In his "Apocryphal Tales," Karel ?apek approaches major events and figures of history, myth, and literature in unexpected ways and from fresh points of view. These tales are apocryphal because they were, in effect, left out of the official stories that constitute our history and literature. In these tales, ?apek shared his wisdom most directly and enjoyably. Some of the Apocryphal Tales: Jesus's loaves-and-fishes miracle is described from the point of view of an otherwise sympathetic baker. Townspeople argue about who's to blame for the approaching hordes of Attila the Hun, and end up hanging a refugee. Hamlet considers becoming an actor and playwright, Prometheus is tried for inventing fire, Pontius Pilate talks about what truth is, and Abraham and Sarah try to agree on the names of ten righteous people in Sodom. Abbots and smiths, servants and soldiers, judges and gods appear in these humorous, thought-provoking, and often frightening fablistic tales. "Apocryphal Tales" contains all new translations, as well as fables and "would-be tales" that had not yet appeared in English. "These little nuggets combine broad learning with sharp wit to make powerful moral statements." ーPublishers Weekly (starred review) "
T
hese stories are a window into the mind of one of Europe's great modern writers, lessons from his time for our own. They're also a great read." ーRichard Allen Greene, Prague Post "Masterpieces of moral irony ... a radiant volume." ーBooklist (starred review) "This stubbornly literal relationship that ?apek strikes with supposedly sacred myths proves disturbing and complex. By skinning the surfaces of stories that are, after all, only stories, he deflates the miraculous and forces a reassessment of the basic values." ーBen Marcus, Voice Literary Supplement画面が切り替わりますので、しばらくお待ち下さい。 ※ご購入は、楽天kobo商品ページからお願いします。 ※切り替わらない場合は、こちら をクリックして下さい。 ※このページからは注文できません。
