"Everything is Illuminated"

[lisaparx]

"Everything is Illuminated" is a book/film dealing with genealogy research in Ukraine.
Anybody here see/read it?
Your thoughts???

The book plot:

A young American Jew, who shares a name with the author, journeys to Ukraine in search of Augustine, the woman who saved his grandfather's life during the Nazi liquidation of Trachimbrod, his family shtetl. Armed with many copies of an old photograph of Augustine and his grandfather, maps, cigarettes, and a fanny pack filled with Ziploc bags, Jonathan begins his adventure with Ukrainian native and soon-to-be good friend, Alexander "Alex" Perchov, who is his own age and very fond of American pop culture, albeit culture that is already out of date in the U.S. Alex is "premium" in his knowledge of the English language and therefore becomes the translator. Alex's "blind" grandfather and his "deranged seeing-eye *****," Sammy Davis, Jr., Jr., accompany them on their journey.

The writing and structure received critical acclaim for the manner in which it switches between two story arcs: (1) fragments of Foer-the-character's novel-in-progress, where he tells in highly literary English a quasi-magical story about the citizens of Trachimbrod; and (2) a straightforward narrative of searching for Trachimbrod (which is an invented name for the real village Trochenbrod), as told by Alex in broken English. They are tied together by letters sent from Alex to Foer and attached to Alex's version. Alex's narrative is most notable for its broken English, as if a foreigner learned English with a thesaurus without ever hearing it spoken.

The novel takes its title from a quote in Milan Kundera's novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being: "In the sunset of dissolution, everything is illuminated by the aura of nostalgia, even the guillotine." The passage refers to the philosophical idea that the greatest tragedies in life can only be experienced to their fullest if we are able to relive them.

Names of cities are given in their Russian version (e.g. Lvov), although the Polish or Ukrainian naming would have been correct for the scenes in Trachimbrod and Ukraine.

Book: Everything Is Illuminated - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The movie plot:

A young American Jewish man, Jonathan, goes on a quest to find the woman who saved his grandfather in a small Ukrainian town called Trachimbrod that was wiped off the map when the Nazis liquidated Eastern European shtetls. His guides are a cranky anti-semitic grandfather and his over-enthusiastic grandson, whose fractured command of English, passion for American pop culture, and constant chatter threaten to make the worst of every situation. But what starts out as the tour from hell turns into a meaningful journey, with an unexpected series of revelations that will change all of their lives.

Film: Everything Is Illuminated (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Film official website/movie clips: Everything Is Illuminated -- Official Film Site

[is5512]

Wellllllll
(that's me stalling, Lisa, so you don't think I'm a meannie)
I did read the book, and I think the writer's got some "chops." I'm not quite ready to pronounce him "talented;" maybe he'll show something in future works.

I'm starved to find *any* reference to Ukraine in books, so I was glad to see this. But, I think this was more an exploration of the author's Jewish ethnicity than of his Ukrainian roots. I also thought (trying not to give a secret away to someone who hasn't read the book) that the build-up to Shapka's surprise declaration at the end was gratuitious and a shallow technique by the author ("chopsy").

Sorry, my friend. Thumbs down on this one.

[lisaparx]

Thanks for posting!
I didn't get to read the book...I came across the movie one day...

Originally Posted by is5512

I'm starved to find *any* reference to Ukraine in books, so I was glad to see this.

Starved as well.... this is why I watched the movie.

Originally Posted by is5512

But, I think this was more an exploration of the author's Jewish ethnicity than of his Ukrainian roots.

movie too!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[is5512]

Hey, I *did* find a real prize:

I remember when I was a kid (and was trying with all my might to be American and Not Ukranian <sigh>), my parents would listen to Svatanya Na Honcharivtsi on records. I found that sucker for sale online (a black & white video)!

I found some universal truths in that movie:

1) Just speaking a French word can in fact ruin a great evening.

2) The rich fool wasn't so foolish when he chose a harbuz instead of the beautiful young girl. If your spouse is eventually going to turn into a pumpkin anyway, why not get one in the first place?

And I still have the lyrics rolling thru my mind: "Chort y zhinka ne boyusya!"

[lisaparx]

It was on again the other night,
& I caught the ending of it.
I don't think I watched it so closely the first time...

(If you still want to watch the movie or read the book
you may not want to continue reading)

I did like the part at the end of the movie,
when the woman who lived in isolation,
asked the grandfather if the war was over.

I liked the double meaning-
For her, she meant WW2 because she's been in isolation & had no idea.

When he replied to her he told her 'yes',
he wasn't only refering to WW2,
but also his internal struggle with his own religion.