Not Dying

by William Saroyan

Not Dying is perhaps the most affecting of the series of memoirs that comprise playwright, short-story writer, and novelist William Saroyan's career. A stylistically innovative amalgam of present tense narrative and memoir, this is a work unlike anything Saroyan has written.

Genres: Biography, American

244 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1963

About the author

William Saroyan was an Armenian-American writer, renowned for his novels, plays, and short stories. He gained widespread recognition for his unique literary style, often characterized by a deep appreciation for everyday life and human resilience. His works frequently explored themes of Armenian-American immigrant experiences, particularly in his native California, and were infused with optimism, humor, and sentimentality.
Saroyan's breakthrough came with The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze (1934), a short story that established him as a major literary voice during the Great Depression. He went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1940 for The Time of Your Life, though he declined the award, and in 1943, he won an Academy Award for Best Story for The Human Comedy. His novel My Name Is Aram (1940), based on his childhood, became an international bestseller.
Though celebrated for his literary achievements, Saroyan had a tumultuous career, often struggling with financial instability due to his gambling habits and an unwillingness to compromise with Hollywood. His later works were less commercially successful, but he remained a prolific writer, publishing essays, memoirs, and plays throughout his life.
Saroyan's legacy endures through his influence on American literature, his contributions to Armenian cultural identity, and the honors bestowed upon him, including a posthumous induction into the American Theater Hall of Fame. His remains are divided between Fresno, California, and Armenia, reflecting his deep connection to both his birthplace and ancestral homeland.

Reviews

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sep 22 ~~ Review asap.
Sep 23 ~~ I had thought I had read the last Saroyan title I would have in house for quite a while, but when Mother asked me to order a book for her from my favorite online bookseller I took the chance to look around for Not Dying, which I had seen mentioned in the WS biography I had recently finished reading.

So here we are.

This book mainly tells the story of one year in Saroyan's life. It is a little different from his other books, and sometimes more rambling, but still totally enjoyable for this reader.

The title comes from the state of mind Saroyan was in at the time. He lived a pretty dramatic type of life but that year life got away from him a little: he felt himself losing himself, so to speak, and after an eerie dream he felt that he must be about to die.

As a little more time passed, he realized he was probably not going to die, but he also did not feel like he was really living either. He was simply not dying. Waiting, in a way. So he worked very hard to get himself enjoying life again, and this book seemed to have helped him rediscover his own unique approach to life.

I was a little distracted while reading (it is always hard to concentrate on anything besides sumo when there is a tournament going on!) so when I reread my Saroyan library I plan to put this at the top of the list. As much as I enjoyed it this time through, I know I will get even more out of it during a second reading.

[Petra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ak máte radi Saroyana, tak sa vám bude asi páčiť aj táto tak trochu iná kniha. Ktorá je o živote spisovateľa, o tom, ako, kedy a prečo Saroyan píše, o jeho deťoch, o dostihoch. Ale rovnako aj o ľudskej povahe, maličkostiach, ktoré tvoria svet, láske k životu. A neumírání.

"Chceme toho víc a víc, a tahle iluze, že jsme s to mít víc a víc, tahle neověřená teorie, že je něco víc k mání, muže přetrvávat díky slovům, díky jazyku a jeho obratnému nebo inspirovanému užívaní. Ale je něco víc, co lze mít? A jestliže ano, jaká je povaha toho "víc"? Cožpak řada nejmoudřejších mužů neodhazovala v pokročilém věku jednu věc za druhou, až nakonec neměli nic než sami sebe, anebo to, co jim ze sebe zbývalo, a tvrdou podlahu, na které uléhali k spánku, prostý šat, do něhož se halili, nebo se jim aspoň přikrývali, misku, z které pojídali nejprostší pokrmy, lžíci a nic nebo skoro nic víc? Cožpak se ti nejmoudřejší z nás nezbavili všeho haraburdí a krámů světa a nezavrhli s ním celou tu iluzi a teorii "více"? Ale nový život chce víc, dítě chce víc, jinoch chce víc a téměr každý chce víc po celý svůj život. Ale jaká je pravá podoba tohoto "víc", které je tak žádoucí, že se nikdo nepřestává snažit je získat? .... "

[Eliska · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Všichni celý život mluví a mnozí mnoho let píšou, ale nikdo vlastně nic neřekne. Ale je to tak v pořádku.“
Ale autor toho v téhle útlé knížce řekl dost. O životě, o psaní knih, o Bohu, o své rodině a o sobě. Je to knížka takřka bez formy, ale nechybí jí obsah.
Pana Saroyana jsem obdivovala v mládí a ani teď mě nezklamal.

[Zuzana Karasova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I can say that this book has developed already a kind of my personal bible. I try to read it anytime when I got a free time just to feel better or to feel great is a right term. I like the best the chapter 13, where Saroyan mentioned a guy named Owen Francis who used to write short stories about Slovak and Polish imigrants, and all those authors from Hollywood who wanted be first rich and only then write a novel.

[Lev · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple read that leaves the reader inspired and encourages all individuals to write their own story. His writing pose is unmatched and the style in which he graces us with colorful display of emotion is authentic. I will share this book with anybody interested in quality writing.

[Diana von Dzurilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meditačná próza nad prózou samotnou? Možno iba celkový pohľad na to,kto je a čo robí spisovateľ.
Zaujímavé

[Jan Lipak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Len si tak "povídáme". Občas plácame a je to premúdrelé a otravné a inokedy je to veľmi milé a úprimné. Najlepšie je to vtedy, keď sú tam deti.