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76th out of 139 books
—
25 voters
Troubled Sleep
Powerfully depicts the fall of France in 1940, and the anguished response of the French people to the German occupation. Translated from the French by Gerard Hopkins.
Paperback, 432 pages
Published
July 7th 1992
by Vintage
(first published January 1st 1973)
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This is the third book of Sartre's Roads to Freedom, and sadly, the last. He did begin on a fourth, but passed away before it could be completed.
These novels are harrowing and full of despair yet they are fascinating to read and one can easily become entranced by Sartres writing.
The novels rotate around a group of French men and women who are all linked by some way or another amist World War II and showcases how they think, feel and are affected by the knowledge of the approaching Nazi reign.
Al...more
These novels are harrowing and full of despair yet they are fascinating to read and one can easily become entranced by Sartres writing.
The novels rotate around a group of French men and women who are all linked by some way or another amist World War II and showcases how they think, feel and are affected by the knowledge of the approaching Nazi reign.
Al...more
It has been a number of years since I read this series, so i will have to be rather general about it even though it has stuck with me all these years.
I am a fan of Sartre's and his existentialist contemporaries, but this series was an amazing display of Sartre's skill as a fiction writer. While I am generally more fond of Camus' fiction, every book in the "The Roads to Freedom" trilogy stands out as my favorite fictional work by that group. Make no mistake, this trilogy is a masterpiece of exis...more
I am a fan of Sartre's and his existentialist contemporaries, but this series was an amazing display of Sartre's skill as a fiction writer. While I am generally more fond of Camus' fiction, every book in the "The Roads to Freedom" trilogy stands out as my favorite fictional work by that group. Make no mistake, this trilogy is a masterpiece of exis...more
This book plunges right into the War and France is already being beaten badly by the invading Germans. This book seems unfinished. Many of the characters are just left hanging as the story begins to focus on what happens to the Communist Party in France once it has been captured by an invading army. The plan was that the proletariat would win the war for France, but not give back their guns. Everything is left up in the air with a lingering sense of doom. Something happened to Sartre and he coul...more
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Freedom when unknown sounds so appealing but when it shows itself in naked, crude form is not digestible . While the pursuit seems so worthy and noble to make life turn into an ideal - it is only the one who reaches it knows it . Others who read and see are yet to make anything out of the final summit to freedom , as for them it lies on a higher summit, a more noble summit .
If being able to release the trigger was freedom was Mathieu, then so be it . Brunet walks away unfinished but yes still o...more
If being able to release the trigger was freedom was Mathieu, then so be it . Brunet walks away unfinished but yes still o...more
Not as fantastic as the second book of the series, The Reprieve, but still worthwhile. For the most part this book returns you to only the characters from the first novel, The Age of Reason, and shows you the path that each will be on for the duration of World War II. That alone is great because for only one character do you feel some sense of conclusion or closure with their story, which plays into one of Sartre's main themes for the series: war is extremely disorienting. If you really wanted t...more
I am so glad that I was finally able to read one of Sartre’s novels in French. This one is by far in my opinion the best of the series. Given that these contain the bulk of Sartre’s philosophy, if you can read French, read these in French. The significance of verbs and nouns used come full forward in expression of the anguish of nothingness expressed through his characters. As far as narrative goes, one will be sorely disappointed with this installment. The characters that we are familiar with f...more
(Translated by Gerard Hopkins from La Mort Dans L'Ame --- a somewhat different title.) This series was apparently supposed to continue beyond three books, and although I get the sense of transition in this book, there's also completion: Mathieu makes a final decision for freedom, Brunet finds out that the mindset he wants his fellows to share does not come about so easily. It is sad that we never find out what happens to Odette & Jacques, Daniel & Philippe, or Gomez, lost in America... H...more
Definitely the least interesting of the series. It seemed like Sartre got bored writing about these characters and really just wanted to finish the series. The only character that reached some sort of conclusion was Mathieu. All I can say about Mathieu is... yes, he found his freedom. I could have lived without Burnet and his story. No mention of Marcelle, which I thought was unfortunate because I wanted to see where she would go. Same with Gomez, he just sort of falls out of the picture. Boris,...more
I've been reading the Roads to Freedom trilogy with nothing in between for the last couple weeks. And what a road it is! I find it difficult to say one book is better than the other. They all stand on their own merit, and I only regret that Sartre didn't complete La Derniere Chance. I really want to know what happened, especially to Daniel, Brunet, and Schneider. Well, NEED to know! Alas! as life, we cannot tie up the loose ends, and doubt Sartre would have either.
The entire series is very relev...more
The entire series is very relev...more
I picked this book up for a buck yesterday and I can't put it down--that is a good thing--too bad it's not raining.
Next Day--
Beautiful day and finished beautiful story. I will be mulling this one over for a while.
Next Day--
Beautiful day and finished beautiful story. I will be mulling this one over for a while.
so far 50 pages in or so its of course well written and dark. - finished it a few weeks later. this book had a really interesting fragmented narrative. The first was made up of several groups of people, with a main narrator of each group whose internal monologue we hear. the second half was entirely different than the first made up of only one group with only one main character's inner workings exposed. the storyline is also atypical and manages to weave Sartre's ideas and characterizations into...more
these three novels are beautifully written in first, second and third person. i found each one to be thouroughly enjoyable as well as thought provoking and tragic.
I read it when awaking from exactly that.
The final book of sartre's roads to freedom trilogy is the best, in my opinion. This book relates French consciousness during the Nazi occupation / fall of France. In the face of defeat, a country's people struggle for dignity and meaning. In the context of war, Sartre explores what it is to be human.
It takes a while to get a handle on Sartre's technique. He jumps from mind to mind, sometimes almost in mid-paragraph.
But if you stick with him, it pays off in a grand picture of the early period of WW2 France, in which he was a participant.
But if you stick with him, it pays off in a grand picture of the early period of WW2 France, in which he was a participant.
Aug 17, 2007
Jessi
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
existentialists and/or anyone wanting to read about war
Shelves:
existentialism
As is the case with every Existentialist novel and piece of literature I've ever read, this is a really good story that is sure to depress you.
Jan 23, 2008
Laura
added it
This book is in the same series as Age of Reason and The Reprieve, it is a good book, not as good as Age, but still worth reading.
well written but i didn't find myself very engaged.
Not my favorite Sartre, but a good read nonetheless.
Jun 18, 2013
Brandon Say
marked it as to-read
Jun 12, 2013
Andrew
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Joslyn Bains
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Staci
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Sam Pf
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May 30, 2013
Jarrod
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| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| reading now | 1 | 4 | Jul 17, 2007 08:58pm |
Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre, normally known simply as Jean-Paul Sartre, was a French existentialist philosopher and pioneer, dramatist and screenwriter, novelist and critic. He was a leading figure in 20th century French philosophy.
He declined the award of the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his work which, rich in ideas and filled with the spirit of freedom and the quest for truth, has ex...more
More about Jean-Paul Sartre...
He declined the award of the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his work which, rich in ideas and filled with the spirit of freedom and the quest for truth, has ex...more
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