What do you think?
Rate this book
Martin Eden
The semiautobiographical Martin Eden is the most vital and original character Jack London ever created. Set in San Francisco, this is the story of Martin Eden, an impoverished seaman who pursues, obsessively and aggressively, dreams of education and literary fame. London, dissatisfied with the rewards of his own success, intended Martin Eden as an attack on individualism and a criticism of ambition; however, much of its status as a classic has been conferred by admirers of its ambitious protagonist.
Andrew Sinclair's wide-ranging introduction discusses the conflict between London's support of socialism and his powerful self-will. Sinclair also explores the parallels and divergences between the life of Martin Eden and that of his creator, focusing on London's mental depressions and how they affected his depiction of Eden.
Andrew Sinclair's wide-ranging introduction discusses the conflict between London's support of socialism and his powerful self-will. Sinclair also explores the parallels and divergences between the life of Martin Eden and that of his creator, focusing on London's mental depressions and how they affected his depiction of Eden.
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1909
3,218 people are currently reading
41.2k people want to read
About the author
Jack London
6,989听books7,418听followersJohn Griffith Chaney, better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors to become an international celebrity and earn a large fortune from writing. He was also an innovator in the genre that would later become known as science fiction.
London was part of the radical literary group "The Crowd" in San Francisco and a passionate advocate of animal rights, workers鈥� rights and socialism. London wrote several works dealing with these topics, such as his dystopian novel The Iron Heel, his non-fiction expos茅 The People of the Abyss, War of the Classes, and Before Adam.
His most famous works include The Call of the Wild and White Fang, both set in Alaska and the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush, as well as the short stories "To Build a Fire", "An Odyssey of the North", and "Love of Life". He also wrote about the South Pacific in stories such as "The Pearls of Parlay" and "The Heathen".
London was part of the radical literary group "The Crowd" in San Francisco and a passionate advocate of animal rights, workers鈥� rights and socialism. London wrote several works dealing with these topics, such as his dystopian novel The Iron Heel, his non-fiction expos茅 The People of the Abyss, War of the Classes, and Before Adam.
His most famous works include The Call of the Wild and White Fang, both set in Alaska and the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush, as well as the short stories "To Build a Fire", "An Odyssey of the North", and "Love of Life". He also wrote about the South Pacific in stories such as "The Pearls of Parlay" and "The Heathen".
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,492 reviews
September 24, 2009
This is one of the best books I've ever read. A remarkable attempt by Jack London in dissecting a person's evolution of being as they happen upon the path of enlightenment. Martin Edin (M.E.--a hint at the author's identification with the hero?) is a roughneck sailor who is blinded and transformed by the inner and outer beauty of a woman he meets, but this is just the beginning. Looking into her eyes he caught, "glimpses of the soul, and a glimpse of his own too." His former mode of being had come to an end.
Throughout the story his journey is chronicled as an intellectual and moral advance that conducts him from the dark haunts of his former 'cave' of a life, and gives entrance into a world of truth and love that was too white hot in radiance for the sleepy bumps he used to call his eyes. He educates himself through a personal track of reading books (indiscriminately at first, but in time becoming more direct and intentional), and soon he soars above even his erudite peers in his apprehension of philosophy and scientific verities. "And so you arise from mud, Martin Edin,...and you cleanse your eyes in a great brightness, thrusting your shoulders among the stars...and wresting highest heritage from all the powers that be."
He mounts to a dizzying height of cultural development and cerebral prowess...yet he ultimately finds himself engulfed in loneliness and emptiness. He had opened the windows of the cramped quarters of his former existence, and having completed his trek of this new world he discovered, he finds that it is hermetically sealed from all outside life and anything that could possibly make him happy again. He had found truth, but lost love...and he finally wrestles with the decision about what to do with it all. His answer will shock you.
Throughout the story his journey is chronicled as an intellectual and moral advance that conducts him from the dark haunts of his former 'cave' of a life, and gives entrance into a world of truth and love that was too white hot in radiance for the sleepy bumps he used to call his eyes. He educates himself through a personal track of reading books (indiscriminately at first, but in time becoming more direct and intentional), and soon he soars above even his erudite peers in his apprehension of philosophy and scientific verities. "And so you arise from mud, Martin Edin,...and you cleanse your eyes in a great brightness, thrusting your shoulders among the stars...and wresting highest heritage from all the powers that be."
He mounts to a dizzying height of cultural development and cerebral prowess...yet he ultimately finds himself engulfed in loneliness and emptiness. He had opened the windows of the cramped quarters of his former existence, and having completed his trek of this new world he discovered, he finds that it is hermetically sealed from all outside life and anything that could possibly make him happy again. He had found truth, but lost love...and he finally wrestles with the decision about what to do with it all. His answer will shock you.
September 7, 2021
(Book 757 From 1001 Books) - Martin Eden, Jack London
Martin Eden is a 1909 novel by American author Jack London about a young proletarian autodidact struggling to become a writer.
Living in Oakland at the beginning of the 20th century, Martin Eden struggles to rise above his destitute, proletarian circumstances through an intense and passionate pursuit of self-education, hoping to achieve a place among the literary elite.
His principal motivation is his love for Ruth Morse. Because Eden is a rough, uneducated sailor from a working-class background and the Morses are a bourgeois family, a union between them would be impossible unless and until he reached their level of wealth and refinement.
Over a period of two years, Eden promises Ruth that success will come, but just before it does, Ruth loses her patience and rejects him in a letter, saying, "if only you had settled down ... and attempted to make something of yourself".
By the time Eden attains the favour of the publishers and the bourgeoisie who had shunned him, he has already developed a grudge against them and become jaded by toil and unrequited love.
Instead of enjoying his success, he retreats into a quiet indifference, interrupted only to rail mentally against the genteelness of bourgeois society or to donate his new wealth to working-class friends and family.
He felt that people did not value him for himself or for his work but only for his fame.
The novel ends with Eden's committing suicide by drowning, which contributed to what researcher Clarice Stasz calls the "biographical myth" that Jack London's own death was a suicide.
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 乇賵夭 倬賳噩賲 賲丕賴 丿爻丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱 1984 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳 蹖讴: 賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 丕蹖丿賳貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 噩讴 賱賳丿賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 丕. 丿賵爻鈥嵷€嵷ж必� 賳卮乇: 鬲賴乇丕賳: 毓賱賲蹖貙 趩丕倬 賳禺爻鬲 爻丕賱 1335貙 趩丕倬 丿賵賲 1347賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖禄貙 丿乇294氐貙 卮丕亘讴 賳丿丕乇丿貨 賲賵囟賵毓 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 丕蹖丕賱丕鬲 賲鬲丨丿賴 丌賲乇蹖讴丕 - 爻丿賴 20賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳 丿賵: 賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 丕蹖丿賳貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 噩讴 賱賳丿賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲丨賲丿鬲賯蹖 賮乇丕賲乇夭蹖貙 賳卮乇: 鬲賴乇丕賳: 鬲賳丿乇貙 趩丕倬 賳禺爻鬲 1362貙 趩丕倬 丿賵賲 1368貙 賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丿乇 414氐.貨 卮丕亘讴 賳丿丕乇丿
毓賳賵丕賳 爻賴: 賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 丕蹖丿賳貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 噩讴 賱賳丿賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲丨賲丿鬲賯蹖 賮乇丕賲乇夭蹖貙 賳卮乇: 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丿賳蹖丕蹖 賳賵貙 趩丕倬 賳禺爻鬲 爻丕賱 1387賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貙 趩丕倬 丿賵賲 賳丕賲卮禺氐貙 趩丕倬 爻賵賲 爻丕賱 鈥�1389 賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貙 趩丕倬 趩賴丕乇賲 爻丕賱 1392 賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貙 丿乇 494氐.貙 卮丕亘讴 9789641720034貨
毓賳賵丕賳 趩賴丕乇: 賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 丕蹖丿賳貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 噩讴 賱賳丿賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賮乇蹖丿賵賳 丨丕噩鬲蹖貙 賳卮乇: 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丌乇賲丕賳貙 趩丕倬 賳禺爻鬲 爻丕賱 1354賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貙 丿乇 218氐.貙 賲氐賵乇.貨 卮丕亘讴: 賳丿丕乇丿
毓賳賵丕賳 倬賳噩: 賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 丕蹖丿賳貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 噩讴 賱賳丿賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賮乇蹖丿賵賳 丨丕噩鬲蹖貙 賳卮乇 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丿亘蹖乇貙 爻丕賱 1389 賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖禄 丿乇 128氐.貙 卮丕亘讴9786005955378貨
賳賯賱 丕夭 賲鬲賳: 芦鬲賵 乇丕 亘賴 禺丕胤乇 丌賳趩賴 賴爻鬲蹖貙 丌賳趩賴 亘賵丿蹖 賵 丨鬲蹖 亘賴 禺丕胤乇 乇丕賴颅賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 倬蹖賲賵丿賴颅 丕蹖 丿賵爻鬲 賲蹖颅丿丕乇賲禄貨 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賯賱
賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 丕蹖丿賳貙 丿丕爻鬲丕賳蹖 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲賱賵丕賳蹖 丕夭 賯卮乇 賮乇賵丿爻鬲 噩丕賲毓賴 丕爻鬲貨 噩賵丕賳蹖 讴賴 丕夭 蹖丕夭丿賴 爻丕賱诏蹖 亘賴 丿賳亘丕賱 賳丕賳 丿賵蹖丿賴貙 丿乇爻 乇丕 賮乇丕賲賵卮 讴乇丿賴貙 亘賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 讴丕乇诏乇蹖 禺賵 诏乇賮鬲賴貙 賲賱賵丕賳 卮丿賴貙 賵 賳賵毓蹖 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 亘蹖賯蹖丿 乇丕 鬲噩乇亘賴 讴乇丿賴貙 亘賴 丿乇蹖丕 乇賮鬲賴貙 賵 亘丕 倬賵賱 亘丕夭诏卮鬲賴貙 趩賳丿 賲丕賴 丿乇 禺卮讴蹖 爻倬乇蹖 讴乇丿賴貙 賵 亘丕夭 爻賮乇蹖 丿蹖诏乇 乇丕 丌睾丕夭 讴乇丿賴貙 丕賱亘鬲賴 丌賳诏丕賴 讴賴 倬賵賱卮 鬲賴 讴卮蹖丿賴 丕爻鬲貨 毓賱丕賯賴颅 蹖 亘爻蹖丕乇 亘賴 禺賵丕賳丿賳 讴鬲丕亘 賵 卮毓乇 丿丕乇丿貙 賴乇 讴鬲丕亘蹖 乇丕 讴賴 亘賴 丿爻鬲 丌賵乇丿貙 賲蹖颅禺賵丕賳丿貨 乇賵蹖丿丕丿蹖 丕賵 乇丕 亘丕 芦乇賵鬲禄貙 丿禺鬲乇 蹖讴 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴 丕夭 丕卮乇丕賮貙 丌卮賳丕 賲蹖颅讴賳丿貨 芦賲丕乇鬲蹖賳禄 丿賱 丿乇 诏乇賵 毓卮賯 賲蹖颅賳賴丿貙 賵 鬲賱丕卮 丿丕乇丿 鬲丕 倬丕蹖诏丕賴 丕噩鬲賲丕毓蹖 禺賵蹖卮 乇丕 丿蹖诏乇 讴賳丿貨 噩賴卮蹖 讴賳丿 丕夭 賯卮乇 賮乇賵丿爻鬲 亘賴 賮乇丕丿爻鬲貙 亘賴 賴賲鬲 毓卮賯貨
丿乇 丕蹖賳 鬲賱丕卮 丌賲賵夭诏丕乇卮 芦乇賵鬲禄 丕爻鬲貨 丕賲丕 乇賵丨 爻乇讴卮 芦賲丕乇鬲蹖賳禄 乇丕 賳诏丕乇卮 丕爻鬲貙 讴賴 丌乇丕賲 賲蹖颅讴賳丿貨 賲蹖颅丿丕賳丿 讴賴 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏蹖 亘乇丕蹖 丕賵 賳丕賳 賳賲蹖颅卮賵丿貨 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 夭賳丿诏蹖 丕丿丕賲賴 賲蹖颅蹖丕亘丿貨 讴丕乇 賲蹖颅讴賳丿貙 賵 賲蹖颅禺賵丕賳丿貙 賵 賲蹖颅賳賵蹖爻丿貨 亘賴 丿乇蹖丕 亘丕夭 賲蹖颅诏乇丿丿貙 乇禺鬲卮賵蹖 賲蹖卮賵丿貙 賵 亘賴 賮乇賵卮 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 禺賵蹖卮 賲蹖颅倬乇丿丕夭丿貨 亘禺鬲 丕賲丕 亘丕 丕賵 蹖丕乇 賳蹖爻鬲貨
亘丕 芦丌賳丕乇卮蹖爻鬲蹖禄 亘賴 賳丕賲 芦亘乇爻蹖丿賳禄貙 丌卮賳丕 賲蹖颅卮賵丿貙 毓賯丕蹖丿卮貙 賵 賴丿賮卮 賳蹖夭 鬲睾蹖蹖乇 賲蹖颅讴賳丿貨 芦亘乇爻蹖丿賳禄 丕賵 乇丕 賳氐蹖丨鬲 賲蹖颅讴賳丿貙 讴賴 亘賴 丿乇蹖丕 亘丕夭诏乇丿丿貙 讴丕乇 亘丿丕賳噩丕 賲蹖乇爻丿貙 讴賴 噩丿丕蹖蹖 丕夭 芦乇賵鬲禄 乇丕貙 丕夭 丕賵 賲蹖颅禺賵丕賴丿貨 賲蹖颅诏賵蹖丿 (夭賳蹖 亘夭乇诏 賵 亘蹖颅賯蹖丿 乇丕 亘乇诏夭蹖賳貙 夭賳蹖 讴賴 亘賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 賱亘禺賳丿 賲蹖颅夭賳丿貙 賵 賲乇诏 乇丕 亘賴 爻禺乇賴 賲蹖颅诏蹖乇丿貙 賵 鬲丕 噩丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丕夭 丿爻鬲卮 亘乇丌蹖丿 亘賴 毓丕卮賯卮 毓卮賯 賲蹖颅賵乇夭丿貨 趩賳蹖賳 夭賳丕賳蹖 賵噩賵丿 丿丕乇賳丿貙 賵 鬲賵 乇丕貙 亘賴 丕賳丿丕夭賴颅 蹖 賴乇 蹖讴 丕夭 丕蹖賳 丿爻鬲 倬乇賵乇丿诏丕賳賽 亘夭丿賱 亘賵乇跇賵丕夭蹖貙 禺賵丕賴賳丿 倬乇爻鬲蹖丿) 氐 348貙 芦亘乇爻蹖丿賳禄 丕賵 乇丕 亘丕 诏乇賵賴蹖 丌卮賳丕 賲蹖颅讴賳丿貙 讴賴 亘蹖 賯蹖丿蹖 乇丕貙 亘賴 賱匕鬲 亘賵乇跇賵丕 亘賵丿賳 賮乇賵禺鬲賴颅 丕賳丿貨 賲丕乇鬲蹖賳貙 丿蹖诏乇 賴賲丕賳 賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 爻丕亘賯 賳蹖爻鬲貙 丕賲丕 賴賲趩賳丕賳 毓丕卮賯 芦乇賵鬲禄 丕爻鬲貙 丕賲丕 丕夭 賴乇 丌賳趩賴 芦亘賳丿賴丕蹖 亘賵乇跇賵丕乇蹖禄 賲蹖颅禺賵丕賳賳丿貙 賳賮乇鬲 丿丕乇丿 丕夭 丕賳爻丕賳颅賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丿丕賳卮颅卮丕賳 乇丕 亘賴 诏賵乇 爻倬乇丿賴 颅丕賳丿貙 賵 亘丿賵賳 禺賵丕賳丿賳 蹖讴 賳賯丿貙 蹖丕 丕氐賱 賲胤賱亘貙 亘賴 氐乇賮 亘賵丿賳 丕夭 胤亘賯賴颅 蹖 亘丕賱丕鬲乇貙 禺賵丿 乇丕 賲丨賯 丿乇 賳馗乇丿丕丿賳 賲蹖颅丿丕賳賳丿貨 丿乇 丕蹖賳 诏蹖乇賵丿丕乇 爻禺賳賴丕蹖卮 丿乇 蹖讴 噩賲毓 爻賵爻蹖丕賱蹖爻鬲蹖 丿乇丿爻乇爻丕夭 賲蹖颅卮賵丿貙 賵 亘乇丕蹖 賲丿鬲蹖 芦乇賵鬲禄 乇丕 丕夭 丿爻鬲 賲蹖颅丿賴丿貨 丿乇 賴賲丕賳 乇賵夭賴丕爻鬲 讴賴 芦亘乇爻蹖丿賳禄 賴賲 賲蹖颅賲蹖乇丿貨 鬲賳賴丕 賲蹖颅賲丕賳丿貙 丕賲丕 亘禺鬲 丿賵亘丕乇賴 亘賴 丕賵 乇賵蹖 賲蹖颅讴賳丿貙 賵 讴鬲丕亘賴丕蹖卮 亘賴 賮乇賵卮 賲蹖颅乇爻賳丿貨
賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 賲賳夭噩乇 丕夭 亘賵乇跇賵丕賴丕貙 禺賵丿 乇丕 丿乇 丌賳 胤亘賯賴 賲蹖颅亘蹖賳丿貙 丿爻鬲 丕夭 賳賵卮鬲賳 亘乇賲蹖颅丿丕乇丿貨 丕讴賳賵賳 亘丕 爻卅賵丕賱 亘夭乇诏賵丕乇鬲乇蹖 乇賵亘乇賵 卮丿賴貙 賵 亘丕蹖丿 倬丕爻禺卮 乇丕 亘蹖丕亘丿貙 丕夭 禺賵丿 賲蹖颅倬乇爻丿 (丕賳爻丕賳颅賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丕賲乇賵夭 丕賵 乇丕 丕夭 禺賵丿 賲蹖颅丿丕賳賳丿貙 丿乇 爻丕賱颅賴丕蹖 賮賯乇 賵 亘丿亘禺鬲蹖 丕賵 讴噩丕 亘賵丿賳丿)貙 賵 丕丿丕賲賴 蹖 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴賲蹖賳 倬乇爻卮 丕爻鬲貨
賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 丕蹖丿賳 丕孬乇 賲丕賳丿诏丕乇 芦噩讴 賱賳丿賳禄 丕爻鬲貙 卮丕蹖丿 禺賵丿賳賵卮鬲蹖 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 禺賵丿 丕蹖卮丕賳 亘丕卮丿貙 芦噩讴 賱賳丿賳禄 丕蹖賳 丕孬乇 禺賵丿 乇丕 禺賵丕爻鬲賴 蹖丕 賳丕禺賵丕爻鬲賴貙 鬲賯丿蹖賲 亘賴 鬲賲丕賲 讴丕乇诏乇丕賳 賲蹖颅讴賳丿貙 丕夭 丿蹖丿诏丕賴 丕賵貙 丌賳颅賴丕 鬲賳賴丕 讴爻丕賳蹖 賴爻鬲賳丿 讴賴 (亘賵丿賳 亘乇丕蹖卮丕賳 賲毓賳丕蹖 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 丕夭 賲賳賮毓鬲 丿丕乇丿貙 賵 夭賳丿诏蹖 乇丕 亘丕 賱匕鬲 賵 丿乇 爻禺鬲蹖 賲蹖颅诏匕乇丕賳賳丿貙 ...)貨
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 26/08/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 15/06/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
Martin Eden is a 1909 novel by American author Jack London about a young proletarian autodidact struggling to become a writer.
Living in Oakland at the beginning of the 20th century, Martin Eden struggles to rise above his destitute, proletarian circumstances through an intense and passionate pursuit of self-education, hoping to achieve a place among the literary elite.
His principal motivation is his love for Ruth Morse. Because Eden is a rough, uneducated sailor from a working-class background and the Morses are a bourgeois family, a union between them would be impossible unless and until he reached their level of wealth and refinement.
Over a period of two years, Eden promises Ruth that success will come, but just before it does, Ruth loses her patience and rejects him in a letter, saying, "if only you had settled down ... and attempted to make something of yourself".
By the time Eden attains the favour of the publishers and the bourgeoisie who had shunned him, he has already developed a grudge against them and become jaded by toil and unrequited love.
Instead of enjoying his success, he retreats into a quiet indifference, interrupted only to rail mentally against the genteelness of bourgeois society or to donate his new wealth to working-class friends and family.
He felt that people did not value him for himself or for his work but only for his fame.
The novel ends with Eden's committing suicide by drowning, which contributed to what researcher Clarice Stasz calls the "biographical myth" that Jack London's own death was a suicide.
