Lebensansichten Des Katers Murr Nebst Fragmentarischer Biographie Des Kapellmeisters Johannes Kreisler in Zufälligen Makulaturblättern: Zwei Bände

by E.T.A. Hoffmann, Theodor Hosemann (Editor)

It was E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776-1822) who first explored many of the themes and techniques which were later used by writers from Dickens to Dostoyevsky, Poe to Kafka, Baudelaire to Marquez. His career reached a glorious climax in The Tomcat Murr, perhaps the strangest novel of the nineteenth century.. "Hoffmann was a follower of Cervantes and Sterne, a pioneering 'magic realist', fascinated by Gothic horror, extreme mental states and supernatural events occurring within sharply (and sometimes satirically) rendered social settings. A talented composer and painter, he portrayed himself in the guise of Johannes Kreisler - the hypochondriac, antisocial and moody but brilliant musician. In this astonishing book, a vain and very bourgeois tomcat sets out to write his memoirs, using a biography of Kreisler as a blotting pad. By a printer's error, the two lives get spliced together into a bizarre double narrative. A supreme example of literary bravado, The Tomcat Murr is also shot through with the warmth, humanity and almost uncanny ability to captivate his readers which make Hoffmann the greatest of German story-tellers.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, German Literature, Fantasy, Germany, 19th Century, Literature

382 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 1821

About the author

Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann, better known by his pen name E. T. A. Hoffmann (Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann), was a German Romantic author of fantasy and horror, a jurist, composer, music critic, draftsman and caricaturist. His stories form the basis of Jacques Offenbach's famous opera The Tales of Hoffmann, in which Hoffman appears (heavily fictionalized) as the hero. He is also the author of the novella The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, on which the famous ballet The Nutcracker is based. The ballet Coppélia is based on two other stories that Hoffmann wrote, while Schumann's Kreisleriana is based on Hoffmann's character Johannes Kreisler.

Hoffmann's stories were very influential during the 19th century, and he is one of the major authors of the Romantic movement.

Reviews

[Vit Babenco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cats are supreme and disdainful creatures so in their judgments of humanity they show no quarter…

I don’t see why an agreeable domestic pet with a happy natural disposition shouldn’t be taught to read and write, or indeed why such a little creature couldn’t rise to become a scholar and poet. Is that so unprecedented a thing? I won’t go so far as to quote the Thousand and One Nights as the best historical source, and a source full of pragmatic authenticity; I will just remind you, my dear fellow, of Puss in Boots, a tomcat of great magnanimity, penetrating reason and deep knowledge.

The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr is so many things simultaneously – to a modernist it is modern, to a symbolist it is symbolic, to a psychedelic head it is psychedelia, to a postmodernist it is postmodern and to a magician it is magical realism…
Cool cats are the much better aesthetes than hot yahoos…

[°°°·.°·..·°¯°·._.· ʜᴇʟᴇɴ Ροζουλί Εωσφόρος ·._.·°¯°·.·° .·°°° ★·.·´¯`·.·★ Ⓥⓔⓡⓝⓤⓢ Ⓟⓞⓡⓣⓘⓣⓞⓡ Ⓐⓡⓒⓐⓝⓤⓢ Ταμετούρο Αμ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Το απόλυτο, παράξενο αριστούργημα του συγγραφέα
E. T. A Χόφμαν αν και ημιτελές κατέχει επάξια μια θέση στα λογοτεχνικά και ανεκτίμητα έργα φαντασίας.

Στην θεατρική σκηνή της παγκόσμιας λογοτεχνίας, αποτελεί μια αξιοσημείωτη παράσταση όλων των ειδών της τέχνης.
Στην πανανθρώπινη πνευματική παρακαταθήκη αντιπροσωπεύει τη διτή φύση της γήινης νομοτέλειας.
Ορθολογισμός και παράνοια. Εθιμοτυπικές παραδόσεις και ένστικτα απλά και αδέσμευτα.

Η μοναδική φαντασία που διαπνέει αυτή την υπέροχη δημιουργία, δηλώνει με πάθος ασίγαστο, πως γράφτηκε απο, και, για την ανθρώπινη καρδιά, ψυχή, νόηση, για ότι κρύβει την πεμπτουσία της ύπαρξης.

Το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο θα το χαρακτήριζα ξεκάθαρα ένα απο τα πιο περίεργα και σπουδαία μυθιστορήματα του 19ου αιώνα.
Στην ουσία πρόκειται για δυο ιστορίες, στην πραγματικότητα είναι δυο βιβλία σε ένα.
Αν και γράφτηκε κάπου μεταξύ
1819-1821 έχει έντονα μεσαιωνική ατμόσφαιρα και πλοκή.
Περιγράφονται οι μνήμες του γάτου Μουρ, γραμμένες στο πίσω μέρος των σελίδων της βιογραφίας του μουσικού Γιοχάνες Κράισλερ.
Τυπωμένες ακριβώς όπως ήταν, έτσι ώστε, και οι δυο ιστορίες (εντελώς ανεξάρτητες) εναλλάσσονται μεταξύ τους και διακόπτονται απότομα για να
συνεχιστούν σε τυχαία στάδια εξέλιξης.

Αυτή η αφηγηματική τεχνική έχει μια μαγευτική γοητεία και καθώς οι δυο ιστορίες τρέχουν παράλληλα, μοναδικό κοινό σημείο μεταξύ τους είναι μερικοί αξιαγάπητοι χαρακτήρες.

Σε ένα μικρό,παράξενο και χιμαιρικό γερμανικό πριγκιπάτο, στήνεται ο φαντασμαγορικός καθρέφτης του μυθιστορήματος.
Μια επικίνδυνη βόλτα στους τεράστιους και σκοτεινούς κήπους της πριγκιπικής αυλής με τα πιο σπάνια φυτά και με αρώματα απο ίντριγκες, κωμωδίες, τραγωδίες, σάτιρες, ειρωνείες, μελόδραματα και φάρσες.

Ο γάτος Μουρ, μια ιδιοφυΐα αυτοδίδακτη και βαθιά καλλιεργημένη, είναι μια φιλοσοφική φιγούρα η οποία έχει σπουδαίες ικανότητες επιστημονικής δεξιότητας. Θεωρεί τον εαυτό του τη μεγαλύτερη μεγαλοφυΐα όλων των εποχών, ανώτερη απο όλα τα είδη του ζωϊκού βασιλείου και αγωνίζεται να επιβιώσει σε έναν κόσμο που δεν εκτιμά τα θεόσταλτα ταλέντα του.

