers had written Detective Story deals with a familiar story about life under a totalitarian regime. The story has a "surprising twist" which is easily guessed. However as one have said "the story is nothing, how you tell it is everything!", and Imre Kert茅sz knows how to tell a story. The story, especially its first halve is very good..
The Messenger (might have been translated as 鈥� The Traces Seeker, I think) is a different story altogether. Whereas Detective story is an example of clever, precise and clear storytelling, The Messenger is enigmatic and surreal. Above all being a story of a survivor coming back to a place which holds some hideous meaning for him, it deals mainly with personal impressions and feelings which are harder to convey. This is a more obscure story (although you can easily guess what places are being revisited). It demands high concentration and eludes a full understanding. However it is a true Holocaust masterpiece. In a country that send high schoolers to visit such places meaning usually to drive them to some specific conclusions, reading this story with its troubling ambiguous lessons is a good idea.
August 2, 2021
乇賲丕賳 倬賱蹖爻蹖貙 丕孬乇 亘乇噩爻鬲賴 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 賲噩丕乇爻鬲丕賳蹖貙 丕蹖賲乇賴 讴乇鬲爻 丕爻鬲 讴賴 亘蹖卮鬲乇 夭賳丿诏蹖 禺賵丿 乇丕 丿乇爻丕蹖賴 禺賮賯丕賳 賳馗丕賲 讴賲賵賳蹖爻鬲蹖 讴卮賵乇卮 爻倬乇蹖 讴乇丿. 賵 賳蹖夭 丿乇 爻丕賱 鄄郯郯鄄 賲賵賮賯 卮丿 噩丕蹖夭賴 賳賵亘賱 乇丕 賳蹖夭 丕夭 丌賳 禺賵丿 讴賳丿.
讴鬲丕亘 丕夭 夭亘丕賳 丌賳鬲賵賳蹖賵 賲丕乇鬲賳爻貙 蹖讴 倬賱蹖爻貙 乇賵丕蹖鬲 賲蹖鈥屫促堌�. 丕賵 丿乇 芦爻丕夭賲丕賳禄 賲卮睾賵賱 亘賴 讴丕乇 丕爻鬲. 鬲賲丕賲 丿丕賳爻鬲賴 賴丕蹖 賲丕 丿乇亘丕乇賴 賲丕乇鬲賳爻 賴賲蹖賳賯丿乇 讴賵鬲丕賴 丕爻鬲. 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 賵 鬲蹖倬蹖讴 亘賵丿賳 丕賵 趩賳丕賳 賵丕囟丨 丕爻鬲 讴賴 賴蹖趩 賳蹖丕夭蹖 亘乇丕蹖 鬲賵囟蹖丨 亘蹖卮鬲乇 賳蹖爻鬲.
丕賲丕 賳丕賲 讴丕賲賱 爻丕夭賲丕賳 趩蹖爻鬲責 丕蹖賳 乇丕 賴賲 賳賲蹖丿丕賳蹖賲. 賵 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 亘賴 毓賲丿 賳丕賲蹖 亘乇 丌賳 賳诏匕丕卮鬲賴 丕爻鬲. 賳蹖丕夭蹖 賳蹖爻鬲 讴賴 亘丿丕賳蹖賲. 鬲賳賴丕 賴賲蹖賳賯丿乇 亘賴 賲丕 賳卮丕賳 賲蹖丿賴丿 讴賴 噩丕蹖蹖爻鬲 亘乇丕蹖 丨匕賮 賵 賳丕亘賵丿蹖 賴賲賴 賲禺丕賱賮丕賳 賵 丿诏乇丕賳丿蹖卮丕賳.
賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 亘丕 倬乇丿丕禺鬲賳 亘賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 賵 讴丕乇 乇賵夭賲乇賴 賲丕乇鬲賳爻 亘賴 胤乇夭 卮诏賮鬲 丌賵乇蹖 毓丕丿蹖 亘賵丿賳 夭賳丿诏蹖 丕賵 乇丕 亘賴 賲丕 賳卮丕賳 賲蹖鈥屫囏�. 丕賳鬲馗丕乇 卮賲丕 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 蹖讴 賳蹖乇賵蹖 爻乇讴賵亘 趩蹖爻鬲責 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 丿乇 賳賴丕蹖鬲 卮诏賮鬲蹖 亘賴 賲丕 賳卮丕賳 賲蹖鈥屫囏� 丌賳丕賳 夭賳丿诏蹖 丕蹖 亘爻蹖丕乇 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 鬲乇 丕夭 丌賳趩賴 讴賴 鬲氐賵乇 賲蹖讴賳蹖賲 丿丕乇賳丿. 丿乇 賵丕賯毓 丕賲乇 爻乇讴賵亘 趩賳丕賳 亘乇丕蹖 丌賳 賴丕 鬲讴乇丕乇蹖 賵 乇賵夭賲乇賴 卮丿賴貙 讴賴 丨鬲蹖 賮乇氐鬲 丕賳丿蹖卮蹖丿賳 亘賴 爻乇讴賵亘诏乇 亘賵丿賳 禺賵丿 乇丕 賴賲 賳丿丕乇賳丿. 賵 丕蹖賳 賴賲丕賳 賲賮賴賵賲 芦丕亘鬲匕丕賱 卮乇禄 蹖丕 倬蹖卮 倬丕 丕賮鬲丕丿诏蹖 賵 爻丕丿賴 亘賵丿賳 丌賳 丕爻鬲 讴賴 賴丕賳丕 丌乇賳鬲 鬲賵囟蹖丨 丿丕丿賴 丕爻鬲.
丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 讴賲 丨噩賲 賵 讴賵鬲丕賴 乇賵丕蹖鬲蹖 丿爻鬲 丕賵賱 丕夭 趩诏賵賳诏蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 夭蹖乇 爻丕蹖賴 丨讴賵賲鬲 賴丕蹖 鬲賵鬲丕賱蹖鬲乇 賵 倬賱蹖爻蹖 亘賴 丿爻鬲 賲蹖鈥屫囏�. 噩丕蹖蹖 讴賴 賴賲賴 丿乇 丌賳 蹖讴 賲馗賳賵賳 亘丕賱賯賵賴 賴爻鬲賳丿貙 丨鬲蹖 丕诏乇 禺賱丕賮 丌賳 孬丕亘鬲 卮賵丿.
讴鬲丕亘 丕夭 夭亘丕賳 丌賳鬲賵賳蹖賵 賲丕乇鬲賳爻貙 蹖讴 倬賱蹖爻貙 乇賵丕蹖鬲 賲蹖鈥屫促堌�. 丕賵 丿乇 芦爻丕夭賲丕賳禄 賲卮睾賵賱 亘賴 讴丕乇 丕爻鬲. 鬲賲丕賲 丿丕賳爻鬲賴 賴丕蹖 賲丕 丿乇亘丕乇賴 賲丕乇鬲賳爻 賴賲蹖賳賯丿乇 讴賵鬲丕賴 丕爻鬲. 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 賵 鬲蹖倬蹖讴 亘賵丿賳 丕賵 趩賳丕賳 賵丕囟丨 丕爻鬲 讴賴 賴蹖趩 賳蹖丕夭蹖 亘乇丕蹖 鬲賵囟蹖丨 亘蹖卮鬲乇 賳蹖爻鬲.