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 乇賵夭 倬賳噩賲 賲丕賴 丿爻丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱 1984 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳 蹖讴: 賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 丕蹖丿賳貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 噩讴 賱賳丿賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 丕. 丿賵爻鈥嵷€嵷ж必� 賳卮乇: 鬲賴乇丕賳: 毓賱賲蹖貙 趩丕倬 賳禺爻鬲 爻丕賱 1335貙 趩丕倬 丿賵賲 1347賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖禄貙 丿乇294氐貙 卮丕亘讴 賳丿丕乇丿貨 賲賵囟賵毓 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 丕蹖丕賱丕鬲 賲鬲丨丿賴 丌賲乇蹖讴丕 - 爻丿賴 20賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳 丿賵: 賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 丕蹖丿賳貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 噩讴 賱賳丿賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲丨賲丿鬲賯蹖 賮乇丕賲乇夭蹖貙 賳卮乇: 鬲賴乇丕賳: 鬲賳丿乇貙 趩丕倬 賳禺爻鬲 1362貙 趩丕倬 丿賵賲 1368貙 賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丿乇 414氐.貨 卮丕亘讴 賳丿丕乇丿
毓賳賵丕賳 爻賴: 賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 丕蹖丿賳貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 噩讴 賱賳丿賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲丨賲丿鬲賯蹖 賮乇丕賲乇夭蹖貙 賳卮乇: 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丿賳蹖丕蹖 賳賵貙 趩丕倬 賳禺爻鬲 爻丕賱 1387賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貙 趩丕倬 丿賵賲 賳丕賲卮禺氐貙 趩丕倬 爻賵賲 爻丕賱 鈥�1389 賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貙 趩丕倬 趩賴丕乇賲 爻丕賱 1392 賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貙 丿乇 494氐.貙 卮丕亘讴 9789641720034貨
毓賳賵丕賳 趩賴丕乇: 賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 丕蹖丿賳貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 噩讴 賱賳丿賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賮乇蹖丿賵賳 丨丕噩鬲蹖貙 賳卮乇: 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丌乇賲丕賳貙 趩丕倬 賳禺爻鬲 爻丕賱 1354賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貙 丿乇 218氐.貙 賲氐賵乇.貨 卮丕亘讴: 賳丿丕乇丿
毓賳賵丕賳 倬賳噩: 賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 丕蹖丿賳貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 噩讴 賱賳丿賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賮乇蹖丿賵賳 丨丕噩鬲蹖貙 賳卮乇 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丿亘蹖乇貙 爻丕賱 1389 賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖禄 丿乇 128氐.貙 卮丕亘讴9786005955378貨
賳賯賱 丕夭 賲鬲賳: 芦鬲賵 乇丕 亘賴 禺丕胤乇 丌賳趩賴 賴爻鬲蹖貙 丌賳趩賴 亘賵丿蹖 賵 丨鬲蹖 亘賴 禺丕胤乇 乇丕賴颅賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 倬蹖賲賵丿賴颅 丕蹖 丿賵爻鬲 賲蹖颅丿丕乇賲禄貨 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賯賱
賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 丕蹖丿賳貙 丿丕爻鬲丕賳蹖 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲賱賵丕賳蹖 丕夭 賯卮乇 賮乇賵丿爻鬲 噩丕賲毓賴 丕爻鬲貨 噩賵丕賳蹖 讴賴 丕夭 蹖丕夭丿賴 爻丕賱诏蹖 亘賴 丿賳亘丕賱 賳丕賳 丿賵蹖丿賴貙 丿乇爻 乇丕 賮乇丕賲賵卮 讴乇丿賴貙 亘賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 讴丕乇诏乇蹖 禺賵 诏乇賮鬲賴貙 賲賱賵丕賳 卮丿賴貙 賵 賳賵毓蹖 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 亘蹖賯蹖丿 乇丕 鬲噩乇亘賴 讴乇丿賴貙 亘賴 丿乇蹖丕 乇賮鬲賴貙 賵 亘丕 倬賵賱 亘丕夭诏卮鬲賴貙 趩賳丿 賲丕賴 丿乇 禺卮讴蹖 爻倬乇蹖 讴乇丿賴貙 賵 亘丕夭 爻賮乇蹖 丿蹖诏乇 乇丕 丌睾丕夭 讴乇丿賴貙 丕賱亘鬲賴 丌賳诏丕賴 讴賴 倬賵賱卮 鬲賴 讴卮蹖丿賴 丕爻鬲貨 毓賱丕賯賴颅 蹖 亘爻蹖丕乇 亘賴 禺賵丕賳丿賳 讴鬲丕亘 賵 卮毓乇 丿丕乇丿貙 賴乇 讴鬲丕亘蹖 乇丕 讴賴 亘賴 丿爻鬲 丌賵乇丿貙 賲蹖颅禺賵丕賳丿貨 乇賵蹖丿丕丿蹖 丕賵 乇丕 亘丕 芦乇賵鬲禄貙 丿禺鬲乇 蹖讴 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴 丕夭 丕卮乇丕賮貙 丌卮賳丕 賲蹖颅讴賳丿貨 芦賲丕乇鬲蹖賳禄 丿賱 丿乇 诏乇賵 毓卮賯 賲蹖颅賳賴丿貙 賵 鬲賱丕卮 丿丕乇丿 鬲丕 倬丕蹖诏丕賴 丕噩鬲賲丕毓蹖 禺賵蹖卮 乇丕 丿蹖诏乇 讴賳丿貨 噩賴卮蹖 讴賳丿 丕夭 賯卮乇 賮乇賵丿爻鬲 亘賴 賮乇丕丿爻鬲貙 亘賴 賴賲鬲 毓卮賯貨
丿乇 丕蹖賳 鬲賱丕卮 丌賲賵夭诏丕乇卮 芦乇賵鬲禄 丕爻鬲貨 丕賲丕 乇賵丨 爻乇讴卮 芦賲丕乇鬲蹖賳禄 乇丕 賳诏丕乇卮 丕爻鬲貙 讴賴 丌乇丕賲 賲蹖颅讴賳丿貨 賲蹖颅丿丕賳丿 讴賴 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏蹖 亘乇丕蹖 丕賵 賳丕賳 賳賲蹖颅卮賵丿貨 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 夭賳丿诏蹖 丕丿丕賲賴 賲蹖颅蹖丕亘丿貨 讴丕乇 賲蹖颅讴賳丿貙 賵 賲蹖颅禺賵丕賳丿貙 賵 賲蹖颅賳賵蹖爻丿貨 亘賴 丿乇蹖丕 亘丕夭 賲蹖颅诏乇丿丿貙 乇禺鬲卮賵蹖 賲蹖卮賵丿貙 賵 亘賴 賮乇賵卮 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 禺賵蹖卮 賲蹖颅倬乇丿丕夭丿貨 亘禺鬲 丕賲丕 亘丕 丕賵 蹖丕乇 賳蹖爻鬲貨
亘丕 芦丌賳丕乇卮蹖爻鬲蹖禄 亘賴 賳丕賲 芦亘乇爻蹖丿賳禄貙 丌卮賳丕 賲蹖颅卮賵丿貙 毓賯丕蹖丿卮貙 賵 賴丿賮卮 賳蹖夭 鬲睾蹖蹖乇 賲蹖颅讴賳丿貨 芦亘乇爻蹖丿賳禄 丕賵 乇丕 賳氐蹖丨鬲 賲蹖颅讴賳丿貙 讴賴 亘賴 丿乇蹖丕 亘丕夭诏乇丿丿貙 讴丕乇 亘丿丕賳噩丕 賲蹖乇爻丿貙 讴賴 噩丿丕蹖蹖 丕夭 芦乇賵鬲禄 乇丕貙 丕夭 丕賵 賲蹖颅禺賵丕賴丿貨 賲蹖颅诏賵蹖丿 (夭賳蹖 亘夭乇诏 賵 亘蹖颅賯蹖丿 乇丕 亘乇诏夭蹖賳貙 夭賳蹖 讴賴 亘賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 賱亘禺賳丿 賲蹖颅夭賳丿貙 賵 賲乇诏 乇丕 亘賴 爻禺乇賴 賲蹖颅诏蹖乇丿貙 賵 鬲丕 噩丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丕夭 丿爻鬲卮 亘乇丌蹖丿 亘賴 毓丕卮賯卮 毓卮賯 賲蹖颅賵乇夭丿貨 趩賳蹖賳 夭賳丕賳蹖 賵噩賵丿 丿丕乇賳丿貙 賵 鬲賵 乇丕貙 亘賴 丕賳丿丕夭賴颅 蹖 賴乇 蹖讴 丕夭 丕蹖賳 丿爻鬲 倬乇賵乇丿诏丕賳賽 亘夭丿賱 亘賵乇跇賵丕夭蹖貙 禺賵丕賴賳丿 倬乇爻鬲蹖丿) 氐 348貙 芦亘乇爻蹖丿賳禄 丕賵 乇丕 亘丕 诏乇賵賴蹖 丌卮賳丕 賲蹖颅讴賳丿貙 讴賴 亘蹖 賯蹖丿蹖 乇丕貙 亘賴 賱匕鬲 亘賵乇跇賵丕 亘賵丿賳 賮乇賵禺鬲賴颅 丕賳丿貨 賲丕乇鬲蹖賳貙 丿蹖诏乇 賴賲丕賳 賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 爻丕亘賯 賳蹖爻鬲貙 丕賲丕 賴賲趩賳丕賳 毓丕卮賯 芦乇賵鬲禄 丕爻鬲貙 丕賲丕 丕夭 賴乇 丌賳趩賴 芦亘賳丿賴丕蹖 亘賵乇跇賵丕乇蹖禄 賲蹖颅禺賵丕賳賳丿貙 賳賮乇鬲 丿丕乇丿 丕夭 丕賳爻丕賳颅賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丿丕賳卮颅卮丕賳 乇丕 亘賴 诏賵乇 爻倬乇丿賴 颅丕賳丿貙 賵 亘丿賵賳 禺賵丕賳丿賳 蹖讴 賳賯丿貙 蹖丕 丕氐賱 賲胤賱亘貙 亘賴 氐乇賮 亘賵丿賳 丕夭 胤亘賯賴颅 蹖 亘丕賱丕鬲乇貙 禺賵丿 乇丕 賲丨賯 丿乇 賳馗乇丿丕丿賳 賲蹖颅丿丕賳賳丿貨 丿乇 丕蹖賳 诏蹖乇賵丿丕乇 爻禺賳賴丕蹖卮 丿乇 蹖讴 噩賲毓 爻賵爻蹖丕賱蹖爻鬲蹖 丿乇丿爻乇爻丕夭 賲蹖颅卮賵丿貙 賵 亘乇丕蹖 賲丿鬲蹖 芦乇賵鬲禄 乇丕 丕夭 丿爻鬲 賲蹖颅丿賴丿貨 丿乇 賴賲丕賳 乇賵夭賴丕爻鬲 讴賴 芦亘乇爻蹖丿賳禄 賴賲 賲蹖颅賲蹖乇丿貨 鬲賳賴丕 賲蹖颅賲丕賳丿貙 丕賲丕 亘禺鬲 丿賵亘丕乇賴 亘賴 丕賵 乇賵蹖 賲蹖颅讴賳丿貙 賵 讴鬲丕亘賴丕蹖卮 亘賴 賮乇賵卮 賲蹖颅乇爻賳丿貨
賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 賲賳夭噩乇 丕夭 亘賵乇跇賵丕賴丕貙 禺賵丿 乇丕 丿乇 丌賳 胤亘賯賴 賲蹖颅亘蹖賳丿貙 丿爻鬲 丕夭 賳賵卮鬲賳 亘乇賲蹖颅丿丕乇丿貨 丕讴賳賵賳 亘丕 爻卅賵丕賱 亘夭乇诏賵丕乇鬲乇蹖 乇賵亘乇賵 卮丿賴貙 賵 亘丕蹖丿 倬丕爻禺卮 乇丕 亘蹖丕亘丿貙 丕夭 禺賵丿 賲蹖颅倬乇爻丿 (丕賳爻丕賳颅賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丕賲乇賵夭 丕賵 乇丕 丕夭 禺賵丿 賲蹖颅丿丕賳賳丿貙 丿乇 爻丕賱颅賴丕蹖 賮賯乇 賵 亘丿亘禺鬲蹖 丕賵 讴噩丕 亘賵丿賳丿)貙 賵 丕丿丕賲賴 蹖 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴賲蹖賳 倬乇爻卮 丕爻鬲貨
賲丕乇鬲蹖賳 丕蹖丿賳 丕孬乇 賲丕賳丿诏丕乇 芦噩讴 賱賳丿賳禄 丕爻鬲貙 卮丕蹖丿 禺賵丿賳賵卮鬲蹖 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 禺賵丿 丕蹖卮丕賳 亘丕卮丿貙 芦噩讴 賱賳丿賳禄 丕蹖賳 丕孬乇 禺賵丿 乇丕 禺賵丕爻鬲賴 蹖丕 賳丕禺賵丕爻鬲賴貙 鬲賯丿蹖賲 亘賴 鬲賲丕賲 讴丕乇诏乇丕賳 賲蹖颅讴賳丿貙 丕夭 丿蹖丿诏丕賴 丕賵貙 丌賳颅賴丕 鬲賳賴丕 讴爻丕賳蹖 賴爻鬲賳丿 讴賴 (亘賵丿賳 亘乇丕蹖卮丕賳 賲毓賳丕蹖 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 丕夭 賲賳賮毓鬲 丿丕乇丿貙 賵 夭賳丿诏蹖 乇丕 亘丕 賱匕鬲 賵 丿乇 爻禺鬲蹖 賲蹖颅诏匕乇丕賳賳丿貙 ...)貨
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 26/08/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 15/06/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
December 4, 2022
鈥淐arrying his purchase, wrapped in brown paper and Scotch-taped, he entered a bookstore and asked for Martin Eden.
鈥楨den, Eden, Eden,鈥� the tall dark lady in charge repeated rapidly, rubbing her forehead. 鈥楲et me see, you don鈥檛 mean a book on the British statesman? Or do you?鈥�
鈥業 mean,鈥� said Pnin, 鈥榓 celebrated work by the celebrated American writer Jack London.鈥�
鈥楲ondon, London, London,鈥� said the woman, holding her temples.
Pipe in hand, her husband, a Mr Tweed, who wrote topical poetry, came to the rescue. After some search he brought from the dusty depths of his not very prosperous store an old edition of The Son of the Wolf.
鈥業鈥檓 afraid,鈥� he said, 鈥榯hat鈥檚 all we have by this author.鈥欌€�
鈥�
I read Martin Eden in my early adolescence and in the end I even shed a tear or two鈥�
A young man from the bottom of society鈥� But he has a dream鈥� He is ambitious and he wants to win鈥� He is a man of willpower and volition鈥� He is for knowledge and education鈥� He starts learning鈥� And he falls in love鈥�
But he loves in vain鈥� He keeps relentlessly moving forth and upwards鈥� He becomes a writer鈥� He succeeds鈥� He is published鈥� He becomes renowned鈥� Now those who used to despise him cringe鈥� But along with the fame arrives frustration鈥�
Fiction鈥� And reality blindly follows fiction鈥� 鈥� 鈥� 鈥� 鈥� 鈥�
鈥楨den, Eden, Eden,鈥� the tall dark lady in charge repeated rapidly, rubbing her forehead. 鈥楲et me see, you don鈥檛 mean a book on the British statesman? Or do you?鈥�
鈥業 mean,鈥� said Pnin, 鈥榓 celebrated work by the celebrated American writer Jack London.鈥�
鈥楲ondon, London, London,鈥� said the woman, holding her temples.
Pipe in hand, her husband, a Mr Tweed, who wrote topical poetry, came to the rescue. After some search he brought from the dusty depths of his not very prosperous store an old edition of The Son of the Wolf.
鈥業鈥檓 afraid,鈥� he said, 鈥榯hat鈥檚 all we have by this author.鈥欌€�
鈥�
I read Martin Eden in my early adolescence and in the end I even shed a tear or two鈥�
The one opened the door with a latch-key and went in, followed by a young fellow who awkwardly removed his cap. He wore rough clothes that smacked of the sea, and he was manifestly out of place in the spacious hall in which he found himself. He did not know what to do with his cap, and was stuffing it into his coat pocket when the other took it from him.
A young man from the bottom of society鈥� But he has a dream鈥� He is ambitious and he wants to win鈥� He is a man of willpower and volition鈥� He is for knowledge and education鈥� He starts learning鈥� And he falls in love鈥�
During those several weeks he saw Ruth half a dozen times, and each time was an added inspiration. She helped him with his English, corrected his pronunciation, and started him on arithmetic. But their intercourse was not all devoted to elementary study. He had seen too much of life, and his mind was too matured, to be wholly content with fractions, cube root, parsing, and analysis; and there were times when their conversation turned on other themes 鈥� the last poetry he had read, the latest poet she had studied. And when she read aloud to him her favorite passages, he ascended to the topmost heaven of delight. Never, in all the women he had heard speak, had he heard a voice like hers. The least sound of it was a stimulus to his love, and he thrilled and throbbed with every word she uttered.
But he loves in vain鈥� He keeps relentlessly moving forth and upwards鈥� He becomes a writer鈥� He succeeds鈥� He is published鈥� He becomes renowned鈥� Now those who used to despise him cringe鈥� But along with the fame arrives frustration鈥�
鈥淚t was work performed! And now you feed me, when then you let me starve, forbade me your house, and damned me because I wouldn鈥檛 get a job. And the work was already done, all done. And now, when I speak, you check the thought unuttered on your lips and hang on my lips and pay respectful attention to whatever I choose to say. I tell you your party is rotten and filled with grafters, and instead of flying into a rage you hum and haw and admit there is a great deal in what I say. And why? Because I鈥檓 famous; because I鈥檝e a lot of money. Not because I鈥檓 Martin Eden, a pretty good fellow and not particularly a fool. I could tell you the moon is made of green cheese and you would subscribe to the notion, at least you would not repudiate it, because I鈥檝e got dollars, mountains of them. And it was all done long ago; it was work performed, I tell you, when you spat upon me as the dirt under your feet.鈥�
Fiction鈥� And reality blindly follows fiction鈥� 鈥� 鈥� 鈥� 鈥� 鈥�
May 29, 2021
鈥淪eni kitap okuyan insanlarla tan谋艧t谋raca臒谋m.Hayat, ancak b枚yle insanlarla bir araya geliyorsan ya艧anmaya de臒er.鈥�
April 13, 2024
This book! My last two reading adventures have left me reeling. The one before this, Waterland, put me in a dream-like trance. This one won鈥檛 allow me to let go of its eponymous hero. Martin Eden pops up in my head at random times throughout the day. Perhaps random isn鈥檛 the right word, because as I start thinking about my own life, Martin intrudes. Anyone that has had a thirst for books and knowledge should be able to relate to him on some level. His story is that of a young sailor of low birth that has stepped into the drawing rooms of the bourgeois and fallen in love with books and a woman outside his class.
鈥淗e glanced around at his friend reading the letter and saw the books on the table. Into his eyes leaped a wistfulness and a yearning as promptly as the yearning leaps into the eyes of a starving man at sight of food.鈥�
Martin no longer boards ships, but instead embarks on a journey of reading and education. He visits the library and is possessed with the desire to learn about all sorts of topics 鈥� from philosophy to physics. He becomes obsessed with it 鈥� and with Ruth, that exquisite creature who believes he is not her equal. There鈥檚 a lot here about the divide between the lower and middle and upper middle classes. Despite their differences, Ruth can鈥檛 resist the pull of Martin鈥檚 strength and vitality.
鈥淗er knowledge of love was purely theoretical, and she conceived of it as lambent flame, gentle as the fall of dew or the ripple of quiet water, and cool as the velvet-dark of summer nights. Her idea of love was more that of placid affection, serving the loved one softly in an atmosphere, flower-scented and dim-lighted, of ethereal calm. She did not dream of the volcanic convulsions of love, its scorching heat and sterile wastes of parched ashes鈥︹€�
As Martin expands his knowledge, he also begins to write. He believes writing will earn him a living and make him worthy of Ruth. As a result, there鈥檚 a lot in here about the writer鈥檚 life as well. In fact, this novel is said to be largely self-autobiographical. Martin burns the candle at both ends, submits manuscript after manuscript to dozens of magazines, and waits for something to happen. He is sure of his skill, but the editors don鈥檛 seem to agree. Until they do. In the meantime, Martin is advised repeatedly to get steady work. Ruth and her family urge him to set aside his typewriter and make an honest man of himself. But Martin is the honest man in the bunch. He is pursuing his goals and sharing his personal truths. But who understands such things? Not very many people do. He finds one true friend that believes in him. I guess we are all lucky when such a person comes along. But even he thinks Martin seeks happiness in all the wrong places.
鈥淲hat you want is the magnificent abandon of life, the great free souls, the blazing butterflies and not the little gray moths. Oh, you will grow tired of them, too, of all the female things, if you are unlucky enough to live. But you won鈥檛 live. You won鈥檛 go back to your ships and sea; therefore, you鈥檒l hang around these pest-holes of cities until your bones are rotten, and then you鈥檒l die.鈥�
Okay, maybe it鈥檚 not the most upbeat pep talk ever, but still! Anyway, I don鈥檛 want to spoil the story for you, but I will say that there鈥檚 an element to Martin Eden that made me think of another gem of a story 鈥� Flowers for Algernon. As the main characters in both novels gain intellect and knowledge, they become increasingly isolated from society in general. Just when I was growing a wee bit weary from some of the details of Martin鈥檚 philosophizing, London really kicks off. In fact, just as I started to tucker out, I stopped to think about the fact that my very discerning reader friend, Pedro, had gushed about this book. I reached out to him and yes, let鈥檚 face it, I moaned a bit about it to him. His response was 鈥淛ust wait, Candi!鈥� I followed his advice. Now this is what I have to say in return:
Yep, I turned into a blubbering mess by the end of this. Martin Eden, please vacate my head!
Jack London not only wrote brilliant survival novels set in frigid climates with animal heroes, but he also wrote works set in more tropical parts of the world, as well as some dystopian pieces. And this one. A masterpiece of the struggle of the human mind and heart to find a place in the world.
鈥淗e had fitted in wherever he found himself, been a favorite always and everywhere by virtue of holding his own at work and at play and by his willingness and ability to fight for his rights and command respect. But he had never taken root. He had fitted in sufficiently to satisfy his fellows but not to satisfy himself. He had been perturbed always by a feeling of unrest, had heard always the call of something from beyond, and had wandered on through life seeking it until he found books and art and love.鈥�
鈥淗e glanced around at his friend reading the letter and saw the books on the table. Into his eyes leaped a wistfulness and a yearning as promptly as the yearning leaps into the eyes of a starving man at sight of food.鈥�
Martin no longer boards ships, but instead embarks on a journey of reading and education. He visits the library and is possessed with the desire to learn about all sorts of topics 鈥� from philosophy to physics. He becomes obsessed with it 鈥� and with Ruth, that exquisite creature who believes he is not her equal. There鈥檚 a lot here about the divide between the lower and middle and upper middle classes. Despite their differences, Ruth can鈥檛 resist the pull of Martin鈥檚 strength and vitality.
鈥淗er knowledge of love was purely theoretical, and she conceived of it as lambent flame, gentle as the fall of dew or the ripple of quiet water, and cool as the velvet-dark of summer nights. Her idea of love was more that of placid affection, serving the loved one softly in an atmosphere, flower-scented and dim-lighted, of ethereal calm. She did not dream of the volcanic convulsions of love, its scorching heat and sterile wastes of parched ashes鈥︹€�
As Martin expands his knowledge, he also begins to write. He believes writing will earn him a living and make him worthy of Ruth. As a result, there鈥檚 a lot in here about the writer鈥檚 life as well. In fact, this novel is said to be largely self-autobiographical. Martin burns the candle at both ends, submits manuscript after manuscript to dozens of magazines, and waits for something to happen. He is sure of his skill, but the editors don鈥檛 seem to agree. Until they do. In the meantime, Martin is advised repeatedly to get steady work. Ruth and her family urge him to set aside his typewriter and make an honest man of himself. But Martin is the honest man in the bunch. He is pursuing his goals and sharing his personal truths. But who understands such things? Not very many people do. He finds one true friend that believes in him. I guess we are all lucky when such a person comes along. But even he thinks Martin seeks happiness in all the wrong places.
鈥淲hat you want is the magnificent abandon of life, the great free souls, the blazing butterflies and not the little gray moths. Oh, you will grow tired of them, too, of all the female things, if you are unlucky enough to live. But you won鈥檛 live. You won鈥檛 go back to your ships and sea; therefore, you鈥檒l hang around these pest-holes of cities until your bones are rotten, and then you鈥檒l die.鈥�
Okay, maybe it鈥檚 not the most upbeat pep talk ever, but still! Anyway, I don鈥檛 want to spoil the story for you, but I will say that there鈥檚 an element to Martin Eden that made me think of another gem of a story 鈥� Flowers for Algernon. As the main characters in both novels gain intellect and knowledge, they become increasingly isolated from society in general. Just when I was growing a wee bit weary from some of the details of Martin鈥檚 philosophizing, London really kicks off. In fact, just as I started to tucker out, I stopped to think about the fact that my very discerning reader friend, Pedro, had gushed about this book. I reached out to him and yes, let鈥檚 face it, I moaned a bit about it to him. His response was 鈥淛ust wait, Candi!鈥� I followed his advice. Now this is what I have to say in return:
Yep, I turned into a blubbering mess by the end of this. Martin Eden, please vacate my head!
