The Walnut Trees of Altenburg [Hardcover]

Andre Malraux (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0865273928 | ISBN-13: 978-0865273924 | Publication Date: July 1, 1989

"One of the key texts of Malraux's work . . . [its] pages must be counted among the most haunting in all of twentieth century literature."—Victor Brombert

"The description of the gas attack on the Russian front in 1915 will never be forgotten by anyone who has read it. . . . [Malraux] writes with the precision, the certitude and the authority of an obsessed person who knows that he has found the essence of what he has been looking for."—Conor Cruise O'Brien, from the Foreword

Malraux's greatest novel, Man's Fate, gave a grim, lurid picture of human suffering. [The Walnut Trees of Altenburg], written by a life-long observer of violent upheaval and within the shadows of World War II, gives a calm, thoughtful vision of humanistic endeavor that can transcend the absurdity of existence. Mature readers will find this a rewarding visit to one of the most accomplished writers of our time."—Choice

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This is an outstanding translation of Malraux's last novel, written during the early years of World War II. (The 1948 Gallimard French edition, Les Noyers de l'Altenburg , is no longer in print.) The famous pages describing the German poison gas attack on the Russians at the Eastern front in 1915 are as haunting as ever;human life and nature are sickeningly destroyed, leaving Vincent Berger, who experiences the horror, with the overwhelming and desperate urge simply to be happy. Themes present in Malraux's earlier works--particularly the alienation of modern man caught between action and intellect, political forces and human freedom, permanence and change--are powerfully conveyed again by the author. English-speaking readers already familiar with Malraux's writings will welcome this first English version.
- Anthony Caprio, American Univ., Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Language Notes

Text: English, French (translation)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Howard Fertig (July 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865273928
• ISBN-13: 978-0865273924
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,096,116 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Calm before the storm, May 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Walnut Trees of Altenburg (Hardcover)

The narration shifts back and forth between father and sonduring two world wars in the Alsace region. The book opens with oneof the narrators enduring life as a prisoner of war, with the sense of time having ceased to exist. The descriptions of literary life before WWI set up a vivid contrast with the account of a gas attack on the Russian front. A reader well versed in philosophy and history, or reading the original French text, will no doubt understand more of the implications in the dialogues. Read the preface carefully to get acclimated, but don't miss the unexpected developments of this novel.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Altenberg, March 3, 2011

By 

Doug W. Murray - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Walnut Trees of Altenburg (Phoenix Fiction Series) (Paperback)

This book has been unavailable in Canada for many years. So, that was my motivation to get it. Why? What was so different about it that you couldn't buy it here?

Well, it was worth the wait. Malraux's description of the gas attacks should be read by all of the crazy leaders we have in this world and then apply it to them. Maybe that would stop the insanity.

In the same French manner as Camus and others Malraux has described a horrer within a horrer but still keeping us thinking about what lie ahead. It is well worth the read.