There is a sequel to this book called ghosts in which many of the characters reappear. Banville has always subscribed to the notion of two books. John banville was born in wexford, ireland, in 1945. Order of john banville books benjamin black book series. In ancient light knopf, the sixteenth novel by the irish master john banville, the narratoralex cleave, an actor, living in a seaside village in irelandreads a book whose style he. An icy, detailed portrait of a traitor, and a precise meditation on the nature of belief and betrayal. The book is narrated by freddie montgomery, a 38yearold scientist, who murders a servant girl during an attempt to steal a painting from a neighbour. After a twoyear spell living in america, banville returned home to ireland where he became a subeditor at the irish press in 1970 his first book, a collection of short stories called long lankin, was published in 1970 since then he has written sixteen novels. This time out, though, he keeps matters moving along briskly and his prose, while still vigorous, firmly under control. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Prior to this, i devoured john banvilles eclipse, the sea, and ancient light. Winner of irelands largest literary award for the best book of 1989, banvilles latest is an elegantly written, often darkly comic meditation upon evil and guiltand a great imaginative leap beyond his previous efforts kepler, 1983, etc. Buy the book of evidence 1st edition by john banville isbn. The book of evidence is a marvelous piece of literary, philosophical, and political fiction.
From the internationally acclaimed and man booker prizewinning author of the sea and the benjamin black mysteries a vividly evocative memoir that unfolds around the authors recollections, experience, and imaginings of dublin as much about the life of the city as it is about a life lived, sometimes, in the city, john banvilles quasimemoir is as layered. When art historian max morden returns to the seaside village where he once spent a childhood holiday, he is both escaping from a. Irish novelist john banvilleknown to readers of mystery fiction as benjamin blackhad been writing novels for twenty years when, in 1989, the book of evidence. The book of evidence is the account of frederick montgomery, an irish scientist who has been imprisoned for stealing a painting and the murder of a young housemaid. If banville succeeds in making readers return to henry james, this lively enterprise will prove a. The book of evidence by john banville, paperback barnes. I normally try to write my comments without major plot spoilers, but this book is such that i just couldnt avoid it and still say what i wanted to say. The book of evidence 1989 is a murder mystery and the first of a trilogy centred on the. Complete summary of john banvilles the book of evidence. Though he has been described as the heir to proust, via nabokov, banville himself maintains that w. Banville writes a dangerous and clearrunning prose and has a grim gift of seeing peoples souls don delillo one of the most important writers now at work in english a key thinker, in fact, in. The book of evidence by john banville overdrive rakuten.
Montgomerys tale is narcissistic and may hold little resemblance to the truth of his life. The book of evidence by john banville librarything. The book of evidence by john banville pan macmillan. The book of evidence won irelands prestigious guinness peat aviation award. This poetically written novel takes the form of a series of journal entries written by a lonely middleaged man as he spends what he sees as his final days in a guesthouse near the scene of a tragedy in his childhood. The washington post book worldwith his fastidious wit and exquisite style, john banville is the heir to nabokov. The newton letter gave this reader such pleasurable excitement that he found it impossible to concentrate on anything until he had read it again to make sure that it seemed as good on the second reading. His novel the book of evidence was shortlisted for the booker prize and won the guinness peat aviation award in 1989. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the book of evidence vintage international. Freddie is an aimless drifter, and though he is a perceptive observer of himself and his surroundings, he is largely amoral.
Irish novelist john banville was born in wexford in ireland in 1945. The untouchable 1997, along with eclipse 2000 and its sequel, shroud 2002, are novels that tell. The book becomes vital as it moves away from the plot, when banville describes the process of creation. The following entry presents an overview of banvilles career through 1997.
I just finished the book of evidence, having read it in just 2 days. John banville remarked 1, when he knew the book of evidence had been. Regarded as the most stylistically elaborate irish writer of his generation, john banville is a philosophical novelist concerned with the nature of perception, the conflict between imagination and reality, and the existential. Other articles where the book of evidence is discussed.
So far, my first banville, ancient light, is my favorite. Freddie montgomery is a fictional character, the murderer who narrates three novels by john banville called the book of evidence, ghosts, and athena. William john banville born 8 december 1945 is an irish novelist, short story writer, adapter of dramas and screenwriter. Shortlisted for the 1989 booker prize, the book of evidence by john banville is a dark and unsettling crime classic. Every page of this elegant psychopathic monologuea thief and murderers intelligent and restrained account of his inane and violent crimereveals banville to be a master of his craft.