丕賲丕 賳丕賲 讴丕賲賱 爻丕夭賲丕賳 趩蹖爻鬲責 丕蹖賳 乇丕 賴賲 賳賲蹖丿丕賳蹖賲. 賵 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 亘賴 毓賲丿 賳丕賲蹖 亘乇 丌賳 賳诏匕丕卮鬲賴 丕爻鬲. 賳蹖丕夭蹖 賳蹖爻鬲 讴賴 亘丿丕賳蹖賲. 鬲賳賴丕 賴賲蹖賳賯丿乇 亘賴 賲丕 賳卮丕賳 賲蹖丿賴丿 讴賴 噩丕蹖蹖爻鬲 亘乇丕蹖 丨匕賮 賵 賳丕亘賵丿蹖 賴賲賴 賲禺丕賱賮丕賳 賵 丿诏乇丕賳丿蹖卮丕賳.
賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 亘丕 倬乇丿丕禺鬲賳 亘賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 賵 讴丕乇 乇賵夭賲乇賴 賲丕乇鬲賳爻 亘賴 胤乇夭 卮诏賮鬲 丌賵乇蹖 毓丕丿蹖 亘賵丿賳 夭賳丿诏蹖 丕賵 乇丕 亘賴 賲丕 賳卮丕賳 賲蹖鈥屫囏�. 丕賳鬲馗丕乇 卮賲丕 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 蹖讴 賳蹖乇賵蹖 爻乇讴賵亘 趩蹖爻鬲責 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 丿乇 賳賴丕蹖鬲 卮诏賮鬲蹖 亘賴 賲丕 賳卮丕賳 賲蹖鈥屫囏� 丌賳丕賳 夭賳丿诏蹖 丕蹖 亘爻蹖丕乇 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 鬲乇 丕夭 丌賳趩賴 讴賴 鬲氐賵乇 賲蹖讴賳蹖賲 丿丕乇賳丿. 丿乇 賵丕賯毓 丕賲乇 爻乇讴賵亘 趩賳丕賳 亘乇丕蹖 丌賳 賴丕 鬲讴乇丕乇蹖 賵 乇賵夭賲乇賴 卮丿賴貙 讴賴 丨鬲蹖 賮乇氐鬲 丕賳丿蹖卮蹖丿賳 亘賴 爻乇讴賵亘诏乇 亘賵丿賳 禺賵丿 乇丕 賴賲 賳丿丕乇賳丿. 賵 丕蹖賳 賴賲丕賳 賲賮賴賵賲 芦丕亘鬲匕丕賱 卮乇禄 蹖丕 倬蹖卮 倬丕 丕賮鬲丕丿诏蹖 賵 爻丕丿賴 亘賵丿賳 丌賳 丕爻鬲 讴賴 賴丕賳丕 丌乇賳鬲 鬲賵囟蹖丨 丿丕丿賴 丕爻鬲.
丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 讴賲 丨噩賲 賵 讴賵鬲丕賴 乇賵丕蹖鬲蹖 丿爻鬲 丕賵賱 丕夭 趩诏賵賳诏蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 夭蹖乇 爻丕蹖賴 丨讴賵賲鬲 賴丕蹖 鬲賵鬲丕賱蹖鬲乇 賵 倬賱蹖爻蹖 亘賴 丿爻鬲 賲蹖鈥屫囏�. 噩丕蹖蹖 讴賴 賴賲賴 丿乇 丌賳 蹖讴 賲馗賳賵賳 亘丕賱賯賵賴 賴爻鬲賳丿貙 丨鬲蹖 丕诏乇 禺賱丕賮 丌賳 孬丕亘鬲 卮賵丿.
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November 22, 2014This was a quaint and ultimately straightforward story that had very little in the way of Literature wrapped up in it. I would have been disappointed if I hadn't been reading it on a Friday that I took off of work to peruse through the University library and read all day. The writing was very succinct and unlyrical (not really what I hope for in a book). The sentences were short and varied very little in their form (again not what I'm usually looking for). This piece definitely wasn't for me and I'm not sure how eager I feel to read more Kertesz.
On a side note, it has taken me longer to figure out how I think I should pronounce the author's name in my head than it took me to read this short novel.
On a side note, it has taken me longer to figure out how I think I should pronounce the author's name in my head than it took me to read this short novel.