Jack London not only wrote brilliant survival novels set in frigid climates with animal heroes, but he also wrote works set in more tropical parts of the world, as well as some dystopian pieces. And this one. A masterpiece of the struggle of the human mind and heart to find a place in the world.
鈥淗e had fitted in wherever he found himself, been a favorite always and everywhere by virtue of holding his own at work and at play and by his willingness and ability to fight for his rights and command respect. But he had never taken root. He had fitted in sufficiently to satisfy his fellows but not to satisfy himself. He had been perturbed always by a feeling of unrest, had heard always the call of something from beyond, and had wandered on through life seeking it until he found books and art and love.鈥�
February 8, 2025
Limited minds can recognize limitations only in others.
~~~
's is one of the most fascinating novels I have ever read. It is one of those rare novels where I can identify closely with the main character. It is also one of those books where the reader is hooked from page one and entirely swept up in the the world London Creates.
Set in San Francisco, this semi-autobiographical novel is the story of Martin Eden, a sailor, who pursues ambitiously, dreams of bettering himself thru education and literary fame. With the help of the woman he falls in love with, he educates himself feverishly, reads everything he can get his hands on, and becomes a writer, hoping to gain the respectability sought by his girl.
Martin Eden soon learns that fame is a cruel mistress, that may never come to him. Martin works on his writing everyday, once he feels confident, he starts writing articles, essays and stories, sending them off to magazines and newspapers all across the country. He gets rejected by most of the magazines and newspapers he sent submissions to for quite a time until that cruel mistress comes knocking at his door. Lost love turns false and Martin pledges himself back towards the sea.
Class is a major theme throughout . Martin grew up as part of the working class and went on to become a sailor. A chance encounter brings him into contact with the Morris family. He feels uncomfortable, but inspired to better himself upon meeting them. Spurred on by his love for Ruth Morse, he embarks on a program of self-education, with the aim of becoming a famous writer and winning Ruth鈥檚 hand in marriage. As his education progresses, Martin finds himself increasingly distanced from his working class background and surroundings. Eventually, when he finds that his education has far surpassed that of the class he looked up to, he finds himself more isolated than he ever felt possible.
I loved that London tied the theme of class not to material wealth, but to education, & not to formal education as earned in degrees and diplomas, but to self improvement, & experience as well as critical thinking & analysis. Martin ultimately realizes this is actually a much higher education than the formal education enjoyed by the class he initially looked up to & so desperately wanted to part of.
London's Prose is beautifully expressive. He was a true master of the English language. is nearly perfect, and had left a lasting impression on me much the same as his did.
In the end, Martin does achieve the greatness he desires, but at a tremendous personal cost. In addition to becoming an educated person, and the toast of the town, Martin is a man of honor. He makes it his life's work to lift others up from poverty and despair, and aids his friends and family, lifting them up to a better life in a way that no one offered to him when he was down. Martin Eden is truly a great and admirable man in many ways.
London is becoming one of my favorite writers. His work sticks with me in ways that most authors do not. The friendship between Martin Eden & Russ Brissenden will always stay with me. I will be pondering for years to come.
~~~
's is one of the most fascinating novels I have ever read. It is one of those rare novels where I can identify closely with the main character. It is also one of those books where the reader is hooked from page one and entirely swept up in the the world London Creates.
Set in San Francisco, this semi-autobiographical novel is the story of Martin Eden, a sailor, who pursues ambitiously, dreams of bettering himself thru education and literary fame. With the help of the woman he falls in love with, he educates himself feverishly, reads everything he can get his hands on, and becomes a writer, hoping to gain the respectability sought by his girl.
Martin Eden soon learns that fame is a cruel mistress, that may never come to him. Martin works on his writing everyday, once he feels confident, he starts writing articles, essays and stories, sending them off to magazines and newspapers all across the country. He gets rejected by most of the magazines and newspapers he sent submissions to for quite a time until that cruel mistress comes knocking at his door. Lost love turns false and Martin pledges himself back towards the sea.
Class is a major theme throughout . Martin grew up as part of the working class and went on to become a sailor. A chance encounter brings him into contact with the Morris family. He feels uncomfortable, but inspired to better himself upon meeting them. Spurred on by his love for Ruth Morse, he embarks on a program of self-education, with the aim of becoming a famous writer and winning Ruth鈥檚 hand in marriage. As his education progresses, Martin finds himself increasingly distanced from his working class background and surroundings. Eventually, when he finds that his education has far surpassed that of the class he looked up to, he finds himself more isolated than he ever felt possible.
I loved that London tied the theme of class not to material wealth, but to education, & not to formal education as earned in degrees and diplomas, but to self improvement, & experience as well as critical thinking & analysis. Martin ultimately realizes this is actually a much higher education than the formal education enjoyed by the class he initially looked up to & so desperately wanted to part of.
London's Prose is beautifully expressive. He was a true master of the English language. is nearly perfect, and had left a lasting impression on me much the same as his did.
In the end, Martin does achieve the greatness he desires, but at a tremendous personal cost. In addition to becoming an educated person, and the toast of the town, Martin is a man of honor. He makes it his life's work to lift others up from poverty and despair, and aids his friends and family, lifting them up to a better life in a way that no one offered to him when he was down. Martin Eden is truly a great and admirable man in many ways.
London is becoming one of my favorite writers. His work sticks with me in ways that most authors do not. The friendship between Martin Eden & Russ Brissenden will always stay with me. I will be pondering for years to come.
April 20, 2019
bu sabah 8 gibi uyand谋m. telefondaki bildirimlere bakt谋ktan sonra 莽ocuklu臒umdan beri yapmay谋 en 莽ok sevdi臒im 艧eye ge莽tim: hafta sonu sabah谋 yataktan kalkmadan kitap okumak. ondan daha 莽ok sevdi臒im bir 艧ey varsa o da o kitab谋 kalkmadan bitirmek. kitab谋 zaten ba艧谋ndan beri bay谋larak okuyordum ama son 100 sayfay谋 bu sabah o kadar b眉y眉k bir zevkle okudum ki, 枚臒眉n atlamama izin vermeyen migren ve gastritimi susturmak ad谋na kalk谋p biraz kay谋s谋 ve badem yedim ve ko艧arak yata臒a geri d枚nd眉m.
bir kitap de臒erlendirmesinde b枚yle 艧ahsi ve gereksiz detaylar谋n yeri yok biliyorum, ama kitab谋 o kadar sevdim ki, bence bunlar谋n hepsinin 枚nemi var. i艧te b枚yle, sabah kalkmadan okuma rit眉elimin hakk谋n谋 veren kitaplar谋 ayr谋 bir seviyorum. martin eden, 1909'da, amerika'da yay谋nlanm谋艧 bir kitap gibi de臒il; yani hem 枚yle, hem de臒il. sadece bir karakterin hikayesini anlat谋rken bu kadar evrensel, zamans谋z bir 艧ey anlatabilmek 莽ok b眉y眉k bir ba艧ar谋. 2019'un t眉rkiye'sinde okuyan bir kad谋n谋n, 1909'un amerika's谋nda yarat谋c谋l谋k duygusundan toplumun hi莽bir s谋n谋f谋na s谋臒amayan, bir yandan a莽l谋kla, yoksullukla; bir yandan 莽evresindeki insanlara sevgisini ve sadakatini ispat ile ba艧a 莽谋kmaya 莽al谋艧an bir erkekle, kendisinin b枚yle dertleri olmad谋臒谋 halde ba臒 kurmas谋n谋 sa臒lamak 莽ok, 莽ok b眉y眉k bir ba艧ar谋.
yukar谋daki spoiler'da faydaland谋臒谋m detay ve nicelerini 枚臒renmemi, onlarla beraber bir s眉r眉 yazardan, sanat莽谋dan haberdar olmam谋 sa臒layan 莽evirmen levent cinemre'ye ise b眉y眉k bir te艧ekk眉r bor莽luyum. kitab谋n kendisi roman sanat谋 olarak tan谋t谋labilecek seviyede bir kusursuzlu臒a sahipken, t眉rkiye'deki okurlar谋n bu romandan alaca臒谋 keyfi zerre d眉艧眉rmeyen, hatta dipnotlar谋yla katbekat art谋ran 莽eviri de ger莽ek bir 莽eviri sanat谋 枚rne臒i bence.
son olarak, hikayenin ba艧谋ndan sonuna kadar, kesintisiz ve tutarl谋 bir 艧ekilde devam eden, somut bir 艧ey gibi gelen, takip edilebilen karakter geli艧imlerinin a艧谋臒谋y谋m. bu kitap da bunun 莽ok g眉zel bir 枚rne臒i.
bir kitap de臒erlendirmesinde b枚yle 艧ahsi ve gereksiz detaylar谋n yeri yok biliyorum, ama kitab谋 o kadar sevdim ki, bence bunlar谋n hepsinin 枚nemi var. i艧te b枚yle, sabah kalkmadan okuma rit眉elimin hakk谋n谋 veren kitaplar谋 ayr谋 bir seviyorum. martin eden, 1909'da, amerika'da yay谋nlanm谋艧 bir kitap gibi de臒il; yani hem 枚yle, hem de臒il. sadece bir karakterin hikayesini anlat谋rken bu kadar evrensel, zamans谋z bir 艧ey anlatabilmek 莽ok b眉y眉k bir ba艧ar谋. 2019'un t眉rkiye'sinde okuyan bir kad谋n谋n, 1909'un amerika's谋nda yarat谋c谋l谋k duygusundan toplumun hi莽bir s谋n谋f谋na s谋臒amayan, bir yandan a莽l谋kla, yoksullukla; bir yandan 莽evresindeki insanlara sevgisini ve sadakatini ispat ile ba艧a 莽谋kmaya 莽al谋艧an bir erkekle, kendisinin b枚yle dertleri olmad谋臒谋 halde ba臒 kurmas谋n谋 sa臒lamak 莽ok, 莽ok b眉y眉k bir ba艧ar谋.
yukar谋daki spoiler'da faydaland谋臒谋m detay ve nicelerini 枚臒renmemi, onlarla beraber bir s眉r眉 yazardan, sanat莽谋dan haberdar olmam谋 sa臒layan 莽evirmen levent cinemre'ye ise b眉y眉k bir te艧ekk眉r bor莽luyum. kitab谋n kendisi roman sanat谋 olarak tan谋t谋labilecek seviyede bir kusursuzlu臒a sahipken, t眉rkiye'deki okurlar谋n bu romandan alaca臒谋 keyfi zerre d眉艧眉rmeyen, hatta dipnotlar谋yla katbekat art谋ran 莽eviri de ger莽ek bir 莽eviri sanat谋 枚rne臒i bence.
son olarak, hikayenin ba艧谋ndan sonuna kadar, kesintisiz ve tutarl谋 bir 艧ekilde devam eden, somut bir 艧ey gibi gelen, takip edilebilen karakter geli艧imlerinin a艧谋臒谋y谋m. bu kitap da bunun 莽ok g眉zel bir 枚rne臒i.
March 5, 2022
"Of course it was beautiful; but there was something more than beauty in it, something more stingingly splendid which had made beauty its handmaiden."
It is astounding how long it took for me to digest this book -and I say this in nothing but praise. Honestly, it's not like I'm sure the process is completed; I tend to believe the best books are the ones you never wholly digest, the ones that keep nagging at your mind for weeks, months, years, forever, too, if that is what it takes. And the best books are, also, the ones that, lo and behold, turn out to be but little mirrors of yourself - and more often than not, very much to your own dismay, shame, embarrassment and a tiny, timid ember of inner joy.
For me, Martin Eden was both.
Meet young Martin Eden: a sailor, a commoner, an illiterate, a Mr Nobody, were it not for one thing: his boundless, painful sensitivity to beauty. Martin Eden can be described as naive in many (or possibly all) respects, but not this. He may not be able to give a cultured, sophisticated definition of what art is or is thought to be, but he just knows. He would say that he just knows it in his guts, though he wouldn't be able to elaborate further than that. He uses a metaphor that I took to heart immediately, probably because I find it not only strikingly to the point, but also poignant, smeared with sadness, and that was what stuck; it goes, "Dogs asleep in the sun often whined and barked, but they were unable to tell what they saw that made them whine and bark. He had often wondered what it was. And that was all he was, a dog asleep in the sun."
I think we're all, a little, like dogs asleep in the sun. Martin Eden aimed at the stars, sought to express the inexpressible, to strip humans of their own skin; but aren't we all a little like Martin Eden, like that slumbering dog, every minute of our life? I, for sure, feel like that constantly. I constantly feel like I've got tons of things to say, and never manage. And it's frustrating, so terribly frustrating. But I guess I learned to live with that, with our never-ending communicative stalling, with beating around the bush, with being close but never really there. Yes, I feel this is a good definition of what Martin Eden is: close but never really there. He is one of "the legions of toil", a "hoodlum", but he does not conform: he is too aware and awake, almost criminally so (there is a reason if his family, or part of it, almost disowns him). But even later, after he becomes a learned man, a famous writer, when he is finally allowed into the upper classes, he cannot ignore that he doesn't belong there either, as if he still hadn't got out the last bit of dirt from under his nails, or rather, as if the fact that they didn't have any, had never had any, could never, ever sit well with him. I know London didn't intend for him to be idolized, and I'm not idolizing it (obviously, or what I'm saying wouldn't have sense at all) but I see myself in him. I see myself and you and you and all, and I see myself projected in him as the minuscule Titan I am in my mind. Did London intend for this? I can't tell, but I certainly thank him for Martin Eden.
"Saints in heaven -how could they be anything but fair and pure? No praise to them. But saints in slime -ah, that was the everlasting wonder! That was what made life worth while."
I loved this book beyond words, and that is why I won't shame it further by attaching more of this senseless blabbering to it. It's sad and terrible and asphyxiating (in my mind it is Martin Eden; or, The Cage) and wide-ranging, and it's a masterpiece. So my request is: treat it kindly, even if it won't do the same to you. It simply doesn't know any better.
It is astounding how long it took for me to digest this book -and I say this in nothing but praise. Honestly, it's not like I'm sure the process is completed; I tend to believe the best books are the ones you never wholly digest, the ones that keep nagging at your mind for weeks, months, years, forever, too, if that is what it takes. And the best books are, also, the ones that, lo and behold, turn out to be but little mirrors of yourself - and more often than not, very much to your own dismay, shame, embarrassment and a tiny, timid ember of inner joy.
For me, Martin Eden was both.
Meet young Martin Eden: a sailor, a commoner, an illiterate, a Mr Nobody, were it not for one thing: his boundless, painful sensitivity to beauty. Martin Eden can be described as naive in many (or possibly all) respects, but not this. He may not be able to give a cultured, sophisticated definition of what art is or is thought to be, but he just knows. He would say that he just knows it in his guts, though he wouldn't be able to elaborate further than that. He uses a metaphor that I took to heart immediately, probably because I find it not only strikingly to the point, but also poignant, smeared with sadness, and that was what stuck; it goes, "Dogs asleep in the sun often whined and barked, but they were unable to tell what they saw that made them whine and bark. He had often wondered what it was. And that was all he was, a dog asleep in the sun."
I think we're all, a little, like dogs asleep in the sun. Martin Eden aimed at the stars, sought to express the inexpressible, to strip humans of their own skin; but aren't we all a little like Martin Eden, like that slumbering dog, every minute of our life? I, for sure, feel like that constantly. I constantly feel like I've got tons of things to say, and never manage. And it's frustrating, so terribly frustrating. But I guess I learned to live with that, with our never-ending communicative stalling, with beating around the bush, with being close but never really there. Yes, I feel this is a good definition of what Martin Eden is: close but never really there. He is one of "the legions of toil", a "hoodlum", but he does not conform: he is too aware and awake, almost criminally so (there is a reason if his family, or part of it, almost disowns him). But even later, after he becomes a learned man, a famous writer, when he is finally allowed into the upper classes, he cannot ignore that he doesn't belong there either, as if he still hadn't got out the last bit of dirt from under his nails, or rather, as if the fact that they didn't have any, had never had any, could never, ever sit well with him. I know London didn't intend for him to be idolized, and I'm not idolizing it (obviously, or what I'm saying wouldn't have sense at all) but I see myself in him. I see myself and you and you and all, and I see myself projected in him as the minuscule Titan I am in my mind. Did London intend for this? I can't tell, but I certainly thank him for Martin Eden.
"Saints in heaven -how could they be anything but fair and pure? No praise to them. But saints in slime -ah, that was the everlasting wonder! That was what made life worth while."
I loved this book beyond words, and that is why I won't shame it further by attaching more of this senseless blabbering to it. It's sad and terrible and asphyxiating (in my mind it is Martin Eden; or, The Cage) and wide-ranging, and it's a masterpiece. So my request is: treat it kindly, even if it won't do the same to you. It simply doesn't know any better.
September 9, 2021
It is a classical philosophical tragedy: unrecognized genius vs bourgeois society, but the main character is unsympathetical. Although his assumptions about society is hard to deny, his attitude toward other people is pretentious and extremely rude. He values his own principals more than anything else and even in love and charity he proclaims an individualism and Nietzschean ideas of power.
In general, the book is a nice description of America's society at the beginning of the twentieth century and has deep phycological research of human nature.
In general, the book is a nice description of America's society at the beginning of the twentieth century and has deep phycological research of human nature.
May 10, 2023
E greu de 卯n葲eles cum un om poate ie葯i din ignoran葲膬 葯i servitute, muncind c卯te 19 ore pe zi (cite葯te 葯i scrie), dar nu poate trece de primul e葯ec sentimental (sesizeaz膬 c膬 Ruth Morse, femeia de care s-a 卯ndr膬gostit, nu este chiar o zei葲膬, o 卯ntrupare a Perfec葲iunii) 葯i decide, subit, s膬 se sinucid膬.
脦nainte de acest efort supraomenesc (care nu 葲ine mai mult de 3 ani), via葲a are sens pentru el (葯i 葯tie intuitiv s膬 se bucure de ea); c卯nd efortul lui se 卯ncheie (ob葲ine glorie 葯i avere), Eden observ膬 c膬 e uscat 葯i lipsit de orice dorin葲膬 葯i chef de a tr膬i. Studiul l-a ajutat s膬 ajung膬 卯n preajma Frumosului, dar de la 卯n膬l葲imea uimitoare la care a acces, totul i se pare insignifiant, lipsit de orice rost. Ruth nu-l mai intereseaz膬 (fiindc膬 n-a fost 卯n stare s膬-葯i abandoneze condi葲ia burghez膬), dar nici Lizzie Connolly (femeia simpl膬, care 卯l iube葯te pentru el 卯nsu葯i 葯i nu pentru notorietate 葯i bani) nu-i mai treze葯te interesul. Metamorfoza eroului este neverosimil膬.
Altfel, n-ar fi r膬u s膬 recitim ultimul paragraf al romanului, cel mai frumos din carte. Martin Eden se arunc膬 卯n ocean 葯i 卯noat膬 卯n ad卯nc:
鈥濻e afla mult prea 卯n ad卯nc... Lumina aceea cre艧tea mereu 艧i era din ce 卯n ce mai str膬lucitoare. Se auzea un ropot prelung 艧i zgomotos, iar lui i se p膬rea c膬 se pr膬v膬le艧te pe o scar膬 larg膬 艧i f膬r膬 sf卯r艧it. Iar undeva, la cap膬t, se pr膬bu艧i 卯n 卯ntuneric. At卯ta a 艧tiut. C膬 se pr膬v膬lise 卯n bezn膬. 艦i 卯n clipa c卯nd a 艧tiut, a 卯ncetat s膬 mai 艧tie鈥� (p.465).
Cele 4 stelu葲ele reprezint膬, desigur, o judecat膬 afectiv膬. Am citit cartea lui Jack London de prea multe ori. Am descoperit-o pe la 15 ani. A trecut, vai, o ve葯nicie...
脦nainte de acest efort supraomenesc (care nu 葲ine mai mult de 3 ani), via葲a are sens pentru el (葯i 葯tie intuitiv s膬 se bucure de ea); c卯nd efortul lui se 卯ncheie (ob葲ine glorie 葯i avere), Eden observ膬 c膬 e uscat 葯i lipsit de orice dorin葲膬 葯i chef de a tr膬i. Studiul l-a ajutat s膬 ajung膬 卯n preajma Frumosului, dar de la 卯n膬l葲imea uimitoare la care a acces, totul i se pare insignifiant, lipsit de orice rost. Ruth nu-l mai intereseaz膬 (fiindc膬 n-a fost 卯n stare s膬-葯i abandoneze condi葲ia burghez膬), dar nici Lizzie Connolly (femeia simpl膬, care 卯l iube葯te pentru el 卯nsu葯i 葯i nu pentru notorietate 葯i bani) nu-i mai treze葯te interesul. Metamorfoza eroului este neverosimil膬.
Altfel, n-ar fi r膬u s膬 recitim ultimul paragraf al romanului, cel mai frumos din carte. Martin Eden se arunc膬 卯n ocean 葯i 卯noat膬 卯n ad卯nc:
鈥濻e afla mult prea 卯n ad卯nc... Lumina aceea cre艧tea mereu 艧i era din ce 卯n ce mai str膬lucitoare. Se auzea un ropot prelung 艧i zgomotos, iar lui i se p膬rea c膬 se pr膬v膬le艧te pe o scar膬 larg膬 艧i f膬r膬 sf卯r艧it. Iar undeva, la cap膬t, se pr膬bu艧i 卯n 卯ntuneric. At卯ta a 艧tiut. C膬 se pr膬v膬lise 卯n bezn膬. 艦i 卯n clipa c卯nd a 艧tiut, a 卯ncetat s膬 mai 艧tie鈥� (p.465).
Cele 4 stelu葲ele reprezint膬, desigur, o judecat膬 afectiv膬. Am citit cartea lui Jack London de prea multe ori. Am descoperit-o pe la 15 ani. A trecut, vai, o ve葯nicie...
January 6, 2018
Hayat谋m谋n en etkileyici romanlar谋ndan biri art谋k o. Tek kelimeyle muhte艧em.
陌nsan hayat谋n谋n gidi艧at谋n谋 de臒i艧tirebilecek g眉ce sahip bir karakter Martin Eden. Anlat谋m o kadar ba艧ar谋l谋, i莽erik o kadar g眉zel ki. Konu, verilen zaman d枚ng眉s眉 i莽erisinde ustal谋kla i艧lenmi艧. Martin Eden'in hayat谋n谋 -onunla birlikte- ya艧谋yoruz adeta. Son kelimesine kadar doyuran harika bir edebiyat 枚rne臒i. 脰zellikle sayfa 320'lerden sonra resmen tutuldum kitaba. Ne desem ne yorum yapsam kitab谋n da yazar谋n da hakk谋n谋 teslim etmi艧 olamam. Dilim, sonun da etkisiyle ancak bu kadar d枚nebiliyor 艧u anda.
Ben ge莽 okudum ama en nihayetinde okudu臒um i莽in 莽ok mutluyum. Okumayan kalmas谋n l眉tfen.
Sevgilerimle,
T.