Ο Κράισλερ αντιθέτως, είναι ένας γοητευτικός νεοφιλελεύθερος αρχιμουσικός. Ένας διπολικός υπέροχος άνδρας που παλεύει με το φως της νύχτας και τα σκοτάδια της ημέρας ανάμεσα σε θεό και δαίμονα, ανάμεσα στην τρέλα και τη λογική της τρυφερά εκκεντρικής ψυχής του.
Με τις μελωδίες που συνθέτει, ζει και ερωτεύεται, με το χλευαστικό του χιούμορ και την ειλικρίνεια του ακυρώνει κάθε προσδιορισμό του εαυτού του μέσα στις αριστοκρατικές επιδιώξεις για παραδοσιακούς τίτλους τιμής και παράσημα με γέρικα εστεμμένα ήθη και έθιμα.

Η παρουσία του φωτίζει εκθαμβωτικά την ασήμαντη αριστοκρατία και φανερώνει με καυστικά σατιρική ευγένεια την αναξιοπιστία της διανόησης, της εθιμοτυπίας, του ακαδημαϊκού χώρου, της αυλής των τιμών και της μοντέρνας κοινωνίας.

Ο αναγεννησιακός Ε. Τ. Α Χόφμαν ήταν μουσικός, συνθέτης, συγγραφέας, νομικός και καλλιτέχνης της καυστικής σάτιρας και του μακάβριου φανταστικού ρεαλισμού.
Το γραπτό του έργο προϋποθέτει κοσμοπολίτικη πνευματική κατανόηση.
Οι εκατοντάδες λογοτεχνικές αναφορές, οι πολλαπλές παραπομπές σε μουσική, τέχνη, φιλοσοφία, θρησκεία, πολιτική και ψυχιατρική επιστήμη, είναι αξιοσημείωτα παραδείγματα της εκπληκτικών δώρων της γραφής του.
Ωστόσο σε συνδυασμό με την αφηγηματική τεχνική της αβεβαιότητας η αναγνωστική πορεία δυσκολεύει και κουράζει.
Η εξουσιαστική του δεξιοτεχνία συνδυάζεται με λυρισμό, τόλμη, πνευματικότητα και οξυδέρκεια γεμάτη φαντασία.
Απο αυτά προκύπτει ενα ημιτελές ασυνήθιστα συγκλονιστικό μυθιστόρημα απο έναν ιδιοφυή ξεχωριστό συγγραφέα.

🐈🎩👑🎓🐈🏰🔮⚔️


Καλή ανάγνωση👿
Πολλούς ασπασμούς!!

[Valeriu Gherghel · Rating 3 out of 5]

#biblioteca afectiva

Scriitorul romantic german, E. T. A. Hoffmann a scris, pe la 1820, o carte voluminoasă, care cuprinde Părerile despre viaţă ale motanului Murr: Împreună cu fragmente din biografia capelmaistrului Johannes Kreisler, alcătuită din foi de maculatură răzleţe. Nu e doar o compunere amuzantă, ci şi un veritabil tratat filosofic. Fiți atenți :)

Motanul Murr este, după propria-i mărturisire, un „étudiant en belles lettres”. Confesiunea lui reprezintă o parodie a aşa-numitului Bildungsroman, a „romanului unei formări”. Ea consemnează:

a) efuziuni poetice demne de Jean-Jacques Rousseau: „O, Natură, măreaţă şi sublimă Natură! Simt în pieptul meu înfiorat întreaga ta voluptate, întregul tău farmec! Suflul tău mă învăluie ca o şoaptă tainică”,

b) meditaţii despre simţul cel mai preţuit de filosofii platonicieni, văzul: „O, văzul! Minunată, splendidă obişnuinţă, fără de care ar fi foarte greu să te menţii în viaţă. Ferice de cei înzestraţi cu harul de a se deprinde atât de lesne ca şi mine cu vederea!”,

c) opinii ale unor terţi (maestrul Abraham, magicianul proprietar al lui Murr) despre cotoi: „motanul Murr este animalul cel mai plin de haz din lume, un adevărat măscărici; totuşi, e cuminte şi manierat” sau „Pe motanul Murr, înţeleptul, eruditul filosof şi poet, moartea l-a răpus în mijlocul strălucitei sale cariere...”,

d) păreri despre inscrutabila enigmă a eternului feminin, despre relaţia dificilă dintre suflet şi trup, despre unele opere ale clasicilor greci şi latini, despre nestatornicia umană, despre lipsa de îndurare a destinului, despre iubire, suferinţă, moarte, deșertăciune etc.

e) caracterizări metafizice ale iubirii: „Judecînd după cîte am citit și știu, dragostea n-ar fi decît o stare psihică morbidă, care, la specia umană, se manifestă ca demență parțială, deoarece un obiect este luat drept altceva decît este în realitate. De pildă, un bondocel de fată, care cîrpește ciorapi, o iei drept zeiță”.

Motanul Murr intuiește perfect procesul de cristalizare comentat și de Stendhal în Despre dragoste, dar fără finețea și istețimea personajului nostru...

[AiK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Гофман был чрезвычайно одаренный человек. Он был и прекрасным композитором, замечательным писателем и хорошим художником.
"Рассуждения кота Мура" было написано в начале девятнадцатого века. Но удивительно, что некоторые модернистские и постмодернистские приемы, такие как рваный текст с фрагментами, две сюжетные линии, несвязанные между собой, но с героем, который есть в обеих, используются им свободно и непринужденно.
Кот Мур, - что называется, "кот учёный", научившийся писать и читать, наблюдая за хозяином. Несмотря на его кошачью образованность, все же он олицетворяет собой мещанство и обывательщину, ибо его прежде всего интересуют комфорт, вкусная еда и прочие удобства. Это непростой филистер, а напыщенный филистер, который считая себя образованным, преподносит себя философом. Капельмейстер Крейслер олицетворяет творческое начало, мир искусства, высоких материй, вдохновения. Эти два мира противопоставляются друг другу. Трагическая судьба капельмейстера, обрывки жизнеописания которого служат промокательной бумагой для словоизвержения кота, служат дисгармонирующим фоном к его эпикурейским и эгоистичным высказываниям
Гофман не успел закончить роман, но и в незавершенном виде он совершенно ярок и незабываем.