March 15, 2008
Either a very poorly written or a very poorly translated little novel. The language is completely at odds with the premise, and where the review in the New York Times felt this wasn't a fatal flaw, I thought that it totally was a fatal flaw.
My wife points out that I didn't like his other novels, either. Good point.
This novel pretends to be the written testimony of an imprisoned former torturer in a vaguely South American police state. And a story of the torture and execution of innocent men.
My wife points out that I didn't like his other novels, either. Good point.
This novel pretends to be the written testimony of an imprisoned former torturer in a vaguely South American police state. And a story of the torture and execution of innocent men.
March 6, 2019
La verdad es que esperaba otra cosa diferente...Me ha aburrido bastante y se me ha hecho largo.
Es cierto que la historia que cuenta est谩 redactada de forma original, pero de forma deslabazada, por lo que me cuesta pillarle el punto.
Es cierto que la historia que cuenta est谩 redactada de forma original, pero de forma deslabazada, por lo que me cuesta pillarle el punto.
August 8, 2020
Unflinching look at the contingency and stupidity of mankind's unravelling history, in miniature.
May 2, 2024
Another novella that I'd never heard of . Kert茅sz is a clear , taut author who manages , within 100 pages, to capture the tyranny of a dictatorship with just a few characters. His focus is on the psychology , on the way power and success is possible only by constantly moving forward and only by those intelligent and self assured enough to keep one step ahead . This works only until it doesn't .
The form is a confession , of sorts . An ordinary detective of the failed dictatorship , now in prison , is granted pen and paper to write of a particular case , not as a plea for clemency but because he is disturbed by certain memories . He was a plod , a flat foot chosen to work in a unit that specialized in torture . He witnessed bad things ; he was indifferent , in awe of his ingenious boss and his vile henchman and subservient to them . Bad things happen.
All the best writers can take a familiar story and make it fresh ..these are the conditions in which evil thrives . And ordinary people comply . The genius of this novella is that the spare setting and minimal characterisation demands that the few scenes contain more than enough to make the point .
The form is a confession , of sorts . An ordinary detective of the failed dictatorship , now in prison , is granted pen and paper to write of a particular case , not as a plea for clemency but because he is disturbed by certain memories . He was a plod , a flat foot chosen to work in a unit that specialized in torture . He witnessed bad things ; he was indifferent , in awe of his ingenious boss and his vile henchman and subservient to them . Bad things happen.
All the best writers can take a familiar story and make it fresh ..these are the conditions in which evil thrives . And ordinary people comply . The genius of this novella is that the spare setting and minimal characterisation demands that the few scenes contain more than enough to make the point .
July 25, 2022
陌smine aldan谋p Polisiye - Macera tad谋nda bir 枚yk眉 beklemeyin. Polisiye Bir 脰yk眉 de臒il de daha 莽ok infazc谋 bir polisin a臒z谋ndan anlat谋lan siyasal polis 枚yk眉s眉 gibi. Etkileyici ve yal谋n bir dille anlat谋lm谋艧. K谋sa bir kitap ancak d眉艧眉nd眉r眉c眉.
March 26, 2024
脺莽 y谋ld谋zla ba艧lay谋p bir s眉re devam eden, fakat be艧 y谋ld谋zla biten bir uzun 枚yk眉! 脟ok sevdi臒im bir dostum; bug眉n payla艧t谋臒谋 bir metninde vicdan谋 艧u 艧ekilde tan谋mlad谋: 鈥淜anaatimce vicdan, hilesiz g枚zlerle kendi hakikatimize bakarak yer y眉z眉n眉 kalp g枚z眉yle g枚rebildi臒imiz, kendimize kulak verdi臒imiz bir yerdir.鈥�
Vicdan hep var olmal谋鈥� ve her yerde鈥�
Vicdan hep var olmal谋鈥� ve her yerde鈥�
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May 18, 2024Detective Story is a chilling account of police state operation unbounded by law or civil restraint, the more chilling for its inferences rather than graphic detail. The Detective Antonio Martens narrates the story from his jail cell to which he has been committed once the regime under which he had operated has been overthrown. Operating under superfluous logic that defies any relationship to truth, the police had arrested, questioned, tortured, and ultimately disposed of innocent victims, creating a community climate of fear, suspicion and mistrust.
