Pilgrim [Paperback]

Timothy Findley (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 534 pages
• Publisher: Harper-collins Publishers; Book Club edition (2000)
• ISBN-10: 0006485278
• ISBN-13: 978-0006485278
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,536,577 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Intellectually nimble, August 9, 2001

By 

Louise Nelson (Idaho Falls, ID United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pilgrim: A Novel (Paperback)

I found Pilgrim to be a fascinating read. Part history, part psychology, part mystery, Pilgrim leads the reader on a circuitous journey. One needs to be intellectually nimble, to be able to suspend disbelief, and to have either a quick grasp of the wide historical range addressed...or have access to a good encyclopedia.

Pilgrim is a man/woman/spirit/consciousness who has been admitted to a Swiss psychiatric hospital because of his repeated suicide attempts. All attempts, though seeming at first to have succeeded, actually failed, thus "condemning" him, somewhat like Woolf's Orlando, to live forever.

His encounters with famous people throughout history constitute a remarkable chronicle of certain historical periods. His relationship with C.G. Jung, during the years when the latter was developing his theory of the collective unconscious, is particularly intriguing.

I couldn't categorize this book as history, biography, fantasy, psychiatry, psychology, mystery. It defies many of the basic "rules" of any one of these designations and may, therefore, cause some discomfort in a reader who prefers strict logic, easy-to-follow story line, or predictable form. But it's quite a ride for those interested in the exploratory!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Spiritually enlivening, February 14, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Pilgrim: A Novel (Paperback)

This work is entirely different from anything I've ever read. I appreciated the brooding tone of the story and the undercurrent of foreshadowing leading up to its climax. The ending was a little unorthodox and left me with a need for closure, however, I believe Findley does this purposefully as a way to compliment the mysterious and spiritual undertones of the plot. A comfortable, soothing read. Felt as if I were in a reverie, I could almost set it to music.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, March 9, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Pilgrim: A Novel (Paperback)

Beautifully written and richly imagined, this is a fascinating novel that challenges historical reality and presents psychology and philosophy in a unique way. Interesting portrait of Jung and a cast of wonderfully realized characters. A thoughtful and thought provoking journey through time and the human psyche.