[Nickolas B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ο Μουρ είναι ο γάτος του εφευρέτη/μάγου της αυλής του Δούκα Ειρηναίου.
Είναι ένας πολύ ιδιαίτερος γάτος μιας και ξέρει να γράφει και να διαβάζει. Είναι προβληματισμένος, οι σκέψεις του συμβαδίζουν με τον Ευρωπαϊκό Διαφωτισμό, γράφει σονέτα, ποιήματα και μικρά διηγήματα.
Δεν θα μπορούσε λοιπόν μια τέτοια σημαντική προσωπικότητα να μην αφήσει παρακαταθήκη για τις επόμενες γενιές των γατών, την βιογραφία του η οποία θα ήταν μάλιστα γραμμένη από τον ίδιο... Έτσι ο φιλάρεσκος γάτος θα διαλέξει ένα βιβλίο από την βιβλιοθήκη του κυρίου του για να γράψει τα απομνημονεύματα του. Τυχαία θα διαλέξει την βιογραφία ενός άγνωστου μουσικοσυνθέτη του Γιοχάνες Κράισλερ!!

Το αποτέλεσμα όμως είναι αλλοπρόσαλλο και διασκεδαστικό! Οι 2 βιογραφίες μπλέκονται και ο αναγνώστης διαβάζει για τις ζωές του Γάτου Μουρ αλλά και του Κράισλερ! Δυο εκ διαμέτρου αντίθετων χαρακτήρων.
Του ορθολογιστή, αξιοπρεπή και φιλάρεσκου γάτου και του ρομαντικού, περιθωριακού και ονειροπόλου δημιουργού Γιοχάνες Κράισλερ.

Ο ΕΤΑ Χόφμαν σατιρίζει μέσω του γάτου, τις ιδέες του Διαφω��ισμού και τον καθωσπρεπισμό ενώ μέσω του Κραισλερ μας υπενθυμίζει ότι ο Ρομαντισμός είναι κάτι το οποίο μας συμπληρώνει σαν οντότητες.
Ο ίδιος ο Χοφμαν ήταν μουσικός, ζωγράφος και συγγραφέας. Παράλληλα όμως ήταν και δημόσιος υπάλληλος. Ήταν ένας καλλιτέχνης ο οποίος πάσχιζε να συμβιβάσει τη δημοσιοϋπαλληλική του ιδιότητα με την θυελλώδη δημιουργική του φύση. Αισθανόταν απέχθεια για τις μικροαστικές αντιλήψεις και τον καθωσπρεπισμό κάτι το οποίο διαφαίνεται σε όλα του τα βιβλία.

Βρήκα το βιβλίο αριστουργηματικό σαν σύλληψη και σαν δημιουργία. Θαύμασα τον Γιοχάνες Κράισλερ για την απόλυτη προσήλωση του στις δημιουργίες του και γέλασα με τις γκάφες και τις θεωρίες του Γάτου Μουρ.
Οι γοτθικές αποχρώσεις και οι πινελιές μυστήριου δίνουν στο βιβλίο μια επιπλέον γοητεία.
5/5 για ένα από τα καλύτερα βιβλία που έχω διαβάσει!!

[Petra · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book! Told in two parts (Tomcat Murr & Kappellmeister Kreisler's stories) this book is funny and intriguing.
Murr's segments are a staid, city life...a more "ordinary" life of social customs, education, society, rank, etc. Murr educates himself by learning to read & write. He has polish, civility, class.....but always the cat in him comes out: a fried herring head is too hard to resist, the claws come out at fright and anger, he arches his back. There's no getting away from one's true nature.
Kreisler's side of the story has a fairy-tale aspect to it with kings, queens, intrigues, sword fights, magic....all set in an idyllic landscape. It's exciting and charming.
The writing technique is jarring. Just as one is consumed with one story, it stops in mid-sentence and the other's story continues. This happens throughout the book.....start getting comfortable and the story switches. It works well in this book.
The third book was, unfortunately, never written. This book ends abruptly. However, in thinking it over, it ends in a good place to leave the imagination to roam.
Very enjoyable; a fun read.

[Tijana]

Matoriji Beograđani se možda sećaju da je na Slaviji polovinom devedesetih postojao grafit "Uzmeš jedan Hofman ujutru i ceo dan zlo i naopako". I mada se ta smela metonimija odnosila na Alberta a ne na Ernsta Teodora Amadeusa, može i na njega lepo da se primeni.

Da li su Životni nazori mačka Mura Hofmanovo najbolje delo? Pa, možda ipak ne. Ali svakako su tipično hofmanovski i još tipičnije romantičarski. Ovde imamo SVE što se za ta dva prideva vezuje: i odsevak fantastike, i figuru umetnika na rubu ludila, i neprekidnu tenziju između malograđana i umetnika, i svemoćnu muziku, i oštru, nemilosrdno zlobnu satiru, i motiv dvojnika - maltene nema lika koji se na ovaj ili onaj način ne udvaja i ne odražava u drugome, a da ne govorimo o strukturi romana - i fragmentarnu, gotovo eksperimentalnu formu i romantičarsku ironiju. Na nesreću, Mur je još fragmentarniji nego što bi bio da je Hofman malo duže poživeo i prekida se na oko dve trećine od projektovanog, ali je, kad se saberu Hofmanova dovršena dela slične strukture, pre svega Đavolji eliksiri, i njegova biografija, dosta jasno kako bi se završio - smrću i ludilom u već nekakvoj kombinaciji.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad I picked up this book (enticed by the cover engraving of the handsome titular cat). Murr will make you laugh out loud. Highlights were his encounters with Ponto the poodle, especially their first meeting. The other story, about the composer Kreisler, was not as immediately accessible but soon pulled me in. It's really a pretty amazing technical feat for Hoffman to have pulled together these two stories that are so different in tone in such a way that they're pretty much equally enjoyable and, strangely, seem to nest together. I didn't end up frustrated that it's an unfinished novel; I think that makes it more of a fun romp than a polished, tied up story would have been. I don't want to give away any more than that--I recommend you just dive in and enjoy. The introduction notes Hoffman's influence on Pushkin, Gogol, Bulgakov, Mann, Kafka, and others, and traces how Hoffman was influenced by Cervantes and Sterne.