陌nsan hayat谋n谋n gidi艧at谋n谋 de臒i艧tirebilecek g眉ce sahip bir karakter Martin Eden. Anlat谋m o kadar ba艧ar谋l谋, i莽erik o kadar g眉zel ki. Konu, verilen zaman d枚ng眉s眉 i莽erisinde ustal谋kla i艧lenmi艧. Martin Eden'in hayat谋n谋 -onunla birlikte- ya艧谋yoruz adeta. Son kelimesine kadar doyuran harika bir edebiyat 枚rne臒i. 脰zellikle sayfa 320'lerden sonra resmen tutuldum kitaba. Ne desem ne yorum yapsam kitab谋n da yazar谋n da hakk谋n谋 teslim etmi艧 olamam. Dilim, sonun da etkisiyle ancak bu kadar d枚nebiliyor 艧u anda.
Ben ge莽 okudum ama en nihayetinde okudu臒um i莽in 莽ok mutluyum. Okumayan kalmas谋n l眉tfen.
Sevgilerimle,
T.
June 6, 2021
The average review is more nauseating than cod-liver oil
(p323)
***
Jack London himself was a working class guy who got the audacious idea he wanted to be a writer, and by sheer Stakhanovite mind-over-matter vein-popping sleep-denying force he did so. His stand-in here, our Martin, does just the same. So here is the story of how a working class guy who drops all his aitches and does not know which fork to use to eat soup, and knocks over his girlfriend鈥檚 mother鈥檚 doilies with the lurchings of his sailorboy shoulders becomes the toast of literary America. This means that we get about 250 pages in which the same thing happens over and over again :
Eating only three dried apricots per day and living in a single nasty room ("those potatoes are rotting. Smell them, damn you, smell them") with a bicycle suspended above his bed, Martin writes like a madman all day except for the hours he reads philosophy and poetry. He cuts his sleep down to four hours and resents every moment of unconsciousness. What is he writing? Love poetry, sociophilosophical essays, adventure stories, jokes, doggerel verse, you name it. Out it pours. He mails it all off to any one of 200 magazines and waits for the inevitable rejection letters, which arrive daily. Occasionally he sells a joke or a comic poem for two dollars. Now he can eat four dried apricots today! And he can get his suit out of the pawnshop so he can go and visit his posh girlfriend whose family regard him as something the cat dragged in. There, she swoons against his bulging thighs while giving him tips on grammar. Meanwhile he pounds Spencerian knowledge into her father, accusing him of every crime known to the bourgeois. You fatuous worm! He says. I will crush your kind with the heel of my boot, when I have redeemed it from the pawnshop. I will not even notice your bleeding corpse. My how amusing you are, Martin, says the father, meanwhile passing a note to the mother which says WE MUST KILL HIM TOMORROW. Oh Martin, your neck is like a bullock, sighs Ruth, the ethereal daughter.
I admit this stuff gets a little bit tiresome for 250 pages but there鈥檚 no denying the intensity of Jack鈥檚 prose 鈥� his style is like a guy trapped in a cave desperately scrabbling at the wall of solid rock to reach daylight. It ain鈥檛 pretty but it鈥檚 intense, even if it does get more than a little eyerolling at times. It becomes very clear that Jack London thought that Jack London was a hell of a fellow, brawny and brainy ("he was himself possessed of unusual brain vigor") and handsome and charming the little birds right out of the sky. All girls swoon when he hoves into view. Oooh those bulging biceps.
By the way, it has to be acknowledged that Jack London can come out with some of the worst sentences I鈥檝e read in a long time -
Her penetrative virginity exalted and disguised his own emotions, elevating his thoughts to a star-cool chastity
鈥ummer lingered, fading and fainting among her hills, deepening the purple of her valleys, spinning a shroud of haze from waning powers and sated raptures, dying with the calm content of having lived and lived well.
he appreciated the chance effects in words and phrases that came lightly and easily into his brain, and that later stood all tests of beauty and power and developed tremendous and incommunicable connotations.
But I must say I mostly loved this oddly compelling 500 page howl of anguish, for that鈥檚 what it is. Jack London seems to be engaged in nothing more than self-love and aggrandizement for three quarters of Martin Eden, but then the direction of travel skews wildly and his hero reveals himself to be nothing more than an unpleasant kind of Nietzschean protofascist. Maybe Jack was at war with himself here. Something was up with Jack, for sure!
Nobody liked this novel at the time, they wanted more dog stories.
FURTHER READING :
Hunger by Knut Hamsun and New Grub Street by George Gissing for guys starving themselves while they try to make it as a writer;
and Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes for another guy who starts off knowing nothing and very quickly appears to know like almost everything 鈥� Charlie is given a brain enhancing drug in that book but Martin, being Jack, doesn鈥檛 need no drug, just three dried apricots a day.
SOUNDTRACK
Get a Job by The Silhouettes
Their highest concept of right conduct, in his case, was to get a job. That was their first word and their last. It constituted their whole lexicon of ideas. Get a job! Go to work! Poor, stupid slaves, he thought, while his sister talked. Small wonder the world belonged to the strong. The slaves were obsessed by their own slavery. A job was to them a golden fetish before which they fell down and worshipped.
Superman by REM
Martin鈥檚 trick of visioning was active as ever. His brain was a most accessible storehouse of remembered fact and fancy, and its contents seemed ever ordered and spread for his inspection. Whatever occurred in the instant present, Martin鈥檚 mind immediately presented associated antithesis or similitude which ordinarily expressed themselves to him in vision. It was sheerly automatic, and his visioning was an unfailing accompaniment to the living present
Success by Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks (vocal : Maryanne Price)
Money poured in on him, fame poured in on him; he flashed, comet-like, through the world of literature, and he was more amused than interested by the stir he was making
Shark Attack by The Wailing Souls
Life was to him like strong, white light that hurts the tired eyes of a sick person. During every conscious moment life blazed in a raw glare around him and upon him. It hurt. It hurt intolerably.
(p323)
***
Jack London himself was a working class guy who got the audacious idea he wanted to be a writer, and by sheer Stakhanovite mind-over-matter vein-popping sleep-denying force he did so. His stand-in here, our Martin, does just the same. So here is the story of how a working class guy who drops all his aitches and does not know which fork to use to eat soup, and knocks over his girlfriend鈥檚 mother鈥檚 doilies with the lurchings of his sailorboy shoulders becomes the toast of literary America. This means that we get about 250 pages in which the same thing happens over and over again :
Eating only three dried apricots per day and living in a single nasty room ("those potatoes are rotting. Smell them, damn you, smell them") with a bicycle suspended above his bed, Martin writes like a madman all day except for the hours he reads philosophy and poetry. He cuts his sleep down to four hours and resents every moment of unconsciousness. What is he writing? Love poetry, sociophilosophical essays, adventure stories, jokes, doggerel verse, you name it. Out it pours. He mails it all off to any one of 200 magazines and waits for the inevitable rejection letters, which arrive daily. Occasionally he sells a joke or a comic poem for two dollars. Now he can eat four dried apricots today! And he can get his suit out of the pawnshop so he can go and visit his posh girlfriend whose family regard him as something the cat dragged in. There, she swoons against his bulging thighs while giving him tips on grammar. Meanwhile he pounds Spencerian knowledge into her father, accusing him of every crime known to the bourgeois. You fatuous worm! He says. I will crush your kind with the heel of my boot, when I have redeemed it from the pawnshop. I will not even notice your bleeding corpse. My how amusing you are, Martin, says the father, meanwhile passing a note to the mother which says WE MUST KILL HIM TOMORROW. Oh Martin, your neck is like a bullock, sighs Ruth, the ethereal daughter.
I admit this stuff gets a little bit tiresome for 250 pages but there鈥檚 no denying the intensity of Jack鈥檚 prose 鈥� his style is like a guy trapped in a cave desperately scrabbling at the wall of solid rock to reach daylight. It ain鈥檛 pretty but it鈥檚 intense, even if it does get more than a little eyerolling at times. It becomes very clear that Jack London thought that Jack London was a hell of a fellow, brawny and brainy ("he was himself possessed of unusual brain vigor") and handsome and charming the little birds right out of the sky. All girls swoon when he hoves into view. Oooh those bulging biceps.
By the way, it has to be acknowledged that Jack London can come out with some of the worst sentences I鈥檝e read in a long time -
Her penetrative virginity exalted and disguised his own emotions, elevating his thoughts to a star-cool chastity
鈥ummer lingered, fading and fainting among her hills, deepening the purple of her valleys, spinning a shroud of haze from waning powers and sated raptures, dying with the calm content of having lived and lived well.
he appreciated the chance effects in words and phrases that came lightly and easily into his brain, and that later stood all tests of beauty and power and developed tremendous and incommunicable connotations.
But I must say I mostly loved this oddly compelling 500 page howl of anguish, for that鈥檚 what it is. Jack London seems to be engaged in nothing more than self-love and aggrandizement for three quarters of Martin Eden, but then the direction of travel skews wildly and his hero reveals himself to be nothing more than an unpleasant kind of Nietzschean protofascist. Maybe Jack was at war with himself here. Something was up with Jack, for sure!
Nobody liked this novel at the time, they wanted more dog stories.
FURTHER READING :
Hunger by Knut Hamsun and New Grub Street by George Gissing for guys starving themselves while they try to make it as a writer;
and Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes for another guy who starts off knowing nothing and very quickly appears to know like almost everything 鈥� Charlie is given a brain enhancing drug in that book but Martin, being Jack, doesn鈥檛 need no drug, just three dried apricots a day.
SOUNDTRACK
Get a Job by The Silhouettes
Their highest concept of right conduct, in his case, was to get a job. That was their first word and their last. It constituted their whole lexicon of ideas. Get a job! Go to work! Poor, stupid slaves, he thought, while his sister talked. Small wonder the world belonged to the strong. The slaves were obsessed by their own slavery. A job was to them a golden fetish before which they fell down and worshipped.
Superman by REM
Martin鈥檚 trick of visioning was active as ever. His brain was a most accessible storehouse of remembered fact and fancy, and its contents seemed ever ordered and spread for his inspection. Whatever occurred in the instant present, Martin鈥檚 mind immediately presented associated antithesis or similitude which ordinarily expressed themselves to him in vision. It was sheerly automatic, and his visioning was an unfailing accompaniment to the living present
Success by Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks (vocal : Maryanne Price)
Money poured in on him, fame poured in on him; he flashed, comet-like, through the world of literature, and he was more amused than interested by the stir he was making
Shark Attack by The Wailing Souls
Life was to him like strong, white light that hurts the tired eyes of a sick person. During every conscious moment life blazed in a raw glare around him and upon him. It hurt. It hurt intolerably.
August 20, 2020
Hayran谋 oldu臒um yazar Jack London'谋n yar谋-otobiyografisi olarak kabul edilen bu kitab谋n谋 heyecanla okudum. 陌nan谋lmaz iyi bir 莽eviri ve kitap sonunda yer alan faydal谋 notlar 莽ok keyifli bir okuma sa臒l谋yor. Stat眉, para ve s谋n谋f atlaman谋n yan谋s谋ra hayal k谋r谋kl谋l谋臒谋, ikiy眉zl眉l眉k, doyumsuzluk gibi kavramlar谋 dantel gibi i艧lemi艧 J.London.
Di臒er romanlar谋ndaki do臒a ve ya艧ama m眉cadelesi yerine kent ya艧am谋 ve kent insanlar谋 yer al谋yor bu romanda. Kitapta en be臒endi臒im b枚l眉mlerden birisi de 艧u sat谋rlard谋r; " Edit枚rlerin y眉zde doksan dokuzunun ba艧ta gelen 枚zelli臒i, ba艧ar谋s谋zl谋klar谋. Yazar olmay谋 ba艧aramam谋艧lar. Yazmaya 莽al谋艧m谋艧 ve becerememi艧ler. 陌艧te lanetli paradoks burada. Edebiyatta ba艧ar谋ya a莽谋lan her kap谋n谋n 枚n眉nde bek莽i k枚pe臒i olarak onlar durur......Onlar谋n ard谋ndan yine bir ba艧ka ba艧ar谋s谋zl谋k abidesi olan ele艧tirmenler gelir. B眉y眉k ele艧tirmenler yok de臒il ama say谋lar谋 kuyrukluy谋ld谋zlar kadar azd谋r..." (s.307-8).
500 sayfal谋k kitap su gibi okundu臒u gibi felsefi tart谋艧malara da yer vererek d眉nya g枚r眉艧眉n眉z眉 ve d眉艧眉ncelerinizi de zenginle艧tirecektir. H.Spencer'谋 bu kitapla tan谋d谋臒谋m谋 belirtmekte yarar var
Di臒er romanlar谋ndaki do臒a ve ya艧ama m眉cadelesi yerine kent ya艧am谋 ve kent insanlar谋 yer al谋yor bu romanda. Kitapta en be臒endi臒im b枚l眉mlerden birisi de 艧u sat谋rlard谋r; " Edit枚rlerin y眉zde doksan dokuzunun ba艧ta gelen 枚zelli臒i, ba艧ar谋s谋zl谋klar谋. Yazar olmay谋 ba艧aramam谋艧lar. Yazmaya 莽al谋艧m谋艧 ve becerememi艧ler. 陌艧te lanetli paradoks burada. Edebiyatta ba艧ar谋ya a莽谋lan her kap谋n谋n 枚n眉nde bek莽i k枚pe臒i olarak onlar durur......Onlar谋n ard谋ndan yine bir ba艧ka ba艧ar谋s谋zl谋k abidesi olan ele艧tirmenler gelir. B眉y眉k ele艧tirmenler yok de臒il ama say谋lar谋 kuyrukluy谋ld谋zlar kadar azd谋r..." (s.307-8).
500 sayfal谋k kitap su gibi okundu臒u gibi felsefi tart谋艧malara da yer vererek d眉nya g枚r眉艧眉n眉z眉 ve d眉艧眉ncelerinizi de zenginle艧tirecektir. H.Spencer'谋 bu kitapla tan谋d谋臒谋m谋 belirtmekte yarar var
April 9, 2024
39th book of 2024.
I've wanted to read Martin Eden for some time, and a colleague recently raved about it, so I finally took it down from my main case and began. The plot is simple: an uneducated sailor, Martin, dreams of becoming a famous writer and falls in love with a woman, Ruth, from a bourgeois family. It's a writer's bildungsroman. Anyone who writes, or dreams of writing, would find this a moving and relatable read. As Martin asks himself at one point, '"What does it profit a man to write a whole library and lose his own life?"'
There are many discussions on socialism and art throughout the novel. The introduction makes it clear that London wrote this semi-autobiographical novel as a way of attacking the world he lived in, but instead, made Eden one of his most endearing and ambitious characters.
So there is indeed more to London than The Call of the Wild. This is a well-written and well-plotted novel about the plight of all artists, not just writers. It seems in today's society, as much as in London's, there's a certain scorn around budding artists. As Martin Eden in the novel discovers, he was not praised for 'work performed'; when he finished a story, the people around him did not care, and continued to tell him to get a job, but when that same story was later accepted into a magazine: they congratulated him, adored him. The age old battle of the artist and the so-called 'real-world'. A man who lives across from my parents used to baulk at my degree choice of writing and literature and, in so many words, mock me whenever I was visiting home and we met in the street. This same man, on the next occasion, would attempt to impress me by works of classic literature he was reading and adoring. Amazingly, it never occurred to him that these artists he loved (writers, musicians), would never have created the works of art he relied on, had someone like himself been in their lives, stamping on the embers of their passion. One of the great ironies Martin Eden would have attacked.
I've wanted to read Martin Eden for some time, and a colleague recently raved about it, so I finally took it down from my main case and began. The plot is simple: an uneducated sailor, Martin, dreams of becoming a famous writer and falls in love with a woman, Ruth, from a bourgeois family. It's a writer's bildungsroman. Anyone who writes, or dreams of writing, would find this a moving and relatable read. As Martin asks himself at one point, '"What does it profit a man to write a whole library and lose his own life?"'
There are many discussions on socialism and art throughout the novel. The introduction makes it clear that London wrote this semi-autobiographical novel as a way of attacking the world he lived in, but instead, made Eden one of his most endearing and ambitious characters.
"But, Martin, if that be so, if all the doors are closed as you have shown so conclusively, how is it possible that any of the great writers ever arrived?"
"They arrived by achieving the impossible," he answered. "They did such blazing, glorious work as to burn to ashes those that opposed them. They arrived by course of miracle, by winning a thousand-to-one wager against them. They arrived because they were Carlyle's battle-scarred giants who will not be kept down. And that is what I must do. I must achieve the impossible."
So there is indeed more to London than The Call of the Wild. This is a well-written and well-plotted novel about the plight of all artists, not just writers. It seems in today's society, as much as in London's, there's a certain scorn around budding artists. As Martin Eden in the novel discovers, he was not praised for 'work performed'; when he finished a story, the people around him did not care, and continued to tell him to get a job, but when that same story was later accepted into a magazine: they congratulated him, adored him. The age old battle of the artist and the so-called 'real-world'. A man who lives across from my parents used to baulk at my degree choice of writing and literature and, in so many words, mock me whenever I was visiting home and we met in the street. This same man, on the next occasion, would attempt to impress me by works of classic literature he was reading and adoring. Amazingly, it never occurred to him that these artists he loved (writers, musicians), would never have created the works of art he relied on, had someone like himself been in their lives, stamping on the embers of their passion. One of the great ironies Martin Eden would have attacked.
December 9, 2021
(RILETTURA): Lo si pu貌 leggere come un'autobiografia di London stesso. Lo si pu貌 leggere come un romanzo di formazione passionale e drammatico. Lo si pu貌 leggere come un trattato di filosofia di vita, come un'accusa verso la morale piccolo borghese che immola i sogni sull'altare del dio denaro e della posizione sociale, come un attacco al conformismo imperante. Lo si pu貌 legger come paradosso di un sogno di cui si scopra l'opacit脿 una volta raggiunto, come una schiavit霉 d'amore, come monito a perseguire i propri sogni e trovar se stessi a ogni costo. Ma, di certo, al di l脿 di tutto, a mio modesto parere Martin Eden andrebbe comunque letto.
March 22, 2023
No wolves here 馃惡, just a tragic story of a former sailor who seeks to educate himself and realize his dream of becoming an author.
"Martin Eden" is Jack London's masterpiece. It is among the best naturalist novels ever published, on par with the best of Emile Zola. It is a powerful social commentary on the struggles of the working class and the perils of individualism.
If you think Jack London is just for kids, think again. This book is a classic, and for very good reason.
"Martin Eden" is Jack London's masterpiece. It is among the best naturalist novels ever published, on par with the best of Emile Zola. It is a powerful social commentary on the struggles of the working class and the perils of individualism.
If you think Jack London is just for kids, think again. This book is a classic, and for very good reason.
October 21, 2018
鈥淗ayattaki amac谋n para, 艧枚hret yada bir s谋fat edinebilmek olmamal谋. Her seferinde senin var olma amac谋n谋n anlam谋n谋 peki艧tiren bir 莽abada olursan, ya艧am谋n i莽inde oldu臒unu, evrenin bir par莽as谋 oldu臒unu hissedersin鈥� : Kitap bitince koltukta kalakalm谋艧 bir ben ve d眉艧眉nce bulutumun i莽inde yazanlar bunlard谋..
Martin Eden, ne harika bir anlat谋md谋n. Y谋llard谋r k眉t眉phanemde olan kitap, bence zaman谋n谋n gelmesini beklemi艧.
E臒itimsiz bir denizcinin, a艧谋k oldu臒u k谋z谋n g枚z眉ne girmek amac谋yla ba艧lad谋臒谋 bilgi yolculu臒u ve yazar olma 莽abas谋 anlat谋l谋yor. Bilim ve felsefe alt metni, kurgunun i莽ine 枚yle g眉zel yerle艧mi艧 ki, Martin sorgularken ben de onunla birlikte cevaplar谋 bulmaya 莽al谋艧t谋m.Evren, toplum, ba艧ar谋, edebiyat d眉nyas谋, a艧k, e臒itim 眉zerine 莽ok莽a d眉艧眉nd眉m.
Harika bir yolculuktu.
Benim i莽in de臒erli kitaplar aras谋na girdi.
Mutlaka okuman谋z谋 枚neririm馃槉猸愶笍
Martin Eden, ne harika bir anlat谋md谋n. Y谋llard谋r k眉t眉phanemde olan kitap, bence zaman谋n谋n gelmesini beklemi艧.
E臒itimsiz bir denizcinin, a艧谋k oldu臒u k谋z谋n g枚z眉ne girmek amac谋yla ba艧lad谋臒谋 bilgi yolculu臒u ve yazar olma 莽abas谋 anlat谋l谋yor. Bilim ve felsefe alt metni, kurgunun i莽ine 枚yle g眉zel yerle艧mi艧 ki, Martin sorgularken ben de onunla birlikte cevaplar谋 bulmaya 莽al谋艧t谋m.Evren, toplum, ba艧ar谋, edebiyat d眉nyas谋, a艧k, e臒itim 眉zerine 莽ok莽a d眉艧眉nd眉m.
Harika bir yolculuktu.
Benim i莽in de臒erli kitaplar aras谋na girdi.
Mutlaka okuman谋z谋 枚neririm馃槉猸愶笍
February 1, 2023
Note, Feb. 1, 2023: I've just edited this review to make a slight stylistic change in one sentence.
In my combination review of , I made the comment (echoing a common critical axiom) that London. like some other Naturalists, was better at portraying animal characters than human ones. That judgment was based on a prior reading of five of his novels and a number of short stories. But after reading this novel, it's a judgment that has to be substantially revised; there are no animal characters at all here, and his job of characterization is outstanding. To be sure, the title character has a lot of London himself in his background and personality; but they aren't clones of each other, and the other important characters are vitally real as well.
This is straightforward general fiction in the Realist-Naturalist tradition, set mostly in the author's native stamping grounds of San Francisco and Oakland, just across the bay. Published in 1908 (eight years before London died), it draws heavily on his own life experiences to tell the tale of a smart, but ignorant and uncultivated young seaman from a poor family, with no particularly noted talents except brawling and drinking. But when he rescues a wealthy lawyer's son from an altercation with some waterfront toughs, this leads to an introduction to their family --and a powerful crush on the beautiful and cultivated daughter of the house, Ruth. In turn, this propels him into a determination to better himself intellectually and socially, in order to make himself worthy of her, in her eyes and his own. This program takes the form of self-education through reading, especially in the public library and, eventually, a determination to become a writer himself. (Readers who know anything at all about London's life will recognize significant similarities, except that London had no Ruth-equivalent in his own life.) What results from this determination is the substance of the novel.
London was one of the greatest storytellers of his generation, and he tells an always absorbing story here. But it's a well-tailored vehicle for serious ideas. Among the areas he explores are the real meaning of love (and its difference from infatuation, etc.); the need to be true to your own deepest aspirations and sense of yourself, not what others tell you to be; and the profound social injustice of that day, with its artificial class divisions and exploitation of the poor by the rich. (And the differences between 1908 and 2017, in those respects, aren't as great as we tell ourselves they are.) His portrayal of the superficiality and hypocrisy of the literary world is scathing (and also far from dated). And he also draws a painfully accurate picture of how few human beings actually use the minds they're endowed with to really look at the world around them with curiosity, to think for themselves and think about some things more basic and important than money and the minutia of daily living; and how many are content to go through life with no more curiosity or thought than cattle, and to distrust or resent anybody else who doesn't. (Despite our dissimilarities in many other ways, I could relate to Martin profoundly on that level, and it raked up childhood memories.)