From the book jacket:
"Inside Martin's mind, we inhabit the rationalizing world of evil and see firsthand the inherent danger of inertia during times of crisis. A slim, explosive novel of justice railroaded by malevolence, Detective Story is a warning
cry for our time."
The author was born in 1929 and imprisoned in Auschwitz and Buchenwald as a youth. He was awarded the Nobel prize for literature in 2002. He lives in Budapest and Berlin.
From the book jacket:
"Inside Martin's mind, we inhabit the rationalizing world of evil and see firsthand the inherent danger of inertia during times of crisis. A slim, explosive novel of justice railroaded by malevolence, Detective Story is a warning
cry for our time."
The author was born in 1929 and imprisoned in Auschwitz and Buchenwald as a youth. He was awarded the Nobel prize for literature in 2002. He lives in Budapest and Berlin.
August 9, 2016
I wish to tell a story
I must hurry, as most likely my time is short
They brainwashed me
Too early, damnably early
I have not been able to escape it
The only way back is to carry on straight ahead
No, it wasn鈥檛 enough. Rodriguez didn鈥檛 believe in mechanization
A person, he says, has no direct contact
As far as we were concerned, his fate was sealed
It's all a matter of timing
And the pace of events
Naturally
They had again sorted out their differences
To give an account of my days is impossible
To give an account of my plans: I have none
To give an account of my life: I'm not living
I exist. Is this a life still?
Only one philosophy can succeed the philosophy of existentialism
Non-existentialism, the philosophy of nonexistent existence
Nonexistence. The society of the nonexistence
In the street yesterday a nonexistence person trod on my foot with his nonexistence foot
Living their nonexistent lives
Or do they exist, and it's me who doesn鈥檛?
Living is another way of killing oneself: its drawback is that it takes so horribly long
Break with this inaction
Emerge from stillness
Yes. Muteness is truth. But a truth that is mute and the ones who speak will be right
I have to speak. More: to act
I am sick of atrocities, though these are now the natural order of our world
I would still like to act!
I met R. in the street
I understand nothing about what makes the mind tick
Everybody would have a price to pay in this case, everybody
As if we were under a huge, monstrous umbrella, two lost souls in a storm . . .
She called us all murderers: me, Enrique, all men, life as a whole
There are times when being happy 鈥� just happy, nothing else 鈥� is simple vile
Because
One can't be happy in a place where everybody is unhappy
I boiled up. I burst out
It only has to be accepted temporarily 鈥� temporarily, but everyday afresh
Something definitive. Something solid and permanent
I want to act. I want to change my way of life
This is all just a figment of your imagination
But a figment that at any moment can turn into a bloody reality
A person usually fights against a power in order to gain power himself
Jill was still dancing in my nerves and lurking in my words
How I hated everything around me, everything
I hated the policemen, their newspapers, their news
I hated going into an office, a shop, even a caf茅
Jill appeared before my eyes again, nauseatingly seductive life that she offered me
I was sick of doing nothing, of my situation, of mediocrity
Mediocrity is sickness
Everything is a matter of logic
Events per se mean nothing
Life itself can be regarded as an accident
The function of the police, however, is to bring logic to bear on Creation
You're raving, Enrique! Think about life! Think about the world!