[E. G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Introduction
Further Reading
Note on the Illustrations

--The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr

Editor's Postscript
Notes

[aPriL does feral sometimes · Rating 3 out of 5]

E.T.A. Hoffman, the author of this odd, unfinished book, was born in 1776 and died in 1822. Experts in Literature describe ‘The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr’, of which Part One was first published in 1819 and Part Two was published in 1821, as proto-postmodernism because it shares many of the characteristics that define such novels. The link below describes those characteristics.

http://www.writing.com/main/view_item...

I am not a Literature expert of any kind, but I have been reading some of the books which are considered early ‘masterpieces’ or simply examples of early novels which inspired experimentation and development of the format ‘The Novel’.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novel

If you don’t have time to read the above link, I’ll simply say I feel the Novel format that our generation is comfortable in reading began in the 18th century. The invention of the printing press in the middle 1400’s meant the printing of stories (The Gutenberg Bible) began in the 15th century, but I would not say these ‘books’ are comfortable to read, speaking as an ordinary person of grocery store aisle tastes. However, I must recommend making an effort to read these earlier ‘novels’ because so many books refer to them, if not steal the basic plots. But, again speaking as an ordinary person, I try to pick up Literary Canon versions with lots of notes, which means reading a book published by a respectable publishing company and making sure the editor has a long descriptive foreword prefacing the story.


I have struggled to read these early ‘novels’, so I was happy that the Penguin English translation of Hoffman’s book is comfortable to read. It is not too far from our own time, so that many details are familiar. That said, I was shocked to see the protagonist is a cat.

A literate cat!

Murr tells the story of his birth, youth, education and maturity. At the same time, he is clearly a kitty from beginning to end of his autobiography. He lives a cat life, and he tries to hide his literacy from his master, Master Abraham. He loves eating a nice fish head after digesting one of his owner’s books..

“For the edification of hopeful young tomcats, I cannot neglect to remark that if I wanted to study I would leap at my master’s library with my eyes closed , then tug out the book to which I was clinging and peruse it whatever its contents. Through this mode of studying, my mind acquired that wide-ranging flexibility, that diverse and brilliant wealth of knowledge, which posterity will admire in me.”

Hoffmann, E.T.A. (2006-02-23). The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr (Penguin Classics) (p. 45). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.

On his explorations of the roof of the house where he lives, he mets a hottie, a female with a lovely singing voice.

“It is the first duty of an honest biographer to be scrupulous and not on any account to spare himself. In all honesty, therefore, paw on heart, I will confess that despite the inexpressible zeal with which I devoted myself to the arts and sciences, yet the thought of lovely Kitty would often rise suddenly before my mind’s eye, wholly interrupting my studies.”

Hoffmann, E.T.A. (2006-02-23). The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr (Penguin Classics) (p. 167). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.

Murr also falls in with a cat crowd of clubbers.

“Let it suffice to say that for some time I continued to lead a cheerful, merry life on the roof-tops of the neighbourhood as a feline fraternity member, in the company of Muzius and other excellent, honest, trustworthy young fellows, white, ginger and tabby.”

Hoffmann, E.T.A. (2006-02-23). The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr (Penguin Classics) (p. 205). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.


Murr makes an astonishing friendship with a poodle, and on that account learns ‘poodlish’.

“My new friendship had made a deep impression on me, so that as I sat in sun or shade, on the roof or under the stove, I thought of nothing, reflected on nothing, dreamed of nothing, was aware of nothing but poodle, poodle, poodle! I thereby gained great insight into the innermost essence of poodlishness which dawned upon me in brilliant colours,…”

Hoffmann, E.T.A. (2006-02-23). The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr (Penguin Classics) (p. 47). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.

“I adduced several examples from the two languages, drawing the reader’s attention to the identical roots of bow-wow– miaow-miaow– yap-yap – snap – grrr – purr – huff-huff – hissss, and so forth.”

Hoffmann, E.T.A. (2006-02-23). The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr (Penguin Classics) (p. 47). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.

The book title is a satire of another book, also an early satire, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, while the content satirizes a type of novel circulating in Germany at the time, ‘Romances’.

(One of the confusions for today’s readers in determining what an earlier century’s book is about is they used the descriptor Romance or Comedy to describe what we would call a Fantasy or Adventure Drama.)

Unfortunately for the General Reader (my opinion), Murr’s funny autobiography is mixed in with ‘waste paper’ Murr used to blot his opus, a biography of another person, a human by the name of Kapellmeister Johannes Kreisler. Murr accidentally sends in the ‘blotting’ paper to the printer with his own pages, and so his printed book ends up in alternating pages between his own writings and that of the biography of Kreisler.

I did not enjoy Kreisler’s pages so much. Kreisler’s life was written in a dull dull dull manner, despite the fact it was a satire of German gothic novels. Kreisler fixes organs, and he is a musician. His skills permit him access to various classes of society, as well as involvement in various adventures. He is of a nervous disposition, a bit of a frail personality; but this was a time period when some artists were considered to be of delicate emotional constitutions. His acquaintances are aristocrats, some of whom go mad, common folk, religious priests, and merchants. Psychology was a new science, lately introduced to European society, and it was interesting to read a book which was one of the first to use psychological terms, not just elements, as part of a gothic story. There is a magician (Master Abraham, a character in both intermingled pages), a seeress who sees the future, automatons, possible ghosts, attempted murder, etc. The aristocrat family is full of the arranging of marriages and other corruptions which were usual at that time and in previous centuries.

As befits a novel written for the educated European reader, who were considered elites of these times, there are also tons and tons of literary and cultural references of high-culture Art books and theme paintings, especially those of German, French, Latin and some Greek studies, although satirically inserted and used.

Many historians think of 1815 as the date when our modern times began, so that places this book on the cusp between medieval world values and the beginning of the industrial ages. In my opinion, that makes this book an interesting novel, seeing a bit of the intersection of the two periods of European/German idea and philosophical development. I also adored Murr. However, I did not enjoy reading about Kreisler; I thought his sections a chore to read through. Other readers have felt exactly the opposite of what I felt. If you read this book, let me know which protagonist you liked best!