The most central thematic concern here, and probably THE central concern of London's own mind, however, is the inherent conflict between early 20th-century Socialism, with its cooperative ethic and its Utopian dream of conflict-free human brotherhood, vs. the supposedly "scientifically-proven" view of life as a Darwinist evolutionary project driven by eternal struggle between the fit and the unfit, in which the order of the day is every dog for himself, to drive evolution to the next rung of the ladder by pushing the inferior to the wall. London was a committed Socialist, and also a committed Darwinist --as with many wholly self-educated people, the first ideas that fell into his relatively fallow mind were embraced uncritically and took up unshakeable root-- but he faced the contradictions between the two, and was hag-ridden by the fear that the dream of Socialist Utopia might be doomed by Nature. Unlike London, Martin rejects Socialism and embraces the Social Darwinist individualism of Spencer and Nietszche --but he argues with Socialists and has a Socialist friend, and is haunted himself by natural human sympathy for the supposedly "unfit" and "inferior" peons of the class he was born into, which includes friends and family members.
While the author has a good vocabulary, the diction here is simpler than that of the first half of the 19th-century --intelligent, but not stilted; any serious reader today could read it with no problem. The occasional passing use of the n-word, usually in the authorial narrative voice though from Martin's viewpoint, however, is a problem; these instances could be counted on the fingers of one hand, but they're still offensive. (The Darwinism of that day, which shaped both London and his protagonist, was of course openly racist; we can see echoes of this 30 years later in the writings of H. P. Lovecraft, who couldn't afford college and also substituted self-education by reading, as well --though his racial language isn't quite as insensitive as London's.) We have to, IMO, take a "warts-and-all" view of this novel as a product of its time and place. Readers who insist on having a happy, feel-good read, too, should be warned that this isn't one; I think it's an important and in significant ways a rewarding novel, but it's not an upbeat one. But with those caveats, I think a case could be made that while this isn't London's most popular novel, it is in many ways his masterpiece.
In my combination review of , I made the comment (echoing a common critical axiom) that London. like some other Naturalists, was better at portraying animal characters than human ones. That judgment was based on a prior reading of five of his novels and a number of short stories. But after reading this novel, it's a judgment that has to be substantially revised; there are no animal characters at all here, and his job of characterization is outstanding. To be sure, the title character has a lot of London himself in his background and personality; but they aren't clones of each other, and the other important characters are vitally real as well.
This is straightforward general fiction in the Realist-Naturalist tradition, set mostly in the author's native stamping grounds of San Francisco and Oakland, just across the bay. Published in 1908 (eight years before London died), it draws heavily on his own life experiences to tell the tale of a smart, but ignorant and uncultivated young seaman from a poor family, with no particularly noted talents except brawling and drinking. But when he rescues a wealthy lawyer's son from an altercation with some waterfront toughs, this leads to an introduction to their family --and a powerful crush on the beautiful and cultivated daughter of the house, Ruth. In turn, this propels him into a determination to better himself intellectually and socially, in order to make himself worthy of her, in her eyes and his own. This program takes the form of self-education through reading, especially in the public library and, eventually, a determination to become a writer himself. (Readers who know anything at all about London's life will recognize significant similarities, except that London had no Ruth-equivalent in his own life.) What results from this determination is the substance of the novel.
London was one of the greatest storytellers of his generation, and he tells an always absorbing story here. But it's a well-tailored vehicle for serious ideas. Among the areas he explores are the real meaning of love (and its difference from infatuation, etc.); the need to be true to your own deepest aspirations and sense of yourself, not what others tell you to be; and the profound social injustice of that day, with its artificial class divisions and exploitation of the poor by the rich. (And the differences between 1908 and 2017, in those respects, aren't as great as we tell ourselves they are.) His portrayal of the superficiality and hypocrisy of the literary world is scathing (and also far from dated). And he also draws a painfully accurate picture of how few human beings actually use the minds they're endowed with to really look at the world around them with curiosity, to think for themselves and think about some things more basic and important than money and the minutia of daily living; and how many are content to go through life with no more curiosity or thought than cattle, and to distrust or resent anybody else who doesn't. (Despite our dissimilarities in many other ways, I could relate to Martin profoundly on that level, and it raked up childhood memories.)
The most central thematic concern here, and probably THE central concern of London's own mind, however, is the inherent conflict between early 20th-century Socialism, with its cooperative ethic and its Utopian dream of conflict-free human brotherhood, vs. the supposedly "scientifically-proven" view of life as a Darwinist evolutionary project driven by eternal struggle between the fit and the unfit, in which the order of the day is every dog for himself, to drive evolution to the next rung of the ladder by pushing the inferior to the wall. London was a committed Socialist, and also a committed Darwinist --as with many wholly self-educated people, the first ideas that fell into his relatively fallow mind were embraced uncritically and took up unshakeable root-- but he faced the contradictions between the two, and was hag-ridden by the fear that the dream of Socialist Utopia might be doomed by Nature. Unlike London, Martin rejects Socialism and embraces the Social Darwinist individualism of Spencer and Nietszche --but he argues with Socialists and has a Socialist friend, and is haunted himself by natural human sympathy for the supposedly "unfit" and "inferior" peons of the class he was born into, which includes friends and family members.
While the author has a good vocabulary, the diction here is simpler than that of the first half of the 19th-century --intelligent, but not stilted; any serious reader today could read it with no problem. The occasional passing use of the n-word, usually in the authorial narrative voice though from Martin's viewpoint, however, is a problem; these instances could be counted on the fingers of one hand, but they're still offensive. (The Darwinism of that day, which shaped both London and his protagonist, was of course openly racist; we can see echoes of this 30 years later in the writings of H. P. Lovecraft, who couldn't afford college and also substituted self-education by reading, as well --though his racial language isn't quite as insensitive as London's.) We have to, IMO, take a "warts-and-all" view of this novel as a product of its time and place. Readers who insist on having a happy, feel-good read, too, should be warned that this isn't one; I think it's an important and in significant ways a rewarding novel, but it's not an upbeat one. But with those caveats, I think a case could be made that while this isn't London's most popular novel, it is in many ways his masterpiece.
July 16, 2019
A臒z谋ma s谋莽t谋n be Martin Eden! Hem de her ad谋m谋 bu kadar tahmin edilebilir olan hikayenle. Nas谋l oldu ki, birazdan ba艧谋m谋za gelecekleri bilsem de bir daha bir daha da臒谋l谋mam? Mutlak sonundan bu kadar etkilenmem? (鈥淵a 莽ok basit canl谋lar谋z be !鈥� diye notum vard谋, senle 枚zde艧lik kurup, o k谋sma girmiyorum, sen de 莽akt谋rma.) Kitab谋n trans谋yla bir s眉re "babam b枚yle pasta yapmay谋 nerden 枚臒rendi" k谋vam谋ndaki sorular谋m谋n cevab谋n谋, Jack London kitap boyunca anlat谋yor. Y谋lmadan ne kadar 莽ok 莽al谋艧t谋臒谋n谋 ve bu b眉y眉y眉 nas谋l olu艧turdu臒unu.
Martin, Ruth鈥檒a ba艧layan o uyan谋艧谋n, o adeta s眉nger gibi bilgiyi emi艧in, azmin, tutkun, merak谋n, 5 saat uyumana kar艧谋n zaman谋n sana yetmemesi, 鈥渒endine d眉zg眉n bir i艧 bul鈥� lara boyun e臒meyi艧in, bireyselli臒i savunurken ablan谋 g枚r眉nce d眉艧眉nd眉klerin, kof/s谋臒 burjuvan谋n etraflar谋na 枚rd眉臒眉 sanal duvarlara -ve o insanlara- bak谋艧谋n, (ama her 艧eye ra臒men Ruth鈥檜 bunlar谋n d谋艧谋nda tutan, o g枚z眉ne inen perde), Briss鈥檌n 艧iirine olan hayranl谋臒谋n谋 ifaden, 鈥淜陌TAPLAR YAZILMI艦TI" hayk谋r谋艧lar谋n (yine doldum, 莽ok fena), 鈥淣EDEN KARNIMI O ZAMAN DOYURMADINIZ鈥� feryatlar谋n鈥� (koptum 艧imdi de) Ve sonraki 鈥渂en hastay谋m, 莽ok hasta鈥� say谋klamalar谋n, kay谋ts谋zl谋klar谋n, hissiyat谋n谋 kaybedi艧in鈥� (en 莽ok i莽ime i艧leyenleri ald谋m, o kadar 莽ok ki)
Seni 莽ok sevdim be Martincan :) Hayat谋n谋z谋n en az bir d枚neminde "Martin Eden" -hissiyat谋 i莽inde diyelim- olmad谋ysan谋z, bir hak daha rica edin. Bir jetoncuk daha. Sayfalar dolusu yazas谋m var Martin'in hissetti臒i o dinsel co艧ku ve hu艧unun ayn谋s谋yla (korkmay谋n bitti, bitti).
脟ok 枚zel bir kitap, 莽ok 枚zel bir karakter. 脟ok nefis bir anlat谋.
Not: Anekdotlarda Jack London'a dair 莽ok g眉zel k谋s谋mlar var, es ge莽memeli.
Not 2: Sola 枚c眉 gibi bakan k眉莽眉k bir Amerika olu艧umuza girmeyecem. Vatan haini sosyalistler !
Birbirinden enfes al谋nt谋lar谋m,
Martin, Ruth鈥檒a ba艧layan o uyan谋艧谋n, o adeta s眉nger gibi bilgiyi emi艧in, azmin, tutkun, merak谋n, 5 saat uyumana kar艧谋n zaman谋n sana yetmemesi, 鈥渒endine d眉zg眉n bir i艧 bul鈥� lara boyun e臒meyi艧in, bireyselli臒i savunurken ablan谋 g枚r眉nce d眉艧眉nd眉klerin, kof/s谋臒 burjuvan谋n etraflar谋na 枚rd眉臒眉 sanal duvarlara -ve o insanlara- bak谋艧谋n, (ama her 艧eye ra臒men Ruth鈥檜 bunlar谋n d谋艧谋nda tutan, o g枚z眉ne inen perde), Briss鈥檌n 艧iirine olan hayranl谋臒谋n谋 ifaden, 鈥淜陌TAPLAR YAZILMI艦TI" hayk谋r谋艧lar谋n (yine doldum, 莽ok fena), 鈥淣EDEN KARNIMI O ZAMAN DOYURMADINIZ鈥� feryatlar谋n鈥� (koptum 艧imdi de) Ve sonraki 鈥渂en hastay谋m, 莽ok hasta鈥� say谋klamalar谋n, kay谋ts谋zl谋klar谋n, hissiyat谋n谋 kaybedi艧in鈥� (en 莽ok i莽ime i艧leyenleri ald谋m, o kadar 莽ok ki)
Seni 莽ok sevdim be Martincan :) Hayat谋n谋z谋n en az bir d枚neminde "Martin Eden" -hissiyat谋 i莽inde diyelim- olmad谋ysan谋z, bir hak daha rica edin. Bir jetoncuk daha. Sayfalar dolusu yazas谋m var Martin'in hissetti臒i o dinsel co艧ku ve hu艧unun ayn谋s谋yla (korkmay谋n bitti, bitti).
脟ok 枚zel bir kitap, 莽ok 枚zel bir karakter. 脟ok nefis bir anlat谋.
Not: Anekdotlarda Jack London'a dair 莽ok g眉zel k谋s谋mlar var, es ge莽memeli.
Not 2: Sola 枚c眉 gibi bakan k眉莽眉k bir Amerika olu艧umuza girmeyecem. Vatan haini sosyalistler !
Birbirinden enfes al谋nt谋lar谋m,
鈥淩uth, e臒er a莽l谋臒谋 ve susuzlu臒u, s谋ca臒谋 ve so臒u臒u hissediyorsa, a艧k谋 da hissedebilir, yani bir adama a艧谋k olabilirdi. Eh Martin de bir adamd谋. Neden o adam olmas谋nd谋? 鈥樐芭焞eri iyi etmek benim elimde,鈥� diye hararetle m谋r谋ldand谋. 鈥極 adam ben olaca臒谋m. Kendimi o adam haline getirece臒im. Her 艧eyi iyi edece臒im.鈥� 鈥� (115)
鈥淣e diyordum, buradaki b眉t眉n erkek ve kad谋nlar谋n ayd谋nl谋k, 谋艧谋l 谋艧谋l oldu臒unu san谋rd谋m. Oysa 艧imdi, g枚rd眉臒眉m kadar谋yla s枚yl眉yorum ki bir avu莽 ahmakm谋艧 bunlar.鈥� (280,281) 鈥淗ayat hakk谋nda, kitaplar hakk谋nda onlardan daha fazlas谋n谋 biliyor, ald谋klar谋 e臒itimi hangi k枚艧e buca臒a, hangi kuytuya att谋klar谋n谋 merak ediyordu.鈥� (282)
鈥溍噀vresindeki d眉nyadan kopmu艧 vaziyette, sersemlemi艧 bir halde, 枚nceki hayat谋n谋n edebi gerekliliklerine a艧ina bir hayalet gibi 莽al谋艧谋yordu. Hayaletlerin 枚lm眉艧 ama 枚ld眉臒眉n眉 fark etmemi艧 insanlar谋n ruhlar谋 oldu臒unu duydu臒unu hat谋rlay谋nca, 枚ld眉 de bundan haberi olmad谋 m谋 diye anlamak i莽in bir an 莽al谋艧mas谋n谋 kesti.鈥� (401)
鈥淗i莽 konu艧madan uzun s眉re oturdular; k谋z 眉mitsizce d眉艧眉n眉yor, adamsa yok olmu艧 a艧k谋na kafa yoruyordu. Onu ger莽ekten sevmedi臒ini 艧imdi anlam谋艧t谋. Sevdi臒i 艧ey Ruth de臒il, idealize etti臒i, kendi kafas谋nda yaratt谋臒谋 uhrevi bir 艧eydi; kendi a艧k 艧iirlerindeki 谋艧谋k sa莽an ruhtu. Hakiki Ruth鈥檜, s谋n谋f谋n谋n t眉m o kusur ve zaaflar谋n谋 ta艧谋yan, o s谋n谋f谋n psikolojisinin umutsuz s谋n谋rlar谋yla k谋s谋tlanm谋艧 burjuva Ruth鈥檜 hi莽 sevmemi艧ti.鈥� (460)
March 7, 2024
"Accidenti, le normali recensioni sono pi霉 nauseanti dell鈥檕lio di fegato di merluzzo"
E cosa dire di Martin Eden?
Un guerriero, un combattente che dalla feccia della societ脿 s'insinua nel mondo borghese prima con ammirazione e poi con disprezzo.
Come il nome del protagonista palesemente suggerisce, questa 猫 la storia di una battaglia (Martin!) alla conquista del paradiso terrestre(Eden!).
E' l'imbarazzo il primo ad introdursi:
una porta si apre ed un mondo, fino ad allora, sconosciuto si spalanca davanti agli occhi del ventenne che odora di mare e cammina dondolando come si trovasse a solcare gli oceani anche sulla terra ferma.
L'incontro con la pallida e fragile Ruth, la scoperta della gioia del Sapere e un bisogno impellente, urgente che sboccia di colpo: scrivere! La vita di Martin Eden 猫 destinata a cambiare.
"Chi sei, Martin Eden? chiese all'immagine riflessa nello specchio quella sera tornando in camera sua. Si osserv貌 a lungo e con curiosit脿.
Chi sei tu? Che cosa sei? Qual 猫 il tuo posto?
Considerato uno dei libri arrabbiati della letteratura americana, mette in scena una dura condanna del mondo borghese come grande espressione di falsit脿 ed ipocrisia.
Industriali, banchieri, politici: nient'altro che sfruttatori che non sanno realmente vivere.
Ma la penna s'intinge nel vetriolo entrando anche nelle stanze del mondo editoriale:
" Sciacalli e arpie"!
I rapporti veri, genuini li si trova tra i socialisti che vivono reclusi ai margini della citt脿.
Al centro c'猫 l'individualismo dei borghesi che si esprime nelle speculazioni e sopraffazioni economiche e l'individualismo filosofico a cui Martin Eden si abbarbica scoprendo le tesi di Herbert Spencer come chiave per spiegare l'esistenza tutta.
E cos矛' Martin si ritrover脿 tra le mani una moneta che decider脿 il suo destino:
da un lato il successo dall''altro il fallimento...
鈥� Che cos'era? Sembrava un faro. Ma no: era nel suo cervello quell'abbagliante luce bianca. Essa brillava sempre pi霉 splendida. Segu矛 un lungo rombo: gli parve di scivolare lungo una china infinita, e in fondo in fondo sprofond貌 nel buio. Solo questo seppe. Sprofondava nel buio. E nel momento stesso in cui lo seppe, cess貌 di saperlo.鈥�
E cosa dire di Martin Eden?
Un guerriero, un combattente che dalla feccia della societ脿 s'insinua nel mondo borghese prima con ammirazione e poi con disprezzo.
Come il nome del protagonista palesemente suggerisce, questa 猫 la storia di una battaglia (Martin!) alla conquista del paradiso terrestre(Eden!).
E' l'imbarazzo il primo ad introdursi:
una porta si apre ed un mondo, fino ad allora, sconosciuto si spalanca davanti agli occhi del ventenne che odora di mare e cammina dondolando come si trovasse a solcare gli oceani anche sulla terra ferma.
L'incontro con la pallida e fragile Ruth, la scoperta della gioia del Sapere e un bisogno impellente, urgente che sboccia di colpo: scrivere! La vita di Martin Eden 猫 destinata a cambiare.
"Chi sei, Martin Eden? chiese all'immagine riflessa nello specchio quella sera tornando in camera sua. Si osserv貌 a lungo e con curiosit脿.
Chi sei tu? Che cosa sei? Qual 猫 il tuo posto?
Considerato uno dei libri arrabbiati della letteratura americana, mette in scena una dura condanna del mondo borghese come grande espressione di falsit脿 ed ipocrisia.
Industriali, banchieri, politici: nient'altro che sfruttatori che non sanno realmente vivere.
Ma la penna s'intinge nel vetriolo entrando anche nelle stanze del mondo editoriale:
" Sciacalli e arpie"!
I rapporti veri, genuini li si trova tra i socialisti che vivono reclusi ai margini della citt脿.
Al centro c'猫 l'individualismo dei borghesi che si esprime nelle speculazioni e sopraffazioni economiche e l'individualismo filosofico a cui Martin Eden si abbarbica scoprendo le tesi di Herbert Spencer come chiave per spiegare l'esistenza tutta.
E cos矛' Martin si ritrover脿 tra le mani una moneta che decider脿 il suo destino:
da un lato il successo dall''altro il fallimento...
鈥� Che cos'era? Sembrava un faro. Ma no: era nel suo cervello quell'abbagliante luce bianca. Essa brillava sempre pi霉 splendida. Segu矛 un lungo rombo: gli parve di scivolare lungo una china infinita, e in fondo in fondo sprofond貌 nel buio. Solo questo seppe. Sprofondava nel buio. E nel momento stesso in cui lo seppe, cess貌 di saperlo.鈥�
December 19, 2012
Okay, first I will discuss what I really did like about this book.
Alright, when I first started reading it, I was very touched by the loving connection that the main character (Martin Eden) had with Ruth. It was very sweet, and at times it reminded me of my own relationship with my boyfriend, which made it endearing and all the more special to read. Jack London wrote of how Ruth would feel relieved from her studying at the university to see Martin, and how his presence rejuvenated her and gave her a better sense of being. I really really loved that. But, I was aware of the premise (Martin Eden: a guy struggling to become an accomplished and famous writer), so I quickly brushed away the idea of it being a love story, and I was totally cool with that! To be perfectly honest, though, the EARLY relationship between them was the only part of the book I was really fond of, which happened to be only like the first 100 pages.
As the story progressed, Martin started to annoy me, and the plot became very redundant and, frankly, it bored me. I just..I think what Jack London lacks in this novel is the ability to make the reader (maybe I shouldn't generalize, so we'll just say me) feel any sort of connection with the characters. I did mention, however, that initially I did feel related/connected to Martin and Ruth's relationship, but later it felt very unfulfilled.
It may seem like I'm just bashing this book..I promise you, it's not a bad read. It's just..well, I feel indifferent. I know what Jack London was trying to accomplish, and that's why I granted it 2 stars instead of 1. I get it. The struggling writer who works so hard and so long to achieve his dream, only to find that fame and fortune is not all it's cracked up to be. It's just...alright, I'm going to say it: it's cliche. Especially the ending. I don't know. I'm wasn't pleasantly surprised or anything; I knew it was coming. Blah.
The writing is beautiful (another reason I couldn't bear to give it 1 star), and London is a genius at transfixing you with his words--but, that can only take you so far. The story was lacking, in my opinion.
Alright, when I first started reading it, I was very touched by the loving connection that the main character (Martin Eden) had with Ruth. It was very sweet, and at times it reminded me of my own relationship with my boyfriend, which made it endearing and all the more special to read. Jack London wrote of how Ruth would feel relieved from her studying at the university to see Martin, and how his presence rejuvenated her and gave her a better sense of being. I really really loved that. But, I was aware of the premise (Martin Eden: a guy struggling to become an accomplished and famous writer), so I quickly brushed away the idea of it being a love story, and I was totally cool with that! To be perfectly honest, though, the EARLY relationship between them was the only part of the book I was really fond of, which happened to be only like the first 100 pages.
As the story progressed, Martin started to annoy me, and the plot became very redundant and, frankly, it bored me. I just..I think what Jack London lacks in this novel is the ability to make the reader (maybe I shouldn't generalize, so we'll just say me) feel any sort of connection with the characters. I did mention, however, that initially I did feel related/connected to Martin and Ruth's relationship, but later it felt very unfulfilled.
It may seem like I'm just bashing this book..I promise you, it's not a bad read. It's just..well, I feel indifferent. I know what Jack London was trying to accomplish, and that's why I granted it 2 stars instead of 1. I get it. The struggling writer who works so hard and so long to achieve his dream, only to find that fame and fortune is not all it's cracked up to be. It's just...alright, I'm going to say it: it's cliche. Especially the ending. I don't know. I'm wasn't pleasantly surprised or anything; I knew it was coming. Blah.
The writing is beautiful (another reason I couldn't bear to give it 1 star), and London is a genius at transfixing you with his words--but, that can only take you so far. The story was lacking, in my opinion.
December 5, 2021
Mi ci 猫 voluto un po鈥� per riprendermi. E ancora adesso, di fronte a tale grandezza, fatico a trovare le parole. La cosa buffa (e incredibile) 猫 che di Jack London non avevo mai letto nulla e anche 鈥淢artin Eden鈥� stazionava nella mia libreria da un bel po鈥�, in attesa di chi sa cosa, forse del suo momento giusto, con la solita stizza che, dietro al classico, si nascondesse un mattone difficile da digerire.
E invece 猫 stato una folgorazione.
Romanzi cos矛 belli e ben scritti capitano davvero raramente.
E il merito non pu貌 che essere il suo, quello di un personaggio potentissimo, capace di strabiliarci per il percorso che, fra le pagine, compie. E鈥� cos矛 che un classico diventa un 鈥減age-turner鈥� moderno, parla e lancia un messaggio indelebile indipendentemente dall鈥檈poca in cui viene letto.
