Erich Maria Remarque, le dernier romantique (Romans, Essais, Poesie, Documents)

by Hilton Tims, Jean-Marc Mouillie

English summary: This is the first French-language biography of Erich Maria Remarque (1898-1970). Hated by nationalists in his own country, forced into exile by the Nazis, Remarque viscerally confronted the two tragedies that besieged Germany: World War I and National Socialism. This biography follows Remarque from obscurity to fame, from poverty to Hollywood, tracing his political activism as well as his complicated search for the ideal love. French description: La premiere biographie publiee en francais d'Erich Maria Remarque (1898-1970). Le sobre compte rendu des faits qu'elle propose ne rend que plus saisissante l'etonnante vie de l'auteur de A l'Ouest rien de nouveau. Ecrivain d'abord hai par les nationalistes et les militaristes de son pays dans l'apres premiere guerre mondiale, puis contraint a l'exil par le regime nazi dont il fut l'un des ennemis personnels, il demeura calomnie jusqu'a la fin de sa vie par ses compatriotes pour avoir ose evoquer leur sort sans l'avoir partage, jalouse et meprise par ses pairs, tout en restant peut-etre l'auteur le plus lu de la seconde moitie du vingtieme siecle et celui dont Hollywood adapta quasiment toute l'?uvre, avec plusieurs films memorables. La biographie de Hilton Tims eclaire de maniere remarquable, en la revelant a nu sans l'appauvrir, la trajectoire de cet auteur qui fut confronte directement, et qui s'opposa visceralement, aux deux tragedies que furent la Grande Guerre et le nazisme, qui lia son destin a certaines des femmes les plus flamboyantes, emouvantes et celebres de son epoque, Marlene Dietrich en tete, qui ne cessa de s'attacher a l'ecriture d'une oeuvre montrant le probleme des existences jetees dans la violence de l'histoire et sur le developpement de laquelle la gloire immediate jeta un manteau d'ombre. De la boue des tranchees aux lumieres d'Hollywood, de la pauvrete et de l'anonymat au succes mondial, du desir sans joie a la quete de la femme sublime, du gout inapaisable du bonheur, de la legerete et de la beaute a l'horreur du totalitarisme, de la solidarite avec les victimes a la detresse personnelle de l'exil et de la depression, les tourments dont l'existence et l'ecriture d'Erich Maria Remarque furent constamment hantees et brisees firent naitre en lui une conscience existentielle, politique et ethique singuliere dont les reponses furent le temoignage, l'art et l'amour. La vie exceptionnelle d'un homme dont l'oeuvre fut de resistance a l'ideologie et d'affirmation de la valeur de la vie humaine. Hilton Tims, journaliste britannique (Bristol Evening World, Daily Mail, BBC, London Evening News, The European), est l'auteur de deux romans historiques et d'une biographie de Margaret Lockwood.

Genres: Biography, Biography Memoir

230 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2003

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have changed my first rating. While I learned some interesting facts about Remaeque's personal life such as his affairs with Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo...., etc., the book did not came across as a complete biography but rather as separate peaces combined into a book. I just could not connect Remarque, the person, with the author of some of the most beautiful books I have read.

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pretty basic biography of Remarque, not particularly well-written or analytical about either the man or his works. Provides the fundamental details of his life, but little more. It did remind me of how much I like Remarque's work, and inspired me to want to read to some of his latter, post-WWI trilogy stuff.

[Joanne Gass · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read the novel and seen two movie versions of All Quiet on the Western Front, but I knew nothing about its author. His life was really rather tragic, despite his fame, fortune, and romances; his sister was beheaded by the Nazis; he was vilified in Germany, and he was stripped of his German citizenship. I think I'll visit his home town of Osnabruck when I visit Germany next summer, just to honor him.

[Kathleen Valentine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing was adequate but the story is incredible. When did Remarque find time to write? He had affairs with Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Dolores Del Rio, Maureen O'Sullivan, ... unbelievable life he lead!

[Aubrey Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 to a 4.

Erich Maria Remarque's story is a sad one. He was a gifted writer, but as often accompanies great talent, his life was a tragic search for happiness and fulfillment.

The author got some historical facts wrong. That said, the focus of the book was Remarque's story, not more general history. It nevertheless is a fascinating window into the life of a German refugee of the Third Reich.

The author cleverly guides the reader through stages of Remarque's life based more or less on the chronological order of Remarque's books. I have read four of these books myself, so I found the stories behind the stories fascinating. It also piqued my curiosity about a few of his other books.

It leaves me wishing American readers would rediscover EMR's books beyond All Quiet on the Western Front. The biographer quoted Maxwell Geismar's New York Times review of The Night in Lisbon:

"A famous European counterpart to Hemingway, Remarque has, through the years, almost converted a handsome minor talent into a major one; whereas Hemingway almost reduced his own large talent into a more limited one."

To my embarrassment, I have not yet read Hemingway, but perhaps it is because I have been so riveted by Remarque.

[klaudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5, warto przeczytać

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew nothing about Remarque other than that he wrote All Quiet on the Western Front. I was happy to learn about some of the facts of his life, but overall this biography portrayed Remarque as a rather pathetic human being. It didn't "feel" feel balanced to me, but I have nothing to base that on. Perhaps I just wanted him to be more of a heroic, Hemingway-esque type of writer. I'd love to hear from others who have read this biography.