My death would cast a shadow on them too, a massive shadow
I must hurry, as most likely my time is short
They brainwashed me
Too early, damnably early
I have not been able to escape it
The only way back is to carry on straight ahead
No, it wasn鈥檛 enough. Rodriguez didn鈥檛 believe in mechanization
A person, he says, has no direct contact
As far as we were concerned, his fate was sealed
It's all a matter of timing
And the pace of events
Naturally
They had again sorted out their differences
To give an account of my days is impossible
To give an account of my plans: I have none
To give an account of my life: I'm not living
I exist. Is this a life still?
Only one philosophy can succeed the philosophy of existentialism
Non-existentialism, the philosophy of nonexistent existence
Nonexistence. The society of the nonexistence
In the street yesterday a nonexistence person trod on my foot with his nonexistence foot
Living their nonexistent lives
Or do they exist, and it's me who doesn鈥檛?
Living is another way of killing oneself: its drawback is that it takes so horribly long
Break with this inaction
Emerge from stillness
Yes. Muteness is truth. But a truth that is mute and the ones who speak will be right
I have to speak. More: to act
I am sick of atrocities, though these are now the natural order of our world
I would still like to act!
I met R. in the street
I understand nothing about what makes the mind tick
Everybody would have a price to pay in this case, everybody
As if we were under a huge, monstrous umbrella, two lost souls in a storm . . .
She called us all murderers: me, Enrique, all men, life as a whole
There are times when being happy 鈥� just happy, nothing else 鈥� is simple vile
Because
One can't be happy in a place where everybody is unhappy
I boiled up. I burst out
It only has to be accepted temporarily 鈥� temporarily, but everyday afresh
Something definitive. Something solid and permanent
I want to act. I want to change my way of life
This is all just a figment of your imagination
But a figment that at any moment can turn into a bloody reality
A person usually fights against a power in order to gain power himself
Jill was still dancing in my nerves and lurking in my words
How I hated everything around me, everything
I hated the policemen, their newspapers, their news
I hated going into an office, a shop, even a caf茅
Jill appeared before my eyes again, nauseatingly seductive life that she offered me
I was sick of doing nothing, of my situation, of mediocrity
Mediocrity is sickness
Everything is a matter of logic
Events per se mean nothing
Life itself can be regarded as an accident
The function of the police, however, is to bring logic to bear on Creation
You're raving, Enrique! Think about life! Think about the world!
My death would cast a shadow on them too, a massive shadow
April 7, 2025
A creative telling of corruption and morals through the eyes of a latin america torturer.
May 27, 2008
This book is one that made me wonder if it is depressing when an author shows you how much you have in common with the human experience, or if that sort of demonstration of shared perspective is indeed uplifting. I still have not settled on the answer. This is a masterful tale, which I felt to be written in the style of some of the old masters like Camus, wherein the tale lies not only in the narrative. I would recommend this book to anyone, as it is short and sweet, but full as poetry. I still find myself returning to it, or is it that it nailed the things that occur and that someone else only pointed them out? That said, the narrative is a bit disturbing, not for the faint of heart, but masterfully told. I will seek out more by this author
February 28, 2023
This is NOT a detective story. But anyone who wants to know how easy it is to bend as a "public servant" in blind obedience until all boundaries of decency dissolve, read this great parable, told backwards from its end, about fascism and how it first creeps and then furiously arrives in the middle of a society.
It is the tragically sad story of a father and his son and the downfall of both, which - an almost Kafkaesque twist makes it possible - comes to an entirely unnecessary end when the father wants to protect and save his rash, defiant and impetuous son from the state henchmen. A tragic grotesque like no other takes its merciless course, which leads to the opposite of saving his son.
The short novel is set in a fictitious Latin American country because, at the time he was writing the text, Kert茅sz could not dare make any associations with his (totalitarian) Hungarian homeland. Originally planned as an independent story, sorted out by him and forgotten, Kert茅sz conceived and completed the episode at the behest of his publisher, who demanded another text for the story collection "A nyomkereso" ("The Tracker", 1977), which was still too small. Within two weeks, Kert茅sz created this convincing analogy of an emerging state of injustice, in which in the end the only social truth consists in the dehumanization of victims as well as perpetrators through the dogma of unquestioningly executed and grotesque orders "from above.