Ma Martin 猫 talmente incredibile che 猫 difficile immaginare che un uomo simile sia esistito, possa esistere o esister脿. Marinaio di umili origini, non stupido ma inizialmente esperto solo della vita dura e cruda, quella dei viaggi in mare, dei pesanti lavori manuali e della gente dei bassifondi, si innamora di Ruth, giovane borghese sorella di Arthur, a cui lui salva la vita in circostanza non precise. Il romanzo si apre proprio cos矛: Arthur, per riconoscenza, introduce Martin nella sua casa, e qui il giovane marinaio scopre un mondo nuovo, completamente opposto a quello in cui 猫 cresciuto鈥� con l鈥檕biettivo di conquistare Ruth, si butta a capofitto, con una forza di volont脿 encomiabile, nello studio della grammatica, della lingua, dell鈥檃rte e della politica, diventando, dopo tanti sacrifici, uno scrittore molto apprezzato.
Insomma, alla fine del romanzo troviamo un uomo diverso?
Tutt鈥檃ffatto, o meglio, solo esteriormente. Martin impara ad esprimersi in un inglese impeccabile, ad utilizzare le buone maniere, a riconoscere e a praticare le regole del 鈥渂on ton鈥� della vita sociale borghese e a discorrere di politica, arte e filosofia, ma la sua morale, salda, e i suoi principi, irremovibili, restano quelli di un uomo retto, sensibile, non ipocrita, di spessore. Un uomo che sa ragionare con la sua testa, e non accetta che altri pretendano di farlo ragionare con le loro. Un uomo per il quale il denaro e la 鈥減osizione鈥� non possono precedere il carattere e la rettitudine. Un uomo che vuole essere accettato e apprezzato per quello che, dentro di s茅, 猫. E quando si accorge che il mondo (e in particolare Ruth e la sua famiglia) lo considera solo ora che ha un certo nome in societ脿, mentre nel momento del bisogno era invece snobbato, perde ogni stimolo nei confronti della vita. E si rende conto, con amarezza, che in questo mondo cos矛 ipocrita, non vuole pi霉 vivere.
Determinazione, rettitudine, intelligenza e coraggio trovano l鈥檃pice in questo personaggio straordinario, degno protagonista di questo romanzo straordinario.
Da leggere senza sosta, senza indugio.
E invece 猫 stato una folgorazione.
Romanzi cos矛 belli e ben scritti capitano davvero raramente.
E il merito non pu貌 che essere il suo, quello di un personaggio potentissimo, capace di strabiliarci per il percorso che, fra le pagine, compie. E鈥� cos矛 che un classico diventa un 鈥減age-turner鈥� moderno, parla e lancia un messaggio indelebile indipendentemente dall鈥檈poca in cui viene letto.
Ma Martin 猫 talmente incredibile che 猫 difficile immaginare che un uomo simile sia esistito, possa esistere o esister脿. Marinaio di umili origini, non stupido ma inizialmente esperto solo della vita dura e cruda, quella dei viaggi in mare, dei pesanti lavori manuali e della gente dei bassifondi, si innamora di Ruth, giovane borghese sorella di Arthur, a cui lui salva la vita in circostanza non precise. Il romanzo si apre proprio cos矛: Arthur, per riconoscenza, introduce Martin nella sua casa, e qui il giovane marinaio scopre un mondo nuovo, completamente opposto a quello in cui 猫 cresciuto鈥� con l鈥檕biettivo di conquistare Ruth, si butta a capofitto, con una forza di volont脿 encomiabile, nello studio della grammatica, della lingua, dell鈥檃rte e della politica, diventando, dopo tanti sacrifici, uno scrittore molto apprezzato.
Insomma, alla fine del romanzo troviamo un uomo diverso?
Tutt鈥檃ffatto, o meglio, solo esteriormente. Martin impara ad esprimersi in un inglese impeccabile, ad utilizzare le buone maniere, a riconoscere e a praticare le regole del 鈥渂on ton鈥� della vita sociale borghese e a discorrere di politica, arte e filosofia, ma la sua morale, salda, e i suoi principi, irremovibili, restano quelli di un uomo retto, sensibile, non ipocrita, di spessore. Un uomo che sa ragionare con la sua testa, e non accetta che altri pretendano di farlo ragionare con le loro. Un uomo per il quale il denaro e la 鈥減osizione鈥� non possono precedere il carattere e la rettitudine. Un uomo che vuole essere accettato e apprezzato per quello che, dentro di s茅, 猫. E quando si accorge che il mondo (e in particolare Ruth e la sua famiglia) lo considera solo ora che ha un certo nome in societ脿, mentre nel momento del bisogno era invece snobbato, perde ogni stimolo nei confronti della vita. E si rende conto, con amarezza, che in questo mondo cos矛 ipocrita, non vuole pi霉 vivere.
Determinazione, rettitudine, intelligenza e coraggio trovano l鈥檃pice in questo personaggio straordinario, degno protagonista di questo romanzo straordinario.
Da leggere senza sosta, senza indugio.
April 16, 2018
鈥淓ra un lavoro bello e finito.鈥�
Per tutto il libro non ho fatto altro che pensare: come pu貌 un uomo come Martin, forza e potenza allo stato puro, innamorarsi di una come Ruth, piegata ai voleri di una famiglia borghese e senza volont脿? Pu貌 perch茅 deve. Perch茅 lui ha fame d鈥檃more e scopre negli occhi di lei la possibilit脿. Martin 猫 un uomo di mondo, ha viaggiato fino ai confini della terra nonostante sia giovane, ama la vita, le donne, 猫 forte e il lavoro non lo spaventa. Eppure 猫 negli occhi di lei che trova di che dissetarsi di quella sete che non ha requie. E non 猫 per migliorare se stesso che comincia a studiare ma perch茅 sa di poterlo fare, di essere capace di arrivare dove altri sono arrivati. La sua 猫 una tacita sfida: raggiungere l鈥檌mpossibile. Ruth non ha mai amato Martin. Ha amato il suo riflesso negli occhi di lui, quel fuoco che la sua pelle emana nel suo mondo di gelo e compostezza. Lui 猫 un soffio di aria nuova, 猫 come una spugna che assorbe conoscenza, e vorrebbe plasmarlo a suo modo. Ma qualcosa va storto. L鈥檃llievo, ancora una volta supera la maestra, e va oltre. E quell鈥檃bisso che prima li divideva a favore di Ruth adesso si ribalta. Martin non viene pi霉 compreso perch茅 猫 arrivato ad un grado di conoscenza che va oltre quella gretta piccola borghesia di cui lei fa parte. Il suo studio disperato, una volont脿 di ferro, il credere fermamente in se stesso senza mai cedere fanno di lui quasi un superuomo, la sua 猫 volont脿 di potenza, come dice Nietzsche, che tende a superare se stesso continuamente. Scrive, non ha di che mangiare ma scrive. Non ha come coprirsi, ma scrive. Perde i suoi pochi beni pi霉 volte impegnati ma continua a scrivere, in un delirio febbrile che a tratti lo rende pazzo agli occhi degli altri. Martin 猫 un uomo capace di tutto. E lo dimostra al mondo. Ma il prezzo della conoscenza 猫 altissimo per lui, senza scampo.
鈥� Aveva navigato in terre lontane, troppo lontane per ritornare. Era deluso da tutto. Si era trasformato in un estraneo.鈥� . Il gelo che prima avvolgeva Ruth diventa parte integrante della vita di Martin adesso. E鈥� un marinaio di cultura, che non pu貌 pi霉 stare con i marinai, e non pu貌 vivere con i borghesi. E鈥� un pesce fuor d鈥檃cqua e se ne rende perfettamente conto.
Il libro ha una profonda spaccatura. Un prima solare, in cui tutto 猫 luce, conoscenza, bellezza, musica che incanta e in cui Martin si inebria senza pensieri fra una macchia di ciliegia e un pomeriggio al sole. E un dopo. Come una nota stonata che suona lenta, malinconica, bassa che lo avvolge in pensieri tristi, dolorosi, faticosi. 鈥淓ra senza mappa n猫 timone e non aveva alcun porto da raggiungere. Abbandonarsi alla deriva, vivere il minimo indispensabile, era proprio vivere che lo faceva soffrire 鈥� la vita lo infastidiva e lo annoiava e il tempo era una vera tortura鈥� E鈥� come se Martin bruciasse in un soffio il suo 鈥� tempo vitale鈥� con quelle giornate spasmodiche passate sui libri, quelle nottate insonni, e adesso non ci fosse che un corpo vuoto senza pi霉 forze.
La vita lo vuole fino alla fine. Ma la sua volont脿 猫 pi霉 forte.
/photo/user/...
Per tutto il libro non ho fatto altro che pensare: come pu貌 un uomo come Martin, forza e potenza allo stato puro, innamorarsi di una come Ruth, piegata ai voleri di una famiglia borghese e senza volont脿? Pu貌 perch茅 deve. Perch茅 lui ha fame d鈥檃more e scopre negli occhi di lei la possibilit脿. Martin 猫 un uomo di mondo, ha viaggiato fino ai confini della terra nonostante sia giovane, ama la vita, le donne, 猫 forte e il lavoro non lo spaventa. Eppure 猫 negli occhi di lei che trova di che dissetarsi di quella sete che non ha requie. E non 猫 per migliorare se stesso che comincia a studiare ma perch茅 sa di poterlo fare, di essere capace di arrivare dove altri sono arrivati. La sua 猫 una tacita sfida: raggiungere l鈥檌mpossibile. Ruth non ha mai amato Martin. Ha amato il suo riflesso negli occhi di lui, quel fuoco che la sua pelle emana nel suo mondo di gelo e compostezza. Lui 猫 un soffio di aria nuova, 猫 come una spugna che assorbe conoscenza, e vorrebbe plasmarlo a suo modo. Ma qualcosa va storto. L鈥檃llievo, ancora una volta supera la maestra, e va oltre. E quell鈥檃bisso che prima li divideva a favore di Ruth adesso si ribalta. Martin non viene pi霉 compreso perch茅 猫 arrivato ad un grado di conoscenza che va oltre quella gretta piccola borghesia di cui lei fa parte. Il suo studio disperato, una volont脿 di ferro, il credere fermamente in se stesso senza mai cedere fanno di lui quasi un superuomo, la sua 猫 volont脿 di potenza, come dice Nietzsche, che tende a superare se stesso continuamente. Scrive, non ha di che mangiare ma scrive. Non ha come coprirsi, ma scrive. Perde i suoi pochi beni pi霉 volte impegnati ma continua a scrivere, in un delirio febbrile che a tratti lo rende pazzo agli occhi degli altri. Martin 猫 un uomo capace di tutto. E lo dimostra al mondo. Ma il prezzo della conoscenza 猫 altissimo per lui, senza scampo.
鈥� Aveva navigato in terre lontane, troppo lontane per ritornare. Era deluso da tutto. Si era trasformato in un estraneo.鈥� . Il gelo che prima avvolgeva Ruth diventa parte integrante della vita di Martin adesso. E鈥� un marinaio di cultura, che non pu貌 pi霉 stare con i marinai, e non pu貌 vivere con i borghesi. E鈥� un pesce fuor d鈥檃cqua e se ne rende perfettamente conto.
Il libro ha una profonda spaccatura. Un prima solare, in cui tutto 猫 luce, conoscenza, bellezza, musica che incanta e in cui Martin si inebria senza pensieri fra una macchia di ciliegia e un pomeriggio al sole. E un dopo. Come una nota stonata che suona lenta, malinconica, bassa che lo avvolge in pensieri tristi, dolorosi, faticosi. 鈥淓ra senza mappa n猫 timone e non aveva alcun porto da raggiungere. Abbandonarsi alla deriva, vivere il minimo indispensabile, era proprio vivere che lo faceva soffrire 鈥� la vita lo infastidiva e lo annoiava e il tempo era una vera tortura鈥� E鈥� come se Martin bruciasse in un soffio il suo 鈥� tempo vitale鈥� con quelle giornate spasmodiche passate sui libri, quelle nottate insonni, e adesso non ci fosse che un corpo vuoto senza pi霉 forze.
La vita lo vuole fino alla fine. Ma la sua volont脿 猫 pi霉 forte.
/photo/user/...
April 5, 2024
2023/108
Have you ever felt as if you just finished reading 'The Book of Your Life'? Because that's what happened to me with Martin Eden, probably my favorite read this year (2023). Thus, and since this is an important book for me, let's make this 'review' special too.
My rating on a scale of 1 to 5:
Quality of writing [5/5]
October 14, 2018. Midnight.
My friends and I just arrived in C贸rdoba (Argentina) after a two-day stay in a town nearby. Diego promised that we could stay at a friend's apartment, that was cozy(?), spacious, and close to the center of the city. Well, he lied. We were a group of eight, the apartment only had one spare room, the shower didn't have hot water, and on top of that, we had to walk around 45 minutes from the bus station to our place because鈥攜ou are right鈥攊t was freaking far away from downtown. We were tired, everyone was upset (I guess they had every right to be), and we just couldn't decide where each of us would sleep. Reflecting back on it, I think 'upset' is not the most accurate way to describe how I was feeling, but rather 'disappointed.' No, I wasn't angry, not even the smell of weed bothered me, considering that I have never smoked a cigarette in my life, let alone weed. Certainly, I never thought I would be in a situation like that the same day I was turning 23. One of my friends, Paulo, hugged me while I was seated, quiet and without saying a word, and said 'Feliz cumplea帽os, amigo.' It made me smile, made me see my surroundings differently, that despite the ups and downs you will learn to always look on the bright side of life. So did Jack London's prose.
Pace [5/5]
July, 2019. A hike to The Tepozteco.
'It's been 30 minutes, I know, but I need to rest.'
'Seriously? But it is nothing, Sergio, c'mon, let's keep walking!'
'Oh, I know it's no big deal, man. Here's the thing, I fell two, or three days ago while going to see my sister. I was on my bike, look, I even have a scab on my elbow; yep, right there, and my knee hurts every time we go faster. I know you are excited, it's your first time hiking El Tepozteco, no? I get it, I've been coming here so many times that I can't even recollect the last time I was here. Six months ago? Maybe five, man, I don't know. I grew up in Cuernavaca, so every time we could, my family and I came to Tepoztl谩n. It's dope when you are a child, now it's just like a normal day.'
'Sorry to hear about your fall, Serg. It's just, that we were together in Patagonia with Arturo and his sister, those days we walked around 25 km a day, almost a week. This feels like nothing compared to what we had to do there. Plus, they said the view from The Tepozteco is spectacular and magical. You know, the more we walk, the more eager I am to see it.'
'I know, but let's just enjoy the walk at the right pace so that we are not tired when...'
Plot development [5/5]
December 18, 2018. Around 10 PM.
Two men are seated on a bench in a public park, one next to the other. It is very dark outside, just a lamppost nearby that makes the place gloomier than it is. They don't seem to be talking to each other, as a matter of fact, there has been dead silence for a while. One of the men, the tallest one, stands up, and the other does the same afterward. It looks like he is trying to say something to the other man but just stays quiet. Then, as if in hesitation, he bends forward a little and hugs him. It doesn't look like a simple hug, though. It is a very, very long hug. They keep hugging each other for around one minute. The man who bent first seems to be crying, not conspicuously, but rather just a few tears running down his face. They stop hugging each other. The scene makes anyone believe that the end, whatever it is, is near, and that saying goodbye is inevitable. The tallest man seems to say 'You will always be...' or something like that, but it is almost inaudible. After a moment, he is walking away. He is going north, and the other one stays a little longer until he sees how his friend(?) disappears in the darkness. He goes west, walking slowly but steadily. Someone might think that, if this was the end, it was surely a sad ending. Ultimately nobody really will know what the two men were thinking in the first place before they both faded away just like memories in the vast ocean.
Characters [5/5]
February 24, 2020. School of Engineering.
What would Martin Eden say to me the day I got my final diploma in oil engineering, symbolically speaking? He might have asked whether that was the degree I always longed to have in the first place or not. If that was my ultimate goal that made me feel complete in the end. The truth is that I don't even know if I felt that way that day. You see, Martin Eden is a very tenacious man, he never gives up, he knows what he wants and when he wants it鈥攖hat's why he is one of my all-time favorite characters鈥攁nd the thing is that he never changes his mind as to what he wants to be, no matter what. Well, maybe he is not that apprehensive, but as soon as he finds his path, he believes in it, so to speak. He never lets go, which is why he ends up being the man he is. Was it good? Was it bad? Maybe it's up to the reader to find out Eden's beliefs and dreams and see if, eventually, he made the right decision. As of today, I can't even answer that question myself: did I make the right decision in college? Am I prepared for this or do I need to change something, however small it may be? What would you say, Martin Eden? That's what I'd like to know.
Enjoyability [5/5]
2014-2019. Life in Mexico City.
(Fill in the blanks)
Favorite food: Pastitsio, especially the one I tried at Anny's house, my Greek professor, back in the day.
Favorite spot: I can't make up my mind, so I will say both Diego Rivera Mural Museum and Vasconcelos Library. I could be there for hours just admiring one of the greatest murals I've ever seen in my life. As for the library, I guess it needs no explanation.
Favorite activity: A random walk, fully living the experience of moving to a much bigger city than mine. To be more specific, visiting museums, and theaters, going to concerts, and so on (fun fact: I visited more than 50 museums during those six years I lived there).
Favorite people: My friends Julio and Marina, we walked together every other day, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, for almost two years, from our classroom (Greek class) to the nearest subway station. Those talks will never go away.
Favorite moment: Every call (or video call) I had with my parents, usually every night, once I arrived home and said 'I'm here, everything is fine' to them. Just hearing their voices and seeing they were doing well made my day.
(...)
Needless to say, this list might give anyone an idea of how much I did enjoy Martin Eden.
Insightfulness [5/5]
January 07, 2019. About 15:30. Ezeiza International Airport.
Home. It is time to be home again. We are leaving in around two hours. Again, what is home? Home: someone's or something's place of origin, or the place where a person feels they belong, according to Cambridge Dictionary. 'The place where a person feels they belong.' I like that. No, please, don't get me wrong. I have a home that I have always loved, a place where I wish I could be right now. It's been seven months, right? Six months and a half, to be more precise. My mistake. Actually, I did the maths yesterday, it's just, I don't know, sometimes I just lose track of time. What was I saying? Oh, yes, home. A place where I belong. My parents' house, for sure. I've wanted to see them again. Last year I only saw them for three weeks, in July. June? No, no, I'm completely sure it was in July. Yes, I'm pretty excited to see them again, as you can tell. If so, why am I sad? Is that what you are asking? Let me ask you this first, then. Is it possible to have more than one home? Because I feel as though I was leaving home at the same time. I'm leaving behind people I love, who I will miss quite a bit; people I might not see again soon. People who are also home, in short. Jon, and Perrine, who are also leaving. Valeria, and Gero, who are staying. I know this is what life is all about, you don't need to tell me that. I've been there before, remember? I didn't want to leave home, to begin with. I guess I was afraid of losing my place, the place where I belonged. Now I get it, I belong here too. 'Cause this is also home.
October 18, 2023. 11:18 PM.
Martin Eden also knows what home means. He knew where he belonged and where he was just an extra character in his own story. That's one of the reasons why he does what he does. Why does he keep trying? Why is he not losing faith? I guess faith is the only thing we rely on so that we are not losing our minds too. Without faith, without hope, we might not be able to find our home again. That's why I wholeheartedly hope you always find your way home and never give up. Remember, there's always one place where you belong, where you will always be loved and taken care of.
Easy of reading [5/5]
September, 2022. A nice visit to Mexico City.
It had been almost two and a half years since the last time I was here. Things looked differently and yet they had not changed almost at all. The lockdown was over, but people were still wearing masks. I couldn't believe I had to come back so soon, despite being so scared of the pandemic in the first place. But here I was, about to get my final diploma (this time literally). The day before I had just visited a favorite place of mine, a nice cafe in the middle of the city, that also happened to be near my Airbnb. Every time I went there by the end of my semester I used to have a matcha latte and a raspberry Mille-feuille, which never disappointed me. This time I had to order the same, for Auld Lang Syne. The place was crowded, one had to wait around thirty minutes to get in. Once I was inside it was pretty much as I remembered: its rustic tables, its lofty ceiling, and its walls, decorated with those classical paintings that I always loved. Undoubtedly being there again made me reminisce about the old days when, having finished my semester in college, I was enjoying a good cup of 'whatever I was up for' in that same place. This time I was nervous, though. The pandemic affected me so much that I started having panic attacks that had become a nightmare one year before. One day at midnight, while going to the bathroom I fainted, and the next thing I knew I was in a clinic, left with a scar on my left temple that was a reminder of what had just happened. I touched my scar. 'That can't happen again,' I thought. 'You are brave, Axl, you can do this. Everything will be ok, everything will be fine,' I said to myself, immediately after I realized a tall, good-looking waiter had just left my latte on the table. 'Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe...' 'Would it be everything, sir?' said the waiter smiling, who had just come back with the pastry. 'Yeah, many thanks!' No sooner had I taken the first mouthful than my memories of living in Mexico City were brought back to mind again. Regardless of my fears, for the first time there I was enjoying myself very much. I felt alive again as if I had woken up from a nightmare, and everything was normal again.
'Easy, man, easy. Everything will turn out alright.'
Photos/Illustrations [N/A]
Is it too much to ask for an illustrated edition of Martin Eden?
Total [35/7] = 5
Have you ever felt as if you just finished reading 'The Book of Your Life'? Because that's what happened to me with Martin Eden, probably my favorite read this year (2023). Thus, and since this is an important book for me, let's make this 'review' special too.
My rating on a scale of 1 to 5:
Quality of writing [5/5]
October 14, 2018. Midnight.
My friends and I just arrived in C贸rdoba (Argentina) after a two-day stay in a town nearby. Diego promised that we could stay at a friend's apartment, that was cozy(?), spacious, and close to the center of the city. Well, he lied. We were a group of eight, the apartment only had one spare room, the shower didn't have hot water, and on top of that, we had to walk around 45 minutes from the bus station to our place because鈥攜ou are right鈥攊t was freaking far away from downtown. We were tired, everyone was upset (I guess they had every right to be), and we just couldn't decide where each of us would sleep. Reflecting back on it, I think 'upset' is not the most accurate way to describe how I was feeling, but rather 'disappointed.' No, I wasn't angry, not even the smell of weed bothered me, considering that I have never smoked a cigarette in my life, let alone weed. Certainly, I never thought I would be in a situation like that the same day I was turning 23. One of my friends, Paulo, hugged me while I was seated, quiet and without saying a word, and said 'Feliz cumplea帽os, amigo.' It made me smile, made me see my surroundings differently, that despite the ups and downs you will learn to always look on the bright side of life. So did Jack London's prose.
Pace [5/5]
July, 2019. A hike to The Tepozteco.
'It's been 30 minutes, I know, but I need to rest.'
'Seriously? But it is nothing, Sergio, c'mon, let's keep walking!'