The literary reader, therefore, is excluded from the hidden work within the text, and, instead, opens a space one of assumption, belief, and experience in which to distinguish that which he cannot discern. This short book is a riveting, brilliantly told tale of one mans downfall. It outlines his current experiences in jail and looks back on the circumstances that led to his crime. If youve been fainthearted before, sample john banville via the book of evidence its the reason hes one of irelands greatest writers. John banville is an irish author who was born and went to school in wexford.
Dive deep into john banvilles the book of evidence with extended analysis. The book of evidence is a major work of fiction in which every suave moment calmly detonates to show the murderous gleam within. The book of evidence vintage international kindle edition by banville, john. Irish novelist john banvilleknown to readers of mystery fiction as benjamin blackhad been writing novels for twenty years when, in 1989, the book of evidence was shortlisted for the booker.
The language is a joy to read, the characterisation perfection. He is known for dark humour and a precise, forensiclike style that is dense and thick like poetry. He worked for aer lingus in dublin, an opportunity that enabled him to travel widely. Malcolm mcarthur is not a fictional character at least not in any straightforward sense. He stole a small dutch master from a wealthy family friend, and he murdered a chambermaid who caught him in the act. His fourteenth novel, the sea, won the booker prize in 2005. The book of evidence by john banville bibliofemme bookclub. Sir victor maskell, an elderly, muchhonored art historian.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. In john banvilles the newton letter, a historian, on the brink of completing a book on isaac newton, rents a. John banvilles stunning powers of mimicry are brilliantly on display in this engrossing novel, the darkly compelling confession of an improbable murderer. Shortlisted for the booker prize, the book of evidence by john banville is a gripping portrait of a cold, deceptive killer. The book of evidence is a 1989 novel by john banville. Delistraty on the irish novelist john banville, the author of the new book the blue guitar, who says writing fiction remains an enigma to him. He is a merciless observer and his narrators are the same way. John banville, pseudonym benjamin black, born december 8, 1945, wexford, ireland, irish novelist and journalist whose fiction is known for being referential, paradoxical, and complex. John banville 1945 irish novelist, short story writer, critic, and editor. The sunday telegraphthe sea offers an extraordinary meditation on mortality, grief, death, childhood and memory. The book of evidence by john banville and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Banville often writes under the pen name of benjamin black. He has recently taken the reigns of raymond chandlers philip marlowe character as benjamin black. John vandveld montgomery has returned to ireland in a desperate search for money. In 2011, banville was awarded the franz kafka prize, while 20 brought both the irish pen award and the austrian state prize for european literature. This special 25th anniversary edition features extra material. He was educated at a christian brothers school and st peters college in wexford. He was literary editor of the irish times between 1988 and 1999. Yeats and henry james are the two real influences on his work banville has won the 1976 james tait black memorial prize, the 2005 booker prize, the.
The book of evidence 1989 is a murder mystery and the first of a trilogy centred on the character freddie montgomery. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on the sea by john banville. John banville, the book of evidence by prezi user on prezi. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. The book won irelands guinness peat aviation award in 1989 and was shortlisted for britains booker prize. The book of evidence is the story of an unhinged mans descent into murder. John banville is an irish novelist, playwright and screenwriter. That, in summary fashion, is montgomerys story, not really much of a story as. He has been the recipient of the james tait black memorial prize 1976, the guardian fiction prize 1981, the guinness peat aviation book award 1989, and the lannan literary award for fiction 1997.
John banville on the utter mystery of writing the new yorker. The book is narrated by freddie montgomery, a 38yearold scientist, who murders a servant girl during. The book of evidence 1989 mefisto 1986 the newton letter. Shortlisted for the 1989 booker prize, the book of evidence by john banville is a dark and unsettling crime. After leaving college he worked for aer lingus in dublin, ireland which gave him the opportunity to travel widely. The newton letter ebook by john banville 9780330523776. Common themes throughout his work include loss, obsession, destructive love, and the pain that accompanies freedom. This is what critic eve patten has to say about the novel and its author.
866 337 124 936 295 1311 840 1413 296 1491 1303 1489 1475 1021 905 779 889 241 361 817 830 1193 1359 761 134 786 1156 109 1394 1230 61 1445 457 884 374 487 1030 802 1413 173 615 796 95