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Arrow in the Blue
The first volume of his autobiography covers the first 26 years of Koestler’s life, ending with his joining the Communist Party in 1931. Written with zest, joie de vivre and frankness, it is a fascinating self-portrait of a remarkable young man at the heart of the events that shaped the twentieth century.
Paperback, 416 pages
Published
November 22nd 2005
by Vintage Books
(first published 1952)
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This covers the first 26 years of Koestler's life 1905 to 1931 and he lived more in those 26 years than most people do in a life time. He comes across as taking life by the throat whenever it got too comfy. Always eager to forge out his own path. During those 1st 26 years we have some truely world changing events taking place. From his involvement with the very beginning of the Zionist movement to the joining of the communist party as the Nazi's took control of Germany. It can be a very funny bo...more
A vivid, frank, substantive and perceptive accounting of Koestler's youth and early manhood (1905-1931) in Budapest, Vienna, Palestine and Berlin, told with wit, style and humor. He takes us into the center of economic, political and social upheavals that marked and marred the early 20th century and continue to affect the 21st. His telling of his conversion to communism, which he later rejected, while necessarily less entertaining than his childhood anecdotes does give firsthand insight into how...more
Arthur Koestler vivió muy de cerca ciertos acontecimientos de nuestro siglo de tanta trascendencia histórica, política y social, que esta obra bien podría haberse extendido unos cientos de páginas más. "Flecha en el azul", abarca desde su nacimiento hasta el momento en que toma la decisión de ingresar en el partido comunista alemán. Koestler nos relata su infancia y adolescencia, y, lo que es más relevante, el despertar de sus sentimientos políticos, cuya solidez y compromiso tuvieron una import...more
I would devide my life to before and after reading Koestler. Willy, a British fiend, lended the book to me. Reading Koestler for the first time, I was 26, just released after having a terrible time in jail! Koestler changed me to a totally different person. He was a man of a generation who witnessed final disaster of civil war in Spain and descending and demolishing of Hope by communism in Soviet, while confronting the invasion of Fashism in Europe. He explained his generation’s pain and frustra...more
Wonderful anecdotes, fascinating life story, and historically relevant. It doesn't hurt that he was a really weird guy as well
Koestler was one of the few authors who could boast of having had his books burned by the Nazis and the Soviets.
Lead one of the great lives of the twentieth century. He started as a young journalist, and part time communist spy, in the middle of the spanish civil war. His faith in the party began to crack soon after. This is the first volume of his autobiography, He played an important part in every ideological, and a few of the real, battles of the age.
he should be ranked with orianna falacci,...more
Lead one of the great lives of the twentieth century. He started as a young journalist, and part time communist spy, in the middle of the spanish civil war. His faith in the party began to crack soon after. This is the first volume of his autobiography, He played an important part in every ideological, and a few of the real, battles of the age.
he should be ranked with orianna falacci,...more
The copy I've got hasn't been checked out of the library for 14 years, which is disheartening. As autobiography it wasn't brilliant, and I was expecting life-changing brilliance, but it was very very good. And the guy had an extraordinarily interesting life. The book is a page-turner simply on its value as memoir.
May 19, 2008
John
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone interested in twentieth century history - especially communism and zionism.
Koestler is the twentieth century in trousers. Most of the big scary events in European twentieth century history seemed to bumped up against Koestler. He was there, saw that, met him. This is the first part of his autobiography and I have just jumped into the second part - entitled Invisible Writing.
Quite compulsive reading and from a fascinating perspective. A personal tale that gives an insight into how the early 20th Century social and political currents appeared to one, politically aware mind. Funny, self-deprecating and inspirational.
May 19, 2013
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Arthur Koestler CBE [*Kösztler Artúr] was a prolific writer of essays, novels and autobiographies.
He was born into a Hungarian Jewish family in Budapest but, apart from his early school years, was educated in Austria. His early career was in journalism. In 1931 he joined the Communist Party of Germany but, disillusioned, he resigned from it in 1938 and in 1940 published a devastating anti-Communis...more
More about Arthur Koestler...
He was born into a Hungarian Jewish family in Budapest but, apart from his early school years, was educated in Austria. His early career was in journalism. In 1931 he joined the Communist Party of Germany but, disillusioned, he resigned from it in 1938 and in 1940 published a devastating anti-Communis...more
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