The Adventures of Augie March - Saul Bellow
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(National Book Award for Fiction - 1953 )
*****
When the phrase, "The Great American Phrase" is coined, some titles come to my mind automatically - "Gone with the Wind","To Kill a Mockingbird","The Great Gatsby" are few such names. The title of this latest book that I read - or rather listened ( and I am convinced that listening is the best way to grasp the true essence of this particular book) - would always come up amongst the other titles that I mentioned, as Great American novels.
Why do I give this book, five stars - make no mistake, it is a sprawling book, but often moving forward at some speed as the protagonist experience one after another of situations that he largely stumbles upon as he wanders ambition-less, yet with certain minimal ideals, in his life. A paper-seller, a butler, a smuggler, a travelling paint seller, a book thief, a dog groomer, a shoe seller, his lovers' escort towards her reckless adventures - these are but some of the adventures that the handsome, but drifting Augie finds himself involved in. How ? Why ? His, later wife, Stella puts it into words why, and until then Augie himself doesn't realise , how his life had been. Stella says, "but one of the things I thought is that you and I are the kind of people , other people are always trying to fit into their schemes." Augie thinks to himself that he "was grateful for her plain way of naming a truth that had been hanging around me for many long years. I did fit into peoples' schemes". The importance of this observation was captured, with mention of this novel, when the author received the Nobel Award stating that this books' "subtle analysis of our culture, of entertaining adventure, drastic and tragic episodes in quick succession interspersed with philosophic conversation, all developed by a commentator with a witty tongue and penetrating insight into the outer and inner complications that drive us to act, or prevent us from acting, and that can be called the dilemma of our age…” That the philosophy of this was not lost upon the author is presented to the reader, through an episode towards the end - where Augie himself plans to have such people whom he estimates he can control, and can be brought under a scheme of his own. A thinking friend of his reveals' Augies' subconscious for him, for Augie doesn't realise that he is trying to do what others have been doing to him over the years - and anyway Augie is too much of a drifter to put any serious effort into it.
I cannot recall a book that I read of recent, that has analysed such a wide range of characters, in the process presenting a the widest span at life itself in depression era Amercia. The pure study of the characters herein is rewarding enough the time spent on reading this.
This is the second book by Bellow that I've read. "Herzog" being the first - a challenging read - I have a good mind to buy an audio version to see if I find it more enjoyable. That moth-eaten, yellow leaved book I read from the Public Library years ago, was quite a dry affair, until its' completion, when the human aspect and the philosophy hits you right across the face.
I am now convinced that I should seriously consider reading most of Bellow's work. But be warned those interested - they are not the most easiest of reads.