[Irina Constantin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suprarealism, efuziune lirică, nihilism și un timp boem petrecut în compania motanului Murr, un timp în care aproape te apuci de fumat chiar dacă nu ai facut-o niciodată în viață...Motanul Murr e un pisic de colecție, mult prea evoluat pentru epoca în care trăiește, un superior și un gentelman de primă clasă, motanul Murr nu e oricine, e un domn, eh, poți să stai cu el minute în șir de vorbă într-o cafenea fumând și depănând amintiri gârlă, e pur și simplu fantastic,ai un amic ca motanul Murr, cum ar fi să-i dai un telefon și el să fie acolo pe fir să-ți propună o ieșire în oraș la apus, o ieșire metafizică după care tânjești de ani întregi și nu ai cu cine pentru că lumea de rând s-a angrenat într-o viață banală cu job, rate și copiii după ei, numai tu ai rămas singur acum fără prieteni care să mai fie așa nebuni și visători ca tine, desprinși de simțul practic și a utilitarismului ostentativ, dar tu ești poet și nu ai treabă cu ei, motanul Murr a lui Hoffmann ar putea să-ți spună cum stau treburile astea în viață și cum să faci față nenorocitei ăsteia de rutini zilnice care de obicei îi bagă în depresii pe artiști și poeți...și pe mine, motanul Murr - un prieten de nădejde, expert în niihilismul pasiv, expert și în suferințele din dragoste atât la femei cât și bărbați, ce să mai motanul Murr e un psihoterapeut și psiholog fără vreun masterat absolvit la Harvard sau Oxford, de necrezut...Culmea e că motanul e student la Litere momentan, dar cam adună multe absențe pentru că el se ocupă mai mult de propriul ego decât de restanțele din mediu academic, așa cum eram și
eu pe vremea studenției de la Litere, de altfel, un fel de ''student'' etern cum m-ai descoperim și la Dostoievsky în Adolescentul, un anti-erou fără prea multă morală sau conștiință, nihilist pasiv, sceptic, lipsti de curaj și forță de determinare în viață și totuși un spirit idealist prezent și în Memoriile din subterană tot de Dostoievsky sau chiar Crimă și pedeapsă, Străinul de Camus sau Metamorfoza de Kafka, genul de literatură în care mă regăsesc cel mai mult eu, ca o reflecție identică a spiritului meu ascuns într-o oglindă răvășitoare...

[J.T. Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's always rewarding when you read a book like this - two hundred years old and full of references to bourgeois German society - and find that it is genuinely funny, that the humour transcends cultural and historical boundaries. Here, the characteristics of the pretentious, deluded cat Murr and the intense, anti-social composer Kriesler are easily identifiable in any era.

Murr engages in a sort of bildungsroman, starting off as a precocious kitten fond of half-reading classics and amusing himself with "naughty pranks" and passing through marriage, fraternity life and a dabble with high society. Kriesler wanders into the banana republic of Sieghartsof only to find himself drawn towards the haunted Princess Hedwiga and her charming friend Julia, and drawn into a gothic mystery featuring mysterious figures in the woods and sinister princes. The deliberately haphazard cutting between the stories and the surreal nature of the stories give the novel a distinctive feel; a proto-magic realism novel. The abrupt ending, necessitated by Hoffman's death, leaves the book forever incomplete. Still, if you can countenance a lack of narrative closure, there's a lot to enjoy in this witty, inventive work.

[dely · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

Murr è un gatto colto e intelligente che ama la lettura e si dedica con impegno anche alla scrittura. Il libro, infatti, è un'autobiografia in cui Murr non solo parla della sua vita ma esprime anche le sue considerazioni sulla società. Murr, però, per scrivere la sua biografia, usa dei fogli che contenevano la biografia di Kreisler, un altro personaggio di Hoffmann. Le due biografie in questo modo si sovrappongono e l'editore stampa un libro che contiene le due biografie che s'intrecciano e si alternano.
Ecco, sarò scema io, ma non sono riuscita a capire quando si stavano leggendo le parti scritte da Murr e quando quelle scritte da Kreisler. L'io narrante sembrava sempre lo stesso, ovvero il gatto Murr. Quando verrà a trovarmi il mio amico intelligente lo obbligherò a leggere il libro e poi mi farò indicare da lui quali parti sono di Murr e quali quelle di Kreisler.
E' un bel libro, a tratti con osservazioni profonde e a tratti umoristico, l'unica pecca è che non sono riuscita a vedere differenze tra lo scritto del gatto e quello di Kreisler perché l'io narrante sembra sempre lo stesso.
Un giorno lo leggerò in lingua originale perché sono curiosa di vedere se è colpa della traduzione, se è Hoffmann che ha usato uno stesso linguaggio per entrambi i personaggi o se sono una povera fessa.


25/02/2013
Ho letto finalmente l'edizione in lingua originale.
Posso affermare di non essere una fessa (lo sono comunque ma per altri motivi) perché l'editore Ugo Mursia ha avuto la splendida idea di mutilare senza ritegno un classico della letteratura tedesca.
Nell'edizione tedesca ci sono, com'è giusto che sia, entrambe le biografie: l'autobiografia del gatto Murr è completa mentre quella del maestro di cappella Kreisler è frammentata perché interrotta dall'autobiografia di Murr che ha usato i fogli che contenevano la biografia di Kreisler per annotarci le sue riflessioni e la sua vita.
Si tratta quindi di due storie separate e indipendenti collegate solo dal fatto che il padrone di Murr, il maestro Abramo, è un caro amico di Kreisler il quale ha ospitato il gatto per un breve periodo durante il quale il micio ha pensato bene di iniziare a scrivere la sua autobiografia utilizzando i fogli contenenti la biografia di Kreisler.
Mentre l'autobiografia di Murr è completa, quella di Kreisler è volutamente interrotta e incompleta ma ciò non toglie nulla alla trama della storia, anzi, questa si arricchisce di mistero e di suspense.
Nella storia di Kreisler ritroviamo le ambientazioni e le tematiche tipiche di Hoffmann: il mistero, un omicidio, un po' di magia e segreti che verranno svelati.