'Oh, I know it's no big deal, man. Here's the thing, I fell two, or three days ago while going to see my sister. I was on my bike, look, I even have a scab on my elbow; yep, right there, and my knee hurts every time we go faster. I know you are excited, it's your first time hiking El Tepozteco, no? I get it, I've been coming here so many times that I can't even recollect the last time I was here. Six months ago? Maybe five, man, I don't know. I grew up in Cuernavaca, so every time we could, my family and I came to Tepoztl谩n. It's dope when you are a child, now it's just like a normal day.'
'Sorry to hear about your fall, Serg. It's just, that we were together in Patagonia with Arturo and his sister, those days we walked around 25 km a day, almost a week. This feels like nothing compared to what we had to do there. Plus, they said the view from The Tepozteco is spectacular and magical. You know, the more we walk, the more eager I am to see it.'
'I know, but let's just enjoy the walk at the right pace so that we are not tired when...'
Plot development [5/5]
December 18, 2018. Around 10 PM.
Two men are seated on a bench in a public park, one next to the other. It is very dark outside, just a lamppost nearby that makes the place gloomier than it is. They don't seem to be talking to each other, as a matter of fact, there has been dead silence for a while. One of the men, the tallest one, stands up, and the other does the same afterward. It looks like he is trying to say something to the other man but just stays quiet. Then, as if in hesitation, he bends forward a little and hugs him. It doesn't look like a simple hug, though. It is a very, very long hug. They keep hugging each other for around one minute. The man who bent first seems to be crying, not conspicuously, but rather just a few tears running down his face. They stop hugging each other. The scene makes anyone believe that the end, whatever it is, is near, and that saying goodbye is inevitable. The tallest man seems to say 'You will always be...' or something like that, but it is almost inaudible. After a moment, he is walking away. He is going north, and the other one stays a little longer until he sees how his friend(?) disappears in the darkness. He goes west, walking slowly but steadily. Someone might think that, if this was the end, it was surely a sad ending. Ultimately nobody really will know what the two men were thinking in the first place before they both faded away just like memories in the vast ocean.
Characters [5/5]
February 24, 2020. School of Engineering.
What would Martin Eden say to me the day I got my final diploma in oil engineering, symbolically speaking? He might have asked whether that was the degree I always longed to have in the first place or not. If that was my ultimate goal that made me feel complete in the end. The truth is that I don't even know if I felt that way that day. You see, Martin Eden is a very tenacious man, he never gives up, he knows what he wants and when he wants it鈥攖hat's why he is one of my all-time favorite characters鈥攁nd the thing is that he never changes his mind as to what he wants to be, no matter what. Well, maybe he is not that apprehensive, but as soon as he finds his path, he believes in it, so to speak. He never lets go, which is why he ends up being the man he is. Was it good? Was it bad? Maybe it's up to the reader to find out Eden's beliefs and dreams and see if, eventually, he made the right decision. As of today, I can't even answer that question myself: did I make the right decision in college? Am I prepared for this or do I need to change something, however small it may be? What would you say, Martin Eden? That's what I'd like to know.
Enjoyability [5/5]
2014-2019. Life in Mexico City.
(Fill in the blanks)
Favorite food: Pastitsio, especially the one I tried at Anny's house, my Greek professor, back in the day.
Favorite spot: I can't make up my mind, so I will say both Diego Rivera Mural Museum and Vasconcelos Library. I could be there for hours just admiring one of the greatest murals I've ever seen in my life. As for the library, I guess it needs no explanation.
Favorite activity: A random walk, fully living the experience of moving to a much bigger city than mine. To be more specific, visiting museums, and theaters, going to concerts, and so on (fun fact: I visited more than 50 museums during those six years I lived there).
Favorite people: My friends Julio and Marina, we walked together every other day, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, for almost two years, from our classroom (Greek class) to the nearest subway station. Those talks will never go away.
Favorite moment: Every call (or video call) I had with my parents, usually every night, once I arrived home and said 'I'm here, everything is fine' to them. Just hearing their voices and seeing they were doing well made my day.
(...)
Needless to say, this list might give anyone an idea of how much I did enjoy Martin Eden.
Insightfulness [5/5]
January 07, 2019. About 15:30. Ezeiza International Airport.
Home. It is time to be home again. We are leaving in around two hours. Again, what is home? Home: someone's or something's place of origin, or the place where a person feels they belong, according to Cambridge Dictionary. 'The place where a person feels they belong.' I like that. No, please, don't get me wrong. I have a home that I have always loved, a place where I wish I could be right now. It's been seven months, right? Six months and a half, to be more precise. My mistake. Actually, I did the maths yesterday, it's just, I don't know, sometimes I just lose track of time. What was I saying? Oh, yes, home. A place where I belong. My parents' house, for sure. I've wanted to see them again. Last year I only saw them for three weeks, in July. June? No, no, I'm completely sure it was in July. Yes, I'm pretty excited to see them again, as you can tell. If so, why am I sad? Is that what you are asking? Let me ask you this first, then. Is it possible to have more than one home? Because I feel as though I was leaving home at the same time. I'm leaving behind people I love, who I will miss quite a bit; people I might not see again soon. People who are also home, in short. Jon, and Perrine, who are also leaving. Valeria, and Gero, who are staying. I know this is what life is all about, you don't need to tell me that. I've been there before, remember? I didn't want to leave home, to begin with. I guess I was afraid of losing my place, the place where I belonged. Now I get it, I belong here too. 'Cause this is also home.
October 18, 2023. 11:18 PM.
Martin Eden also knows what home means. He knew where he belonged and where he was just an extra character in his own story. That's one of the reasons why he does what he does. Why does he keep trying? Why is he not losing faith? I guess faith is the only thing we rely on so that we are not losing our minds too. Without faith, without hope, we might not be able to find our home again. That's why I wholeheartedly hope you always find your way home and never give up. Remember, there's always one place where you belong, where you will always be loved and taken care of.
Easy of reading [5/5]
September, 2022. A nice visit to Mexico City.
It had been almost two and a half years since the last time I was here. Things looked differently and yet they had not changed almost at all. The lockdown was over, but people were still wearing masks. I couldn't believe I had to come back so soon, despite being so scared of the pandemic in the first place. But here I was, about to get my final diploma (this time literally). The day before I had just visited a favorite place of mine, a nice cafe in the middle of the city, that also happened to be near my Airbnb. Every time I went there by the end of my semester I used to have a matcha latte and a raspberry Mille-feuille, which never disappointed me. This time I had to order the same, for Auld Lang Syne. The place was crowded, one had to wait around thirty minutes to get in. Once I was inside it was pretty much as I remembered: its rustic tables, its lofty ceiling, and its walls, decorated with those classical paintings that I always loved. Undoubtedly being there again made me reminisce about the old days when, having finished my semester in college, I was enjoying a good cup of 'whatever I was up for' in that same place. This time I was nervous, though. The pandemic affected me so much that I started having panic attacks that had become a nightmare one year before. One day at midnight, while going to the bathroom I fainted, and the next thing I knew I was in a clinic, left with a scar on my left temple that was a reminder of what had just happened. I touched my scar. 'That can't happen again,' I thought. 'You are brave, Axl, you can do this. Everything will be ok, everything will be fine,' I said to myself, immediately after I realized a tall, good-looking waiter had just left my latte on the table. 'Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe...' 'Would it be everything, sir?' said the waiter smiling, who had just come back with the pastry. 'Yeah, many thanks!' No sooner had I taken the first mouthful than my memories of living in Mexico City were brought back to mind again. Regardless of my fears, for the first time there I was enjoying myself very much. I felt alive again as if I had woken up from a nightmare, and everything was normal again.
'Easy, man, easy. Everything will turn out alright.'
Photos/Illustrations [N/A]
Is it too much to ask for an illustrated edition of Martin Eden?
Total [35/7] = 5
February 9, 2021
鈥淪eni kitap okuyan insanlarla tan谋艧t谋raca臒谋m.Hayat, ancak b枚yle insanlarla bir araya geliyorsan ya艧anmaya de臒er.鈥�
5/5猸愶笍猸愶笍猸愶笍猸愶笍猸愶笍
Uzun zamand谋r okumak istedi臒im ve hangi yay谋nevinden okusam diye karars谋z kald谋臒谋m i莽in s眉rekli erteledi臒im bir kitapt谋. Nihayet sat谋n ald谋臒谋mda okumak i莽in sab谋rs谋zlan谋yor halde bu ay谋n ilk kitab谋 olarak se莽tim. Yazardan daha 枚nce Beyaz Di艧 kitab谋n谋 okuyup 莽ok be臒enmi艧tim, en az onun kadar 眉nl眉 olan ve herkesin dilinden d眉艧眉remedi臒i Martin Eden nas谋l bir karakter 莽ok merak ediyordum. 陌艧莽i s谋n谋f谋na mensup Martin birg眉n 艧ans 眉zerine burjuva s谋n谋f谋na mensup Ruth ile tan谋艧谋p, zaten ilgilisi olan edebiyata farkl谋 bir bak谋艧 a莽谋s谋yla yo臒unla艧谋p kendini geli艧tirmeye adar. Bu s眉re zarf谋nda Martin鈥檌n a艧kla dolu hislerine de yak谋ndan 艧ahitlik ediyoruz. Sadece ilk b枚l眉mde Ruth konu艧urken bile Martin鈥檌n zihninden ge莽enler, kurdu臒u c眉mleler ve akl谋nda not ettikleriyle benim i莽in unutulmaz olarak kal谋cak bir kitab谋 okudu臒umu biliyordum. Kitab谋n ilk ba艧lar谋nda Martin鈥檌n kitaplara, okumaya ve kendini geli艧tirmeye kar艧谋 a莽l谋臒谋 o kadar ger莽ek莽iydi ki 莽ok etkilendim. Uzun bir s眉re t眉m hareketlerini takdirle okurken yazarl谋k maceras谋na kat谋lmas谋ndan sonraki inat莽谋l谋臒谋 beni biraz bezdirmi艧 olsa da sonras谋nda bu duru艧unu olumsuz buldu臒um i莽in kendime sinirlendim. Bu ama莽 do臒rusunda a莽 kalmay谋, her 艧eyden feragat etmeyi g枚z 枚n眉nde bulundurmas谋n谋n anlam谋 gitgide g枚z眉mde daha 枚nemli bir hale geldi. Son y眉z sayfadaki i莽 karamsarl谋臒谋 ve asl谋nda vard谋臒谋 ba艧ar谋n谋n sonucu tak谋nd谋臒谋 tav谋r kar艧谋s谋nda ona hak vermekten kendimi alamad谋m. G枚z眉ndeki sis perdesinin a莽谋lmas谋 ve ger莽eklerin fark谋na vard谋臒谋 o k谋s谋mlar bu kitab谋 okuyan herkes i莽in kesinlikle bir fark谋ndal谋k kazand谋racak sat谋rlard谋. Kitab谋n sonuyla birlikte ise b眉y眉k bir duygu yo臒unlu臒u ya艧ad谋m. Ba艧tan sona b眉y眉k bir merakla ve s眉rekli de臒i艧im g枚steren olaylarla bir莽ok duyguyu ayn谋 anda ya艧ad谋m. Benim i莽in unutulmaz bir kitapt谋. Hatta 枚venler az s枚yl眉yormu艧 bile diyebilirim. D眉nya edebiyat谋na hakim olmaya ba艧lam谋艧 olan her okurun kesinlikle eline almas谋 ve kitap d眉nyas谋na bu karakteri katmas谋 gerekti臒ini d眉艧眉n眉yorum. Keyifli okumalar dilerim..
5/5猸愶笍猸愶笍猸愶笍猸愶笍猸愶笍
Uzun zamand谋r okumak istedi臒im ve hangi yay谋nevinden okusam diye karars谋z kald谋臒谋m i莽in s眉rekli erteledi臒im bir kitapt谋. Nihayet sat谋n ald谋臒谋mda okumak i莽in sab谋rs谋zlan谋yor halde bu ay谋n ilk kitab谋 olarak se莽tim. Yazardan daha 枚nce Beyaz Di艧 kitab谋n谋 okuyup 莽ok be臒enmi艧tim, en az onun kadar 眉nl眉 olan ve herkesin dilinden d眉艧眉remedi臒i Martin Eden nas谋l bir karakter 莽ok merak ediyordum. 陌艧莽i s谋n谋f谋na mensup Martin birg眉n 艧ans 眉zerine burjuva s谋n谋f谋na mensup Ruth ile tan谋艧谋p, zaten ilgilisi olan edebiyata farkl谋 bir bak谋艧 a莽谋s谋yla yo臒unla艧谋p kendini geli艧tirmeye adar. Bu s眉re zarf谋nda Martin鈥檌n a艧kla dolu hislerine de yak谋ndan 艧ahitlik ediyoruz. Sadece ilk b枚l眉mde Ruth konu艧urken bile Martin鈥檌n zihninden ge莽enler, kurdu臒u c眉mleler ve akl谋nda not ettikleriyle benim i莽in unutulmaz olarak kal谋cak bir kitab谋 okudu臒umu biliyordum. Kitab谋n ilk ba艧lar谋nda Martin鈥檌n kitaplara, okumaya ve kendini geli艧tirmeye kar艧谋 a莽l谋臒谋 o kadar ger莽ek莽iydi ki 莽ok etkilendim. Uzun bir s眉re t眉m hareketlerini takdirle okurken yazarl谋k maceras谋na kat谋lmas谋ndan sonraki inat莽谋l谋臒谋 beni biraz bezdirmi艧 olsa da sonras谋nda bu duru艧unu olumsuz buldu臒um i莽in kendime sinirlendim. Bu ama莽 do臒rusunda a莽 kalmay谋, her 艧eyden feragat etmeyi g枚z 枚n眉nde bulundurmas谋n谋n anlam谋 gitgide g枚z眉mde daha 枚nemli bir hale geldi. Son y眉z sayfadaki i莽 karamsarl谋臒谋 ve asl谋nda vard谋臒谋 ba艧ar谋n谋n sonucu tak谋nd谋臒谋 tav谋r kar艧谋s谋nda ona hak vermekten kendimi alamad谋m. G枚z眉ndeki sis perdesinin a莽谋lmas谋 ve ger莽eklerin fark谋na vard谋臒谋 o k谋s谋mlar bu kitab谋 okuyan herkes i莽in kesinlikle bir fark谋ndal谋k kazand谋racak sat谋rlard谋. Kitab谋n sonuyla birlikte ise b眉y眉k bir duygu yo臒unlu臒u ya艧ad谋m. Ba艧tan sona b眉y眉k bir merakla ve s眉rekli de臒i艧im g枚steren olaylarla bir莽ok duyguyu ayn谋 anda ya艧ad谋m. Benim i莽in unutulmaz bir kitapt谋. Hatta 枚venler az s枚yl眉yormu艧 bile diyebilirim. D眉nya edebiyat谋na hakim olmaya ba艧lam谋艧 olan her okurun kesinlikle eline almas谋 ve kitap d眉nyas谋na bu karakteri katmas谋 gerekti臒ini d眉艧眉n眉yorum. Keyifli okumalar dilerim..
December 8, 2023
Benim bir romanda ilk arad谋臒谋m, dilin ustal谋kl谋 kullan谋m谋d谋r. 陌yi anlat谋m谋 kurguya ye臒 tutar谋m. Baz谋 arkada艧lar谋m 鈥渇azla mekanik鈥� bulsalar da, bu bende b枚yledir.
Martin Eden, Jack London鈥櫮眓 ilk okudu臒um kitab谋 oldu. Hikaye ba艧tan sona s眉r眉kleyiciydi. 陌tiraf etmeliyim ki, hem kitab谋n ba艧 kahraman谋 Martin Eden鈥櫮眓 zorlu ya艧am m眉cadelesi hem de romandaki lirik a艧k hikayesi ilk sayfalardan itibaren beni kendisine kilitledi. Son c眉mleye dek de soluksuz takipte kald谋m.
Ama i艧te dedim ya dil 枚nemli diye, do臒rusu ba艧larda, kitab谋n ilk 眉莽te birlik b枚l眉m眉nde yazar谋n dili bana biraz basit, yavan geldi. Bu belki de kitaba bir Dostoyevski roman谋 sonras谋nda ba艧lam谋艧 olmamdan kaynaklanm谋艧t谋r, bilemiyorum.
Ama sonra, nas谋l oldu臒unu benim de tam anlamad谋臒谋m bir 艧ekilde, dildeki o basitli臒i sevmeye ba艧lad谋m. Daha do臒rusu, o basitlik dedi臒im hadiseyi sonralar谋 sadelik/yal谋nl谋k olarak g枚rmeye ve bu yal谋nl谋臒谋n kitaba harika bir ak谋c谋l谋k katt谋臒谋n谋 d眉艧眉nmeye ba艧lad谋m.
Yazar kitapta okuyucuyu kendisine kilitleyen cinsten nefis iki hikaye zaten yakalam谋艧 (bir ki艧isel geli艧im hikayesi, bir de nefes kesen bir a艧k hikayesi), hal b枚yle olunca da, anlat谋m dili s眉per-ak谋c谋 olsun ki bu hikayeler daha net 枚ne 莽谋kabilsin diye d眉艧眉nm眉艧 gibi hissettim. Zaten bir noktadan sonra kurgu, dil, anlat谋lan hikaye hepsi birbirinden beslenmeye ba艧l谋yor.
Uzun laf谋n k谋sas谋, b眉y眉k keyifle okudu臒um bir roman oldu. Herkese tavsiye ederim.
Martin Eden, Jack London鈥櫮眓 ilk okudu臒um kitab谋 oldu. Hikaye ba艧tan sona s眉r眉kleyiciydi. 陌tiraf etmeliyim ki, hem kitab谋n ba艧 kahraman谋 Martin Eden鈥櫮眓 zorlu ya艧am m眉cadelesi hem de romandaki lirik a艧k hikayesi ilk sayfalardan itibaren beni kendisine kilitledi. Son c眉mleye dek de soluksuz takipte kald谋m.
Ama i艧te dedim ya dil 枚nemli diye, do臒rusu ba艧larda, kitab谋n ilk 眉莽te birlik b枚l眉m眉nde yazar谋n dili bana biraz basit, yavan geldi. Bu belki de kitaba bir Dostoyevski roman谋 sonras谋nda ba艧lam谋艧 olmamdan kaynaklanm谋艧t谋r, bilemiyorum.
Ama sonra, nas谋l oldu臒unu benim de tam anlamad谋臒谋m bir 艧ekilde, dildeki o basitli臒i sevmeye ba艧lad谋m. Daha do臒rusu, o basitlik dedi臒im hadiseyi sonralar谋 sadelik/yal谋nl谋k olarak g枚rmeye ve bu yal谋nl谋臒谋n kitaba harika bir ak谋c谋l谋k katt谋臒谋n谋 d眉艧眉nmeye ba艧lad谋m.
Yazar kitapta okuyucuyu kendisine kilitleyen cinsten nefis iki hikaye zaten yakalam谋艧 (bir ki艧isel geli艧im hikayesi, bir de nefes kesen bir a艧k hikayesi), hal b枚yle olunca da, anlat谋m dili s眉per-ak谋c谋 olsun ki bu hikayeler daha net 枚ne 莽谋kabilsin diye d眉艧眉nm眉艧 gibi hissettim. Zaten bir noktadan sonra kurgu, dil, anlat谋lan hikaye hepsi birbirinden beslenmeye ba艧l谋yor.
Uzun laf谋n k谋sas谋, b眉y眉k keyifle okudu臒um bir roman oldu. Herkese tavsiye ederim.
February 11, 2025
Todo estaba escrito.
Cuando la novela alcanza su tramo final, esta frase retumba en la cabeza de Mart铆n Ed茅n y parece no abandonarlo nunca m谩s.
Existe una extra帽a iron铆a que vuelca la historia hacia un camino incierto donde la oscuridad va adue帽谩ndose de cada palmo de espacio, ya no existen palabras que puedan interesar, o distraer el pensamiento, cualquier peque帽a luz es sofocada por otra frase que se instala en lo m谩s profundo del ser.
Le dol铆a la vida.
Todo este derrumbamiento, desmoronamiento, ca铆da y subsecuente abandono que da cabida al desd茅n, al descreimiento pero sobre todo al sufrimiento contrastan de manera brutal con quien era nuestro personaje en el mero principio.
Mart铆n Ed茅n un muchacho de casi 21 a帽os, fuerte, guapo, humilde y profundamente ignorante, que ha trabajado toda su vida para sobrevivir, un d铆a cualquiera por azares del destino se encuentra ante la mesa de una familia burguesa compartiendo el pan y la sal, conoce a una joven y queda prendado de ella, pero m谩s all谩 de un simple enamoramiento, la muchacha representa toda ella un mundo fascinante de saber, conocimiento, perspectiva, pensamiento y discernimiento, y funge como punto de lanzamiento, para que Mart铆n por amor, elija convertirse en un autodidacta feroz, temerario, 谩vido de conocimientos pero sobre todo 谩vido de conocer que le podr铆a dar sentido a su vida, elevarse de un estado b谩sico formado por el ciclo de trabajar para comer y comer para trabajar.
Es tanto el impulso, el deseo, la vehemencia, que nos la va contagiando conforme vamos leyendo y conociendo su evoluci贸n, todo suena tan aut茅ntico, tan incre铆ble, tan desaforado que nos convencemos que es real, tan real como los d铆as y noches que pasa estudiando, pensando y repitiendo el ciclo, mientras pasa penurias, hambre, fr铆o, hasta que un d铆a Mart铆n renta una m谩quina y empieza a escribir, a escribir de la misma manera que estudia como pose铆do, como si la vida fuera mortal, como si tuvi茅ramos las horas y d铆as contados, el escribe como si de ello dependiera su libertad, su sentido y su felicidad.
Toda esta parte la gozamos as铆 como la sufrimos junto a 茅l, somos como admiradores que creen fervientemente en que lo va a lograr, en que ser谩 escritor, en que llevar谩 una buena vida, en que se casar谩鈥︹€�
Pero esas creencias llevan un prejuicio imbuido que apenas notamos, porque pensamos en el futuro, en que lograr谩, ser谩, podr谩, estamos perdiendo la esencia de la actividad, estamos ciegos, somos pobres en juicio y criterio, se nos escapa que Mart铆n es escritor desde su primera hoja escrita, el primer cuento, el primer ensayo, todo va siendo construido por un escritor, esa es la parte demoledora del libro, que lo eleva a lugares que pocos entender谩n. Y como nosotros, casi todos los personajes que forman la novela tambi茅n piensan lo mismo, no hay escritor, sin reconocimiento, sin 茅xito, sin dinero.
El libro se va construyendo hacia arriba, en un movimiento siempre ascendente, pero cuando parece que dar谩 el impulso final llegando m谩s alto que nunca, nos sorprende con una avalancha colosal que nos arrastra sin remedio, as铆 de manera imprevista como suceden las cat谩strofes, cuando nos damos cuenta ya todo ha pasado y solo queda rememorar, hacer un recuento de lo acontecido y buscar donde empez贸 a torcerse el destino.
Mart铆n Ed茅n es m谩s que un personaje es un s铆mbolo de lucha por ser, alguien que grita desde los infiernos, muy fuerte, muy alto, grita sin fin y sin descanso mientras se afana construy茅ndose a s铆 mismo, la convicci贸n que lo impulsa es tan fuerte que ni todas las voces que lo increpan logran doblegarlo para convertirse en algo que se parezca m谩s a la construcci贸n social que el mundo demanda.