As if paralyzed, one reads the inexorable events that lead to the inevitable end and is left with the consternation of having witnessed the story of a complete breakdown of all rules and values, which has a deep impact and whose subtle inescapability creeps under the skin while reading.
Absolutely worth reading. A powerful piece of political cautionary and rallying literature. Almost a political dystopia in the cold desert of our alienated world, if one did not know exactly that it has already happened or will happen again a thousand times.
漏锔� by Andreas Richartz for phenomenon_corporation 02/2023
Dies ist KEINE Detektivgeschichte. Doch wer wissen will, wie leicht es ist, sich als "Staatsdiener" in blindem Gehorsam zu verbiegen, bis alle Grenzen des Anstands sich aufl枚sen, der lese diese gro脽artige, r眉ckw盲rts von ihrem Ende her erz盲hlte Parabel 眉ber Faschismus und wie er erst schleichend und dann rasend in der Mitte einer Gesellschaft ankommt.
Es ist die tragisch-traurige Geschichte eines Vaters und seines Sohnes und beider Untergang, die - eine nahezu kafkaeske Wendung macht es m枚glich - v枚llig unn枚tiger Weise ihren Ausgang nimmt, als der Vater seinen unbedachten, trotzigen und ungest眉men Sohn vor den Staatsschergen sch眉tzen und retten will. Eine tragische Groteske sondergleichen nimmt ihren unbarmherzigen Lauf, die zum Gegenteil der Rettung seines Sohnes f眉hrt.
Der kurze Roman ist in einem fiktiven lateinamerikanischen Land angesiedelt, weil Kert茅sz zu der Zeit, als er an dem Text schrieb, es nicht wagen konnte, Assoziationen zu seiner (totalit盲ren) ungarischen Heimat aufkommen zu lassen. Urspr眉nglich als selbst盲ndige Erz盲hlung geplant, von ihm aussortiert und in Vergessenheit geraten, konzipierte und vollendete Kert茅sz die Episode auf Gehei脽 seines Verlegers, der f眉r den noch zu wenig umfangreichen Erz盲hlungsband "Der Spurensucher" (1977) einen weiteren Text verlangte. Kert茅sz schuf aus schriftstellerischer Not geboren binnen zwei Wochen diese 眉berzeugende Analogie eines heraufziehenden Unrechtsstaates, in dem am Ende die einzige gesellschaftliche Wahrheit in der Entmenschlichung von Opfern wie T盲tern durch das Dogma unhinterfragt auszuf眉hrender und grotesker Befehle "von oben" besteht.
Wie gel盲hmt liest man die unaufhaltsamen Ereignisse, die zum unausweichlichen Ende f眉hren und bleibt konsterniert mit dem Bewusstsein zur眉ck, der Geschichte eines v枚lligen Zusammenbruchs aller Regeln und Werte beigewohnt zu haben, die tief nachwirkt und deren subtile Unentrinnbarkeit w盲hrend des Lesens unter die Haut kriecht.
Unbedingt lesenswert. Ein starkes St眉ck politischer Warner- und Rufer-Literatur. Fast eine politische Dystopie in der kalten W眉ste unserer entfremdeten Welt, wenn man nicht genau w眉sste, dass es so oder so 盲hnlich schon tausendfach geschehen ist und wieder geschehen wird.
漏锔� by Andreas Richartz for phenomenon_corporation 02/2023
It is the tragically sad story of a father and his son and the downfall of both, which - an almost Kafkaesque twist makes it possible - comes to an entirely unnecessary end when the father wants to protect and save his rash, defiant and impetuous son from the state henchmen. A tragic grotesque like no other takes its merciless course, which leads to the opposite of saving his son.
