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And Where Were You, Adam? (1951)

by Heinrich Böll

Other authors: See the other authors section.

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407961,396 (3.63)16
Hitler's once great army is broken and demoralized, the end of the war is imminent--but still soldiers are rounded up like criminals and sent to the front, Jews are 'evacuated, ' guns are fired, shells explode. In this novel Boll paints war as a series of idiocies, senseless accidents, and bizarre coincidences related only through death.… (more)
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» See also 16 mentions

English (4)  Spanish (2)  French (1)  Italian (1)  Danish (1)  All languages (9)
Showing 4 of 4
Tisztára mint egy Remarque-regény, amit egy olyan Remarque írt, aki elfelejtett cselekményt szőni. Persze Böllről nem feltételezném (hiába ez az első könyve), hogy képtelen elmesélni lineárisan egy történetet – inkább arról van szó, hogy ő ezt az egészet ignorálja. Nem egy háborús sztorit akar végigvinni, hanem a háború leglényegéről akar mondani valamit: a nyugtalanságról, a tehetetlenségről, és arról, hogy Ádám nem ott van, ahol kéne (otthon), hanem ott, ahol aztán pont nem kéne lennie (a háborúban). De hát ezt már annyian annyiféleképpen megírták, és jó páran sokkal jobban is. Szóval értem én, „mit akar mondani a szerző” (ahogy az egyszeri irodalomtanár mondaná), csak mintha túl közeli lenne az élmény, túlságosan rátelepszik a szövegre, és Böll nem tud tőle két lépésre eltávolodni. Ettől aztán ez az egész mozaikos szerkezet olyan lesz, mint egy konstruktivista festmény (a címe legyen mondjuk: „Növendék macska a teraszon”): akadnak benne szép színű kockák, de úgy az egész rohadtul nem hasonlít egy cicára. Úgyhogy ha lenne egy időgépem, visszamennék az ötvenes évek elejére, és azt mondanám Böllnek: „Desztillálj, Heinrich! Desztillálj! Jó író vagy, engedd, hogy ez érvényesüljön! Ne az élmény irányítsa a tollad, hanem a tollad irányítsa az élményt!” És alighanem van is egy időgépem, mert Heinrich később desztillált. Azért kapott Nobel-díjat. ( )
  Kuszma | Jul 2, 2022 |
Zeer originele verzameling min of meer samenhangende verhalen waarin niet de oorlog centraal staat maar de manier waarop de individuele soldaat en officier zich in de eindfase van die verloren en door de auteur en het hoofdpersonage Feinhals als bizar ervaren oorlog gedraagt. ( )
  joucy | Jun 3, 2012 |
A series of linked vignettes with a central character, set at various points in the German retreat at the end of WWII. Böll's even-handed style and clarity of phrase throws a stark light on the chaos rippling under the facade of military and societal order. ( )
1 vote yarb | Jan 18, 2008 |
In this simple yet profound novella Heinrich Boll provides a brief portrait of the lives of some members of the Wehrmacht as they are in retreat near the end of World War II. Told episodically with a casual style the makes the horror of some of the episodes even more powerful. Bolls simple straightforward style is perfect as he tells of the horrific details. He draws extensively from autobiographical events during his time as a soldier in World War II. What characterizes all of Böll's war literature is the fact that there are no heroes; his protagonists are ordinary, downtrodden soldiers who lack control over their lives and whose deaths are usually presented as being completely pointless, often painful, and always ugly. In keeping with his condemnation of war, Böll's style is realistic; he saw the war not as an exciting adventure but as an illness "like typhoid." This is an unforgettable work as it portrays a perspective on the war that few if any non-Germans could imagine. An early work of Boll, this shows signs of the novelist who would go on to write many much more complex works. ( )
  jwhenderson | Jul 25, 2007 |
Showing 4 of 4
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» Add other authors (19 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Böll, Heinrichprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Angevaare, A. P.Translatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Brøgger, WaldemarTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Vennewitz, LeilaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Epigraph
Una catastrofe mondiale può servire a parecchie cose. Anche a trovare un alibi davanti a Dio. Dov'eri, Adamo? "Ero alla guerra mondiale."
THEODOR HAECKER
Tag- und Nachtbucher

31 marzo 1940
Prima avevo vissuto delle avventure: l'apertura di linee postali, l'assoggettamento del Sahara, l'America del Sud - ma la guerra non è una vera avventura, è solo un surrogato dell'avventura... La guerra è una malattia. Come il tifo.

ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY

Pilota di guerra
Dedication
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Una faccia larga, gialla, tragica passò per prima davanti a loro: era il generale.
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Information from the Dutch Common Knowledge. Edit to localize it to your language.
Ook verschenen o.d.t.: Geen alibi voor God, en o.d.t.: Waar zijt gij, Adam?
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Hitler's once great army is broken and demoralized, the end of the war is imminent--but still soldiers are rounded up like criminals and sent to the front, Jews are 'evacuated, ' guns are fired, shells explode. In this novel Boll paints war as a series of idiocies, senseless accidents, and bizarre coincidences related only through death.

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