Se volete leggere Le considerazioni filosofiche del gatto Murr NON comprate l'edizione della Mursia perché manca tutta la storia di Kreisler. L'unica spiegazione che posso dare a questa mutilazione è che Le considerazioni della Mursia fanno parte della collana Felinamente e quindi la parte dedicata alla biografia di Kreisler è stata consapevolmente omessa per mantenere solo quella del gatto Murr.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYDHDK...

[Onur Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah romantizm! Nasıl Hamlet Horatio’suz eksikse, edebiyatta sen olmasan eksilmiş sayılırdı. Romantik bir giriş yapmak istedim bu incelemeye, çünkü okuduktan sonra bir kez daha romantizm akımına aşık oldum.

Bu kitap muhteşemdir, efsanedir, destansıdır, masalsıdır, tam bir klasik başyapıttır. Bugüne kadar okuduğum en iyi klasik kitap diyebilirim. Top 5 kitap listemde üst sıraları zorlar. Aslında kitap hakkında söylenecek o kadar fazla şey var ki. Hiçbir kelime benim bu kitaba olan hayranlığımı ifade edecek güce sahip değil gibi hissediyorum. Kitap, bir yandan Kedi Murr’un bebeklikten olgunluğa kadar yaşadıklarını, hayat hakkındaki görüşlerini, izlenimlerini, gözlemlerini anlatırken bir yandan orkestra şefi Kreisler’in masalsı hikayesine ortak ediyor bizi. Bir süre sonra iki hikaye arasındaki paralelliği farkettiğinizde kitabın tadından yenmiyor. Aynı anda iki kitap okuyormuş gibi hissediyorsunuz.
Kedilere olan bakış açım tamamen değişti. Bunu anlamanız için kitabı okumanızı tavsiye ederim.

Bu başyapıt, bir kitapta olmasını istediğim, okumayı beklediğim her şeye sahipti; uzun betimlemeler, karmaşık olaylar, dolu dolu bir hikaye, içinden çıkamayacağınız felsefi akıl yürütmeler, bir sürü edebi, tarihi, İncil referansları, metaforlar. E.T.A. Hoffman’a hayran kaldım, tüm kitaplarını okuma isteğiyle yanıp tutuşuyorum.

[Bojan Mihajilovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written 200 years ago it is still fresh and beautiful. I enjoyed in every sentence. Even unfinished it was a blast!

[Le_Suti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katzenromane gibt es in der zeitgenössischen Literatur ja so einige. Doch die Idee ist nicht neu: Schon in den Lebens-Ansichten des Katers Murr von E. T. A. Hoffmann, einem fast 200 Jahre alten Text, tritt ein Kater höchstselbst als Autor auf und überliefert der Nachwelt seine Biografie. Dummerweise verwendet er dafür bereits beschriebenes Papier, nämlich ein Manuskript, das er bei seinem Besitzer, dem Kapellmeister Kreisler, findet. Durch einen vermeintlichen Fehler bei der Drucklegung ergibt es sich, dass sich die Lebensgeschichte des schriftstellernden Katers mit der Biografie des Kapellmeisters auf kuriose Weise vermischt. E. T. A. Hoffmann hat mit diesem Roman ein Kunstwerk hinsichtlich Form und Komposition geschaffen. Es gelingt ihm, zwei voneinander weitgehend unabhängige Geschichten parallel zu erzählen und trotzdem die beiden Handlungsfäden geschickt miteinander zu verweben. An den Leser stellt das hohe Anforderungen, zumal die Kreisler-Biografie nur aus Fragmenten besteht und für sich schon eine recht komplizierte Struktur besitzt. Aber gerade darum ist der Roman auch heute noch ein ungewöhnliches Lesevergnügen.

[Hande Kılıçoğlu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Müzik eleştirmenliği, yargıçlık, memurluk ve müzik yönetmenliği yapmış olan Hoffmann bu romanıyla Romantik edebiyatın mihenk taşlarından birini yaratmış bence. Yazdığı eserler başta "Fındıkkıran" olmak üzere pek çok opera ve baleye ilham olmuş. Kitaba gelecek olursak son derece zeki ve okur-yazarlığa meraklı olan kedi Murr'un besteci Kreisler'in notlarının üzerine kendi yaşam öyküsünü yazmasından oluşan bir çifte biyografi. Okurken arada boşluklar olmakla birlikte bestecinin garip yaşamından parçalar ve Murr'un inanılmaz derecede kibir dolu komik yaşanmışlıkları birbirine geçiyor ki iki hikayeyi de okumak inanılmaz keyifli. İki hikaye de dönemin entelektüel ve aristokrat çevresiyle alay eder bir şekilde abartılı konuşmalar, düşünceler, tepkiler ve karakterlerle dolu. Özellikle kedi karakterlerinin, dönemin entelektüel gruplarının komik bir örneği olduğunu düşündüm okurken. Alman romantizmine, hatta genel olarak romantizm akımına meraklı olan okurların kesinlikle okumasını tavsiye ederim.

[Orçun Güzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Birinci harika fikir: Bir kediye, insanları hicveden bir otobiyografi yazdırmak. İkinci harika fikir: Kedinin yazdıkları arasına bir orkestra şefine ait başka bir biyografinin sayfalarının karışmış olması, sözde yayımcının bunu fark etmemesi ve romanda iki metnin (cümleler yarım kalarak) bir arada ilerlemesi.
Bu, muazzam bir roman. Görkemi, sadece karmaşık kurgusal yapısından değil, bu kurgunun sonucunda farklılıklar arasında keskin geçişler yapabilmesinden, komik ile trajiği, hiciv ile şiirselliği, mani ile melankoliyi, başıboş gevezelik ile ürkütücü sırları bir araya getirebilmesinden kaynaklanıyor. Bir de tabii, Hoffmann’a özgü o tekinsiz, tuhaf, gizemli atmosferden…

NOT: Üçüncü cildi yazmaya Hoffmann’ın ömrü yetmemiş, ama bir önemi yok: Zaten paramparça bir metne, kim yarım kalmış diyebilir ki!

[Elcin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romantizm ve bir kedi mi, hmmm.. Harika bir birleşim!

Günlük konuşma dilinin akışında hiç yormadan ilerleyen (yanlışlıkla) iç içe geçmiş iki hayat hikayesinin coşkulu ve romantik birlikteliği ile akan harika bir kitap. Hoffmann'ın hikayeciliği, aristokrasi ve burjuvazi arasındaki sınıf çatışmalarını baz alarak yarattığı karakterler sayesinde dans ediyor. Kendi müzisyen kimliğini de kitaba yansıtıyor, kedi Murr ve Orkestra Şefi Kreisler'i müzikle iç içe yaratıyor.