The short novel is set in a fictitious Latin American country because, at the time he was writing the text, Kert茅sz could not dare make any associations with his (totalitarian) Hungarian homeland. Originally planned as an independent story, sorted out by him and forgotten, Kert茅sz conceived and completed the episode at the behest of his publisher, who demanded another text for the story collection "A nyomkereso" ("The Tracker", 1977), which was still too small. Within two weeks, Kert茅sz created this convincing analogy of an emerging state of injustice, in which in the end the only social truth consists in the dehumanization of victims as well as perpetrators through the dogma of unquestioningly executed and grotesque orders "from above.
As if paralyzed, one reads the inexorable events that lead to the inevitable end and is left with the consternation of having witnessed the story of a complete breakdown of all rules and values, which has a deep impact and whose subtle inescapability creeps under the skin while reading.
Absolutely worth reading. A powerful piece of political cautionary and rallying literature. Almost a political dystopia in the cold desert of our alienated world, if one did not know exactly that it has already happened or will happen again a thousand times.
漏锔� by Andreas Richartz for phenomenon_corporation 02/2023
Dies ist KEINE Detektivgeschichte. Doch wer wissen will, wie leicht es ist, sich als "Staatsdiener" in blindem Gehorsam zu verbiegen, bis alle Grenzen des Anstands sich aufl枚sen, der lese diese gro脽artige, r眉ckw盲rts von ihrem Ende her erz盲hlte Parabel 眉ber Faschismus und wie er erst schleichend und dann rasend in der Mitte einer Gesellschaft ankommt.
Es ist die tragisch-traurige Geschichte eines Vaters und seines Sohnes und beider Untergang, die - eine nahezu kafkaeske Wendung macht es m枚glich - v枚llig unn枚tiger Weise ihren Ausgang nimmt, als der Vater seinen unbedachten, trotzigen und ungest眉men Sohn vor den Staatsschergen sch眉tzen und retten will. Eine tragische Groteske sondergleichen nimmt ihren unbarmherzigen Lauf, die zum Gegenteil der Rettung seines Sohnes f眉hrt.
Der kurze Roman ist in einem fiktiven lateinamerikanischen Land angesiedelt, weil Kert茅sz zu der Zeit, als er an dem Text schrieb, es nicht wagen konnte, Assoziationen zu seiner (totalit盲ren) ungarischen Heimat aufkommen zu lassen. Urspr眉nglich als selbst盲ndige Erz盲hlung geplant, von ihm aussortiert und in Vergessenheit geraten, konzipierte und vollendete Kert茅sz die Episode auf Gehei脽 seines Verlegers, der f眉r den noch zu wenig umfangreichen Erz盲hlungsband "Der Spurensucher" (1977) einen weiteren Text verlangte. Kert茅sz schuf aus schriftstellerischer Not geboren binnen zwei Wochen diese 眉berzeugende Analogie eines heraufziehenden Unrechtsstaates, in dem am Ende die einzige gesellschaftliche Wahrheit in der Entmenschlichung von Opfern wie T盲tern durch das Dogma unhinterfragt auszuf眉hrender und grotesker Befehle "von oben" besteht.
Wie gel盲hmt liest man die unaufhaltsamen Ereignisse, die zum unausweichlichen Ende f眉hren und bleibt konsterniert mit dem Bewusstsein zur眉ck, der Geschichte eines v枚lligen Zusammenbruchs aller Regeln und Werte beigewohnt zu haben, die tief nachwirkt und deren subtile Unentrinnbarkeit w盲hrend des Lesens unter die Haut kriecht.
Unbedingt lesenswert. Ein starkes St眉ck politischer Warner- und Rufer-Literatur. Fast eine politische Dystopie in der kalten W眉ste unserer entfremdeten Welt, wenn man nicht genau w眉sste, dass es so oder so 盲hnlich schon tausendfach geschehen ist und wieder geschehen wird.
漏锔� by Andreas Richartz for phenomenon_corporation 02/2023
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