Cuando la novela alcanza su tramo final, esta frase retumba en la cabeza de Mart铆n Ed茅n y parece no abandonarlo nunca m谩s.
Existe una extra帽a iron铆a que vuelca la historia hacia un camino incierto donde la oscuridad va adue帽谩ndose de cada palmo de espacio, ya no existen palabras que puedan interesar, o distraer el pensamiento, cualquier peque帽a luz es sofocada por otra frase que se instala en lo m谩s profundo del ser.
Le dol铆a la vida.
Todo este derrumbamiento, desmoronamiento, ca铆da y subsecuente abandono que da cabida al desd茅n, al descreimiento pero sobre todo al sufrimiento contrastan de manera brutal con quien era nuestro personaje en el mero principio.
Mart铆n Ed茅n un muchacho de casi 21 a帽os, fuerte, guapo, humilde y profundamente ignorante, que ha trabajado toda su vida para sobrevivir, un d铆a cualquiera por azares del destino se encuentra ante la mesa de una familia burguesa compartiendo el pan y la sal, conoce a una joven y queda prendado de ella, pero m谩s all谩 de un simple enamoramiento, la muchacha representa toda ella un mundo fascinante de saber, conocimiento, perspectiva, pensamiento y discernimiento, y funge como punto de lanzamiento, para que Mart铆n por amor, elija convertirse en un autodidacta feroz, temerario, 谩vido de conocimientos pero sobre todo 谩vido de conocer que le podr铆a dar sentido a su vida, elevarse de un estado b谩sico formado por el ciclo de trabajar para comer y comer para trabajar.
Es tanto el impulso, el deseo, la vehemencia, que nos la va contagiando conforme vamos leyendo y conociendo su evoluci贸n, todo suena tan aut茅ntico, tan incre铆ble, tan desaforado que nos convencemos que es real, tan real como los d铆as y noches que pasa estudiando, pensando y repitiendo el ciclo, mientras pasa penurias, hambre, fr铆o, hasta que un d铆a Mart铆n renta una m谩quina y empieza a escribir, a escribir de la misma manera que estudia como pose铆do, como si la vida fuera mortal, como si tuvi茅ramos las horas y d铆as contados, el escribe como si de ello dependiera su libertad, su sentido y su felicidad.
Toda esta parte la gozamos as铆 como la sufrimos junto a 茅l, somos como admiradores que creen fervientemente en que lo va a lograr, en que ser谩 escritor, en que llevar谩 una buena vida, en que se casar谩鈥︹€�
Pero esas creencias llevan un prejuicio imbuido que apenas notamos, porque pensamos en el futuro, en que lograr谩, ser谩, podr谩, estamos perdiendo la esencia de la actividad, estamos ciegos, somos pobres en juicio y criterio, se nos escapa que Mart铆n es escritor desde su primera hoja escrita, el primer cuento, el primer ensayo, todo va siendo construido por un escritor, esa es la parte demoledora del libro, que lo eleva a lugares que pocos entender谩n. Y como nosotros, casi todos los personajes que forman la novela tambi茅n piensan lo mismo, no hay escritor, sin reconocimiento, sin 茅xito, sin dinero.
El libro se va construyendo hacia arriba, en un movimiento siempre ascendente, pero cuando parece que dar谩 el impulso final llegando m谩s alto que nunca, nos sorprende con una avalancha colosal que nos arrastra sin remedio, as铆 de manera imprevista como suceden las cat谩strofes, cuando nos damos cuenta ya todo ha pasado y solo queda rememorar, hacer un recuento de lo acontecido y buscar donde empez贸 a torcerse el destino.
Mart铆n Ed茅n es m谩s que un personaje es un s铆mbolo de lucha por ser, alguien que grita desde los infiernos, muy fuerte, muy alto, grita sin fin y sin descanso mientras se afana construy茅ndose a s铆 mismo, la convicci贸n que lo impulsa es tan fuerte que ni todas las voces que lo increpan logran doblegarlo para convertirse en algo que se parezca m谩s a la construcci贸n social que el mundo demanda.
September 10, 2018
Semplicemente uno dei libri pi霉 belli, profondi e lucidi che abbia mai letto in vita mia, scritto in modo intenso, accorato, appassionato, con una trama di scrittura meravigliosa che ti rapisce e non ti permette letteralmente di staccarti dalle pagine.
Non riesco davvero a capire come sia possibile che London possa essere stato 鈥渄eclassato鈥� dalla critica a scrittore per ragazzi quando in realt脿 in questo libro (come anche in molte altre sue produzioni), la prosa proposta risulta cos矛 profonda e cos矛 elaborata da far gola ad un pubblico decisamente adulto (basti pensare anche solo alla feroce critica all鈥檌pocrisia sociale rispetto al singolo proposta in queste pagine).
Il libro (che altro non 猫 che l鈥檃utobiografia dello stesso London mascherata come invenzione di fantasia) racconta il percorso e le vicissitudini di un rude e semplice marinaio della classe proletaria americana (personaggio davvero iconico che merita uno spazio tutto suo nella mente di chi ama la letteratura) deciso a diventare uno scrittore di successo pur avendo letteralmente il mondo intero contro.
Libro davvero emozionante che insegna il significato delle parole 鈥渃aparbiet脿鈥� e 鈥渧olont脿鈥� ma che soprattutto offre spunti infiniti di riflessione, una storia che alla fin fine 猫 semplicemente l鈥檃vventura di una vita normalissima, della vita di chiunque di noi...amori, gioie, sofferenze, caparbie lotte per essere accettati (letteralmente in tutti i sensi), solitudini fisiche e dell鈥檃nima ma anche vittorie e rivalse.
Il tutto scorre via davvero troppo velocemente e alla fine (e il finale 猫 qualcosa di davvero unico), arrivati all鈥檜ltima pagina, lascia un grosso vuoto difficile da colmare.
Semplicemente un capolavoro a mio avviso, purtroppo, troppo poco conosciuto.
Non riesco davvero a capire come sia possibile che London possa essere stato 鈥渄eclassato鈥� dalla critica a scrittore per ragazzi quando in realt脿 in questo libro (come anche in molte altre sue produzioni), la prosa proposta risulta cos矛 profonda e cos矛 elaborata da far gola ad un pubblico decisamente adulto (basti pensare anche solo alla feroce critica all鈥檌pocrisia sociale rispetto al singolo proposta in queste pagine).
Il libro (che altro non 猫 che l鈥檃utobiografia dello stesso London mascherata come invenzione di fantasia) racconta il percorso e le vicissitudini di un rude e semplice marinaio della classe proletaria americana (personaggio davvero iconico che merita uno spazio tutto suo nella mente di chi ama la letteratura) deciso a diventare uno scrittore di successo pur avendo letteralmente il mondo intero contro.
Libro davvero emozionante che insegna il significato delle parole 鈥渃aparbiet脿鈥� e 鈥渧olont脿鈥� ma che soprattutto offre spunti infiniti di riflessione, una storia che alla fin fine 猫 semplicemente l鈥檃vventura di una vita normalissima, della vita di chiunque di noi...amori, gioie, sofferenze, caparbie lotte per essere accettati (letteralmente in tutti i sensi), solitudini fisiche e dell鈥檃nima ma anche vittorie e rivalse.
Il tutto scorre via davvero troppo velocemente e alla fine (e il finale 猫 qualcosa di davvero unico), arrivati all鈥檜ltima pagina, lascia un grosso vuoto difficile da colmare.
Semplicemente un capolavoro a mio avviso, purtroppo, troppo poco conosciuto.
April 16, 2025
Ci sono grandi autori che, a causa di alcune incomprensioni, non riescono ad occupare il posto che meritano nella storia della letteratura. Jack London rientra tra questi. Io stessa ne ho rimandato la lettura per anni, convinta che fosse un autore minore di racconti d鈥檃vventura. Niente di pi霉 sbagliato: London 猫 un autore eclettico, che ha prodotto opere di vario tipo, da storie esistenziali, a distopie e romanzi sulla disillusione, come 鈥淢artin Eden鈥�.
听
Scritto in un periodo di grandi cambiamenti sociali, in cui gli Stati Uniti completavano il processo di formazione nazionale. 鈥淢artin Eden鈥� ha per protagonista un marinaio ingenuo e ignorante che, dopo aver incontrato una giovane borghese studentessa di lettere, decide di studiare per farsi una cultura e poter conquistare la ragazza. Avendo gi脿 di suo una mente creativa e una forte curiosit脿, lo studio lo spinge ad abbandonare il lavoro di marinaio per intraprendere il duro mestiere di scrittore. Dopo anni di sacrifici, arriver脿 al successo, ma anche al crollo delle illusioni: sulla ragazza amata, sul mondo editoriale e sulla societ脿 borghese in generale.
听
Perch茅 leggere 鈥淢artin Eden鈥�?
听
Per tantissimi motivi.
Innanzitutto, perch茅 猫 un romanzo fondamentale nella letteratura del 900, in quanto rovescia lo schema tipico del romanzo di formazione dell鈥�800 e il modello americano basato su ottimismo e lieto fine e apre la strada ad autori successivi, come Fitzgerald - basti pensare al 鈥淕rande Gatsby鈥�.
In secondo luogo, perch茅 猫 un romanzo mondo, che descrive un鈥檈poca in tutti i suoi strati sociali, attraverso ideologie, tipi umani e dinamiche socioculturali.
Poi, perch茅 riflette sul ruolo dell鈥檃rtista in una societ脿 capitalistica - secondo London, l鈥檌ndividualismo 猫 una vecchia divinit脿, non pi霉 realizzabile nel primo 鈥�900, perch茅 ogni artista finisce inevitabilmente negli ingranaggi del potere, perdendo la creativit脿 - e perch茅 猫 un romanzo metaletterario che contiene riflessioni su vari metodi di scrittura e sul processo creativo.
听
Ma, soprattutto, va letto perch茅 猫 una storia veramente intensa, con un protagonista a cui ci si affeziona fin dalla prima pagina e che ci tiene incollati alle pagine, in un continuo alternarsi di speranze e delusioni, fino a un finale potentissimo e struggente.
听
Rimpiango di aver rimandato cos矛 a lungo la lettura di London e non vedo l鈥檕ra di conoscere meglio l鈥檃utore con 鈥淚l tallone di ferro鈥� - romanzo spesso definito 鈥減arallelo鈥� a 鈥淢artin Eden鈥� e, poi, altri testi.
听
听
Scritto in un periodo di grandi cambiamenti sociali, in cui gli Stati Uniti completavano il processo di formazione nazionale. 鈥淢artin Eden鈥� ha per protagonista un marinaio ingenuo e ignorante che, dopo aver incontrato una giovane borghese studentessa di lettere, decide di studiare per farsi una cultura e poter conquistare la ragazza. Avendo gi脿 di suo una mente creativa e una forte curiosit脿, lo studio lo spinge ad abbandonare il lavoro di marinaio per intraprendere il duro mestiere di scrittore. Dopo anni di sacrifici, arriver脿 al successo, ma anche al crollo delle illusioni: sulla ragazza amata, sul mondo editoriale e sulla societ脿 borghese in generale.
听
Perch茅 leggere 鈥淢artin Eden鈥�?
听
Per tantissimi motivi.
Innanzitutto, perch茅 猫 un romanzo fondamentale nella letteratura del 900, in quanto rovescia lo schema tipico del romanzo di formazione dell鈥�800 e il modello americano basato su ottimismo e lieto fine e apre la strada ad autori successivi, come Fitzgerald - basti pensare al 鈥淕rande Gatsby鈥�.
In secondo luogo, perch茅 猫 un romanzo mondo, che descrive un鈥檈poca in tutti i suoi strati sociali, attraverso ideologie, tipi umani e dinamiche socioculturali.
Poi, perch茅 riflette sul ruolo dell鈥檃rtista in una societ脿 capitalistica - secondo London, l鈥檌ndividualismo 猫 una vecchia divinit脿, non pi霉 realizzabile nel primo 鈥�900, perch茅 ogni artista finisce inevitabilmente negli ingranaggi del potere, perdendo la creativit脿 - e perch茅 猫 un romanzo metaletterario che contiene riflessioni su vari metodi di scrittura e sul processo creativo.
听
Ma, soprattutto, va letto perch茅 猫 una storia veramente intensa, con un protagonista a cui ci si affeziona fin dalla prima pagina e che ci tiene incollati alle pagine, in un continuo alternarsi di speranze e delusioni, fino a un finale potentissimo e struggente.
听
Rimpiango di aver rimandato cos矛 a lungo la lettura di London e non vedo l鈥檕ra di conoscere meglio l鈥檃utore con 鈥淚l tallone di ferro鈥� - romanzo spesso definito 鈥減arallelo鈥� a 鈥淢artin Eden鈥� e, poi, altri testi.
听
September 10, 2017
Martin Eden kitab谋 2 ay boyunca sindire sindire okudu臒um, her okuyu艧umda beni kendi d眉nyas谋n谋n s谋n谋rlar谋 i莽erisine hapsetmi艧, kitab谋n kapa臒谋n谋 her kapatt谋臒谋mda k谋sa bir s眉re bile olsa Martin Eden'谋 d眉艧眉nmemi sa臒layan 莽ok 枚zel bir kitap. Martin Eden karakterini okumak, hayat i莽erisinde bamba艧ka bir tat b谋rak谋yor sizde. Son derece 枚zg眉n... Tabii onun ya艧ad谋klar谋na benzer 艧eyler ya艧am谋艧 insanlar i莽in bu 枚zg眉nl眉k bamba艧ka bir boyut oluyor. Toplum i莽erisinde birka莽 s谋n谋f atlad谋ktan sonra hi莽bir 艧eyin hayal etti臒imiz gibi olmad谋臒谋n谋 hatta aksine eskiyi 枚zlememize yol a莽t谋臒谋n谋 anlat谋yor bir yandan. Di臒er yandan a艧k谋n ne kadar do臒ru olabilece臒ini sorgulat谋yor, y眉kselmek i莽in yap谋lan fedakarl谋klar谋n en sonunda neye de臒ebilece臒ini vurguluyor, hayat谋n hem umut dolu y眉z眉n眉 hem de hissiyats谋z taraf谋n谋 tarifsiz 艧ekilde aktar谋yor.
Martin Eden karakteri, okunmas谋 ve 枚臒renilmesi gerekilen bir karakter 莽眉nk眉 hayat谋n zorluklar谋ndan yukar谋lara t谋rmanan insanlar谋n ya艧ad谋臒谋 o derin hissiyat谋 kendi nezdinde harikulade bir 艧ekilde sunuyor. Martin Eden'谋 istedi臒iniz yerde referans alabilirsiniz, onun hayata bak谋艧谋n谋 kullanarak sizi anlamayan insanlara kendinizi ifade edebilirsiniz, onun a艧ka olan tutkusunu sizin a艧谋k oldu臒unuz insana yans谋tabilirsiniz, onun fedakarl谋klar谋n谋 kendi fedakarl谋klar谋n谋za ba臒da艧t谋rabilir, onun hissizli臒ini onunla beraber payla艧abilirsiniz. Martin Eden 莽ok boyutlu bir karakter ve inan谋lmaz zengin. Bu sayede her insan onun bir par莽as谋ndan tutup koparabilir gibi geliyor bana.
Bu kitab谋 okurken baz谋 se莽imleri 莽ok dokundu bana. Bazen onunla beraber oldum, onu destekledim, onun daha mutlu olmas谋n谋 istedim, onun ba艧ar谋l谋 olabilece臒ine inand谋m; bazense onun kar艧谋s谋nda oldum, onun felsefesine kar艧谋 莽谋kt谋m, onun inat莽谋l谋臒谋n谋 ele艧tirdim ve beni 眉zmesinden nefret ettim. Baz谋 c眉mleler 莽ok etkiledi beni:
Baz谋 c眉mleler yaln谋z olmad谋臒谋m谋 hissettirdi:
陌nsanlarla tart谋艧谋rken beni onlardan uzakla艧t谋ran sebebi hat谋rlatt谋:
脟aresizli臒imi tatt谋m, istediklerimin neden ger莽ekle艧medi臒ini 枚臒rendim, insanlara ra臒men yap谋lan fedakarl谋klar谋n nas谋l sonu莽 verdi臒ini hat谋rlad谋m. O kadar 莽ok 艧ey 枚臒rendim ki bu kitaptan ne anlatsam, ne aktarsam hepsi laf ebeli臒i olur 莽眉nk眉 Jack London size zaten anlatm谋艧.
Kitab谋 okumadan 枚nce bu kitab谋n benim i莽in 莽ok 枚zel bir anlam谋 vard谋. Kitap boyunca bu anlam谋n ne oldu臒unu bilmiyordum. Sadece bir sebep i莽in okudu臒umu biliyordum. Nitekim kitab谋n sonuna gelince bu sebebin ne oldu臒unu kavrad谋m. O, Martin Eden'谋n hissettiklerini bana aktarmaya 莽al谋艧m谋艧t谋 y谋llard谋r... Ve bense bu kitab谋 艧imdi okuyabildim. Nitekim onun aktarmaya 莽al谋艧t谋臒谋 bu s枚zleri asl谋nda o zamanlar bilmi艧 olsam dahi Jack London'谋n kaleminden bir kez daha g枚r眉nce (枚yle bir olgunlukla aktarm谋艧 ki!) daha da sersemledim. Ve 眉z眉ld眉m. 脟眉nk眉 hayata olan bak谋艧 a莽谋mdan 枚眉t眉r眉 h芒l芒 kabul etmiyorum bu sonu. Genel olarak ama herhangi bir kitap i莽in konu艧ursak, bir kitap benim i莽in ancak b枚ylesi 枚l眉ms眉z bir sonla bitebilirdi.
Evet, iki ay s眉rd眉 bu kitab谋 bitirmem ama iki ay boyunca acele etmeden tane tane tatt谋臒谋m bu kitab谋n keyfini tamamiyle ya艧ad谋m. Belki de baz谋 kitaplar zaman istiyordur, ne dersiniz?
Martin Eden karakteri, okunmas谋 ve 枚臒renilmesi gerekilen bir karakter 莽眉nk眉 hayat谋n zorluklar谋ndan yukar谋lara t谋rmanan insanlar谋n ya艧ad谋臒谋 o derin hissiyat谋 kendi nezdinde harikulade bir 艧ekilde sunuyor. Martin Eden'谋 istedi臒iniz yerde referans alabilirsiniz, onun hayata bak谋艧谋n谋 kullanarak sizi anlamayan insanlara kendinizi ifade edebilirsiniz, onun a艧ka olan tutkusunu sizin a艧谋k oldu臒unuz insana yans谋tabilirsiniz, onun fedakarl谋klar谋n谋 kendi fedakarl谋klar谋n谋za ba臒da艧t谋rabilir, onun hissizli臒ini onunla beraber payla艧abilirsiniz. Martin Eden 莽ok boyutlu bir karakter ve inan谋lmaz zengin. Bu sayede her insan onun bir par莽as谋ndan tutup koparabilir gibi geliyor bana.
Bu kitab谋 okurken baz谋 se莽imleri 莽ok dokundu bana. Bazen onunla beraber oldum, onu destekledim, onun daha mutlu olmas谋n谋 istedim, onun ba艧ar谋l谋 olabilece臒ine inand谋m; bazense onun kar艧谋s谋nda oldum, onun felsefesine kar艧谋 莽谋kt谋m, onun inat莽谋l谋臒谋n谋 ele艧tirdim ve beni 眉zmesinden nefret ettim. Baz谋 c眉mleler 莽ok etkiledi beni:
Hayat谋 boyunca sevgi a莽l谋臒谋 莽ekmi艧ti. Sevgiye hasretti. Varolu艧unun temel talebiydi sevgi. Ama hi莽 sevgi g枚rmemi艧 ve zaman i莽inde kat谋la艧m谋艧t谋. Sevgiye ihtiya莽 duydu臒unu fark etmemi艧ti bile. 艦imdi de bilmiyordu. Sadece sevginin nas谋l ifade edildi臒ini g枚rm眉艧, y眉re臒i hoplam谋艧 ve ne kadar g眉zeli y眉ce ve muhte艧em bir 艧ey oldu臒unu d眉艧眉nm眉艧t眉.
Baz谋 c眉mleler yaln谋z olmad谋臒谋m谋 hissettirdi:
Onlardanm谋艧莽as谋na sahte davran谋艧lar i莽ine giremezdi. Bu kisve ba艧ar谋l谋 olamayaca臒谋 gibi kendi do臒as谋na ayk谋r谋yd谋. Sahte ve i莽tenliksiz davran谋艧lara yer yoktu onda.
陌nsanlarla tart谋艧谋rken beni onlardan uzakla艧t谋ran sebebi hat谋rlatt谋:
艦u g眉ne艧in alt谋ndaki hi莽bir sebep sadece t眉rde艧lerim 莽o臒unluk olarak onu be臒eniyor veya be臒enmesi gerekti臒ine inan谋yor diye o be臒eniyi benim de taklit etmemi gerektirmez. Ho艧land谋臒谋m ya da ho艧lanmad谋臒谋m 艧eylerde moday谋 takip edecek de臒ilim.
脟aresizli臒imi tatt谋m, istediklerimin neden ger莽ekle艧medi臒ini 枚臒rendim, insanlara ra臒men yap谋lan fedakarl谋klar谋n nas谋l sonu莽 verdi臒ini hat谋rlad谋m. O kadar 莽ok 艧ey 枚臒rendim ki bu kitaptan ne anlatsam, ne aktarsam hepsi laf ebeli臒i olur 莽眉nk眉 Jack London size zaten anlatm谋艧.
Kitab谋 okumadan 枚nce bu kitab谋n benim i莽in 莽ok 枚zel bir anlam谋 vard谋. Kitap boyunca bu anlam谋n ne oldu臒unu bilmiyordum. Sadece bir sebep i莽in okudu臒umu biliyordum. Nitekim kitab谋n sonuna gelince bu sebebin ne oldu臒unu kavrad谋m. O, Martin Eden'谋n hissettiklerini bana aktarmaya 莽al谋艧m谋艧t谋 y谋llard谋r... Ve bense bu kitab谋 艧imdi okuyabildim. Nitekim onun aktarmaya 莽al谋艧t谋臒谋 bu s枚zleri asl谋nda o zamanlar bilmi艧 olsam dahi Jack London'谋n kaleminden bir kez daha g枚r眉nce (枚yle bir olgunlukla aktarm谋艧 ki!) daha da sersemledim. Ve 眉z眉ld眉m. 脟眉nk眉 hayata olan bak谋艧 a莽谋mdan 枚眉t眉r眉 h芒l芒 kabul etmiyorum bu sonu. Genel olarak ama herhangi bir kitap i莽in konu艧ursak, bir kitap benim i莽in ancak b枚ylesi 枚l眉ms眉z bir sonla bitebilirdi.
Evet, iki ay s眉rd眉 bu kitab谋 bitirmem ama iki ay boyunca acele etmeden tane tane tatt谋臒谋m bu kitab谋n keyfini tamamiyle ya艧ad谋m. Belki de baz谋 kitaplar zaman istiyordur, ne dersiniz?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,492 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.