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No title (2014)

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5431544,099 (3.1)1 / 33
"A profound, darkly comedic parable set in a future where collective memory has vanished following a historic catastrophe, and one young couple's love affair could have shattering consequences for the human race. In a world where the past is a dangerous country, not to be talked about or visited, J is a love story of incomparable strangeness, both tender and terrifying. After the devastation of WHAT HAPPENED, IF IT HAPPENED, all that should remain is peace and prosperity. Everyone knows his or her place; all actions are out in the open. But Esme Nussbaum has seen the distorted realities, the fissures that have only widened in the twenty-plus years since she was forced to resign from her position at the monitor of the Public Mood. Now, Esme finds something strange and special developing in a romance between Ailinn Solomons and Kevern Cohen. As this unusual pair's actions draw them into ever-increasing danger, Esme realizes she must do everything in her power to keep them together--whatever the cost. With a sense of the dramatic sweep of Michael Ondaatje and the dystopian, literary sensibility of Margaret Atwood, Howard Jacobson's J is an astonishing feat of fiction. In this exquisitely written, beautifully playful and imaginative, and terribly heart-breaking work, Jacobson gathers his prodigious gifts for the crowning achievement of a remarkable career"--… (more)
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J by Howard Jacobson (2014)

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 Booker Prize: 2014 Booker Prize longlist: J12 unread / 12kidzdoc, October 2014

» See also 33 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 15 (next | show all)
The dialogue is everything in this book; the stories are OK, but the dialogue is the best. To me, Sam Lipsyte produces better fiction but the dialogue us the enthralling stuff. I tired of the book towards the end. ( )
  pivic | Mar 20, 2020 |
In general, I am not a Howard Jacobson fan. I read [b:Kalooki Nights|297009|Kalooki Nights|Howard Jacobson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1173488079s/297009.jpg|1369150] very unenthusiastically, and I actively disliked [b:The Finkler Question|8664368|The Finkler Question|Howard Jacobson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1319018978s/8664368.jpg|13535892]. But I found this book, if not necessarily compelling reading, at least intriguing and somewhat disturbing. I'm aware that "Huh, whaddaya know, I didn't loathe this one" is damning with faint praise, but there you have it. ( )
  GaylaBassham | May 27, 2018 |
Difficult to fellow, sometimes ( )
  ibkennedy | Sep 25, 2017 |
Following an event the course of society has been changed. Everyone has quasi-Jewish names and the state controls life. I gave up at this point, about 15% into the book. Sorry but life is too short to carry on with this. I'm sure there is a group of book readers who really enjoy sub-'1984' style premises but the Jewish cliches and hints were so blunt and obvious that this book was becoming a drag.

That's a personal opinion ( )
  pluckedhighbrow | Jun 26, 2017 |
In general, I am not a Howard Jacobson fan. I read [b:Kalooki Nights|297009|Kalooki Nights|Howard Jacobson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1173488079s/297009.jpg|1369150] very unenthusiastically, and I actively disliked [b:The Finkler Question|8664368|The Finkler Question|Howard Jacobson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1319018978s/8664368.jpg|13535892]. But I found this book, if not necessarily compelling reading, at least intriguing and somewhat disturbing. I'm aware that "Huh, whaddaya know, I didn't loathe this one" is damning with faint praise, but there you have it. ( )
  gayla.bassham | Nov 7, 2016 |
Showing 1-5 of 15 (next | show all)
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J
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To Jenny - here, now, always
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Mornings weren't good for either of them.
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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"A profound, darkly comedic parable set in a future where collective memory has vanished following a historic catastrophe, and one young couple's love affair could have shattering consequences for the human race. In a world where the past is a dangerous country, not to be talked about or visited, J is a love story of incomparable strangeness, both tender and terrifying. After the devastation of WHAT HAPPENED, IF IT HAPPENED, all that should remain is peace and prosperity. Everyone knows his or her place; all actions are out in the open. But Esme Nussbaum has seen the distorted realities, the fissures that have only widened in the twenty-plus years since she was forced to resign from her position at the monitor of the Public Mood. Now, Esme finds something strange and special developing in a romance between Ailinn Solomons and Kevern Cohen. As this unusual pair's actions draw them into ever-increasing danger, Esme realizes she must do everything in her power to keep them together--whatever the cost. With a sense of the dramatic sweep of Michael Ondaatje and the dystopian, literary sensibility of Margaret Atwood, Howard Jacobson's J is an astonishing feat of fiction. In this exquisitely written, beautifully playful and imaginative, and terribly heart-breaking work, Jacobson gathers his prodigious gifts for the crowning achievement of a remarkable career"--

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