Kitabı bitirişimin, Kedi Murr'un hayata gözlerini kapadığı güne denk gelmesi de ayrı bir gülümseme yarattı bende.

Çok keyifli bir okuma idi.

[Ringa Sruogienė · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puikus kūrinys, kur didelė išmintis slepiasi po ironijos patalu. Labai skanu ir smagu skaityti!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always a fan of E.T.A. Hoffmann I was not disappointed by this tale of a self aware cat and his journey through life. Though not as compelling as The Tales of Hoffmann there was a lot to recommend this work of Fabulist Satire. Though considered his masterpiece, I found the Tales of Hoffmann more enjoyable -- but this is a personal choice and not meant to be read for an objective statement.

Essentially, it is the story of the self-taught cat Tomcat Murr who has written is own autobiography which, because of a printer's error, has caused his story to be spliced with the biography of the composer Johannes Kreisler -- in some ways Hoffmann's book is almost postmodern...in the same way that The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy is almost postmodern. So much for postmodernism.

Murr and Kreisler are polar opposites in temperament and this allows Hoffmann to play with the fantastic, the ridiculous and the sublime at almost the same time. Much of the book is concerned with everyday life and the genius of the work comes within the format of observations and reactions to life.

This satire is one of the most engaging novels of the 19th century.

Highly Recommend -- 4 out of 5 stars.

[Lee Foust · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything about this fabulous novel: its tender humor, its wholly original form, its engaging narrative(s), compelling characters, its satire (of other texts, societal conventions, and human foibles in general), as well its many literary homages and avowed inspirations. Also the inspiration this novel must have given authors I love like Gerard de Nerval, Franz Kafka, and so many other fabulously fringy writers is inestimable. Murr is original and delightful, both important and a great read, even if its interrupted ending--first because of the death of the author's cat, and then the author's own demise--leave it a tad frustratingly unfinished at only two volumes. This is particularly sad since the novel is so damned good. I couldn't stem my disappointment in not having at least one, even two, more volumes to enjoy. Although, well, it kinda works as is too. It's interesting to imagine one's own ending to Kreisler's convoluted story. I'm gonna opt for comedy and say it ends with Julia marrying the right guy, as genially mad as he is.

[Elif · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dünya Klasikleri Okuma Kulübünün Kasım ayı kitabıydı Kedi Murr’un Dünya Görüşü. Adıyla daha önce de dikkatimi çeken bir kitaptı o yüzden okuma fırsatı yakalamak güzel oldu. Bence ağır bir klasik. Tarz olarak okuması aşırı kolay değil. Kitabın bir parçasını kedi Murr’un hayatı bir parçası Kreisler adındaki orkestra şefinin hayatını oluşturmakta. 2 karakter arasındaki geçişler de keskin yapıldığından birden hikayenin sona erip başka bir olaya geçilmesi yorucu oluyor. Ben düz bir okuma yolu seçmiştim ancak önce Murr’un sonra Kreisler’ın kısımları da okunabilirmiş. Muhtemelen böylesi daha sürükleyici olacaktır. Ben Murr’un hayatını okumaktan büyük bir keyif aldım ancak Kreisler’ı okuması hiç keyifli değildi. Bu yüzden onun kısımlarına Murr’a verdiğim özeni gösteremedim. Eğer sadece Murr anlatılsa ve novella olarak kısaltılsa eğlenceli bir klasik olurmuş ama farklı bir tarza sahip olduğundan edebiyatta önemli bir yer edinebilmiş.

[Frank · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ich mag Hoffmann sehr! Aber keine Katzen. :-( Immerhin hat Hoffmann mit seiner Idee viele Nachahmer gefunden. Sein "Kater" ist also literaturtheoretisch hoch interessant, aber als Lektüre doch eher müde.

[natalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

esse livro muito me fez lembrar de uma gata frajolinha que eu encontrava quando ia andando pra fflch :) espero muito que ainda hoje ela esteja bem. muitas beijocas pra ela

[Sapadtribizli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pont egy hónapig olvastam – igen, nehezen ment. Sokszor éreztem túl kesze-kuszának, főleg az elején; még ma sem teljesen tiszta, hogy is volt az az ünnepély, de ez nyilván az én saram. Aztán néha untatott a cikornyás megfogalmazás, bár néha meg is nevettetett. Tetszett az ötlet, hogy egy macska miket írhat, hogy töltheti mindennapjait, de tetszett a művész bohémkodása is, viszont a túlérzékeny nők, a naivságuk, stb. most szatírában sem mondanak nekem semmi újat.
Szóval érdekes egyveleg számomra a könyv: tetszett a formája, de, bár karácsony közeleg, ez a kötet most nem adott nekem semmit.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been wanting to read this book ever since I read a collection of ETA Hoffmann's stories 2 years ago-ish. So far it is as enjoyable as I had hoped and expected it to be.

---------

After finishing: I must say after the initial novelty of the form, characters and setting wore off, I didn't enjoy this book all that much and it was a struggle to see it through to the end. My main criticisms: The Kreisler plot is so convoluted and every time it begins to pick up, a Murr chapter breaks the momentum. Murr's plot and voice didn't do all that much for me either. Also, Hoffmann's digressions about music and the arts and constant references to the hot composers and playwrights of his day were prety tiresome. The book interests me as a curiosity in that it represents one of the earliest forays into anthropomorphized animal writing for adults I've ever heard of. I have to give it credit for being such a surreal read, as well, although in remaining true to the tendency of dreams to have no clear beginnings, middles, or ends, its conclusion left me prety much--to use one of Hoffmann's favorite words--vexed.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an initially fun read--I love the concept of a cat's autobiography spliced with a human Kapellmeister's shuffled biography, which the cat supposedly found in the wastepaper basket and wrote on the back of. The cat Murr, as are most cats, is very full of himself and his scholarly, poetical abilities and enjoys namedropping constantly in a hilarious manner. The Kapellmeister Kriesler, however, is supposedly a thinly disguised version of the author Hoffman himself, and his story becomes convoluted in the second half and ended up being a real chore to get though.

[Alberony Martínez · Rating 3 out of 5]

¿y si los animales domésticos hablaran? El Gato Murr no sería nadie…

De que va este libro, el cual lleva un título extra largo, pero bien podría acortase a El gato Murr. El libro cuenta la historia de un gato educado y con pensamientos propios, los cuales, a través de tiempo, como bien dice el autor del libro, fue forjando cuando comienza a examinar libros y artículos en el estudio de su dueño, el maestro Abraham, y más luego se embarca en la caligrafía obtenida del manual compilado de Hilmar Curas. Un libro que fue publicado por primera vez en dos volúmenes en 1820-1822 y con el intento de un tercer volumen el cual no cuajo.

Un texto que, en la medida de lo posible, cuando el gato hace uso de la palabra para expresar su narrativa sobre el mundo y los que lo componen, de manera graciosa hace una crítica de las convenciones sociales y educadas. El editor señala que 'a ese inteligente, bien educado, filosófico y poético gato Murr le fue arrebatado por la amarga Muerte [...] después de una breve, pero grave enfermedad' sin completar sus memorias: 'Un genio que madura temprano puede nunca prospera por mucho tiempo: o declina, en el anticlímax, para convertirse en una mediocridad sin carácter ni intelecto […] o no vive hasta una edad avanzada».

«¿El andar erguido sobre dos pies es algo tan grande que la especie que se llama a sí misma humana pueda pensarse que tiene dominio sobre todos nosotros, que, con un equilibrio más seguro, andamos a cuatro patas? Pero ya sé: se piensan que esto que, dicen, está en su cabeza y que ellos llaman la razón es algo grande. No soy capaz de imaginarme bien qué es lo que ellos entienden con esta palabra, pero de algo sí que no tengo duda: si, por lo que puedo deducir de determinados discursos de mi amo y protector, la razón no es otra cosa que la capacidad de actuar de un modo consciente y de no hacer tonterías, yo no me cambio por ningún ser humano. Una cosa creo, y es que la conciencia es sólo algo a lo que uno se acostumbra; en cambio, llegamos a la vida y pasamos por ella sin que nosotros mismos sepamos cómo».

Un gato que se dio el lujo de componer grandes obras maestras como un tratado político titulado Ratoneras y su influencia en el carácter y los logros de la raza felina, la tragedia Cawdallor, rey de las ratas y la "novela filosófica y didáctica del sentimiento" Pensamiento e intuición, o, Gato y perro. Su forjado narrativo de su educación sentimental; cuando tiene un encuentro emocional con su madre perdida hace mucho tiempo, el disfrute de una amistad ilustrativa con Ponto. Su historia de amor con la encantadora Miesmies, que llega a un abrupto final cuando ella se enamora de los halagos de un veterano de guerra, un fanfarrón gato atigrado a rayas que luce la Orden del Tocino Quemado por su valor en librar a una despensa de ratones. El amigo de Murr, el gato negro Muzius, que abre los ojos a la traición, pero Murr sale peor. Momento en su narración cuando se enamora de su propia hija, y si no es por uno de compañero que lo trae a la tierra sigue su camino, pero este le advierte que es su hija. Y qué decir, del amante de su amo, Murr describía todo lo que pasaba en esa casa….

Es un libro interesante, donde el autor emplea muy bien la sátira a través de este felino para dejarle caer algunas cascaritas de verdades a aquella sociedad, con un humor que pasa las barreras culturales. Hoffmann bien emplea la polaridad entre Murr y Kreisler, lo cual juega muy bien con lo fantástico, lo ridículo y lo sublime casi al mismo tiempo.

«Pero el hecho de que yo hallara rimas me demostró una vez más la superioridad de mi especie en comparación con la humana, porque, como se sabe, con la palabra hombre no rima nada, por lo cual, como ya ha observado algún dramaturgo bromista, el hombre es un animal que no rima»

[Hot Mess Sommelière ~ Caro · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @55%

NOPE CAN'T DO IT

ETA Hoffmann may not ring a bell for you, but he is the author who wrote the novella Nutcracker, which was picked up by Three Musketeers writer Alexandre Dumas, who wrote the libretto for the world-famous Ballet.

I LOVE the ballet, BUT ETA Hoffmann's original Nutcracker is way creepier and darker. There is also a great adult fairy tale retelling of Nutcracker by Lani Lenore: The Nutcracker Bleeds. I recommend that. I also recommend ETA Hoffmann's Nutcracker novella. It's glorious.

This? Complete and utter trash.

I have two cats with distinct personalities and I always wanted to read a book where cats are the narrators, so this fit the bill, especially because ETA is a good writer. Or so I thought.

This book is split into two fractions: one is about tomcat Murr, who is a boring dullard who wittily (or not so wittily) comments on society, while the other half is about Chapel Master Kreisler who does ... whatever it is he does.

I have been listening to the audiobook RELIGIOUSLY for two months (or more). Every single night I lie down in bed and I put my timer to one chapter, and I LISTEN. It's so dull, I always fall asleep and forget everything that happened, so the next day I listen to the same chapter again. And again. And again. I just can't do it anymore. If I am ever captured and given the choice between listening to this audiobook for the rest of my life in a tiny non-descript room OR Fifty Shades of Grey, I would pick Fifty Shades of Grey. And I hate that book! But this one? Cruel torture made from words.

ETA is a clever writer, but is he clever enough to hide the fact that everything in this book is utterly irrelevant and snoozy? That none of the characters have any relatability to them? No.

This book is like an old phone book that you have to methodically work your way through, but you can't call any of the people and ask for their life stories (cause they're dead) and all the advertisements are for bleach and soap, instead of funny shit like snake-oil for a long-lasting erection.

All of the things I hate about this book are made even worse by the fact that Murr and Kreisler do not get full chapters one after the other. Instead, Murr is interrupted mid-sentence, and then Kreisler is interrupted mid-sentence, again and again.

I know this was probably clever and new and cool back when the book was published, but because of the unexciting nature of the book, I absolutely loathed that. It practically made me froth at the mouth in anger and boredom.

I will never touch this crap again and I hope to God that Hoffmann's Der Sandmann/The Sandman by E. T. A. Hoffmann: The Original German and a New English Translation with Critical Introductions (YES, Gailman stole that story for his famous comic book series) will be better than this.

Over and out.