When We Were Orphans

出版者:Vintage

作者:Ishiguro, Kazuo

页数:335

出版时间:2001-10-30

价格:$14.95

装帧:Paperback

isbn号码:9780375724404

具体描述

From the Booker Prize-winning, bestselling author of Remains of the Day comes this stunning work of soaring imagination.

Born in early-twentieth-century Shanghai, Banks was orphaned at the age of nine after the separate disappearances of his parents. Now, more than twenty years later, he is a celebrated figure in London society; yet the investigative expertise that has garnered him fame has done little to illuminate the circumstances of his parents' alleged kidnappings. Banks travels to the seething, labyrinthine city of his memory in hopes of solving the mystery of his own, painful past, only to find that war is ravaging Shanghai beyond recognition-and that his own recollections are proving as difficult to trust as the people around him.

Masterful, suspenseful and psychologically acute, When We Were Orphans offers a profound meditation on the shifting quality of memory, and the possibility of avenging one’s past.

作者简介

Kazuo Ishiguro was born in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1954 and moved to Britain at the age of five. He is the author of four previous novels, including The Remains of the Day, an international bestseller that won the Booker Prize and was adapted into an award-winning film. Ishiguro's work has been translated into twenty-eight languages. In 1995, he received an Order of the British Empire for service to literature, and in 1998 was named a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government. He lives in London with his wife and daughter.

读后感

正值考研失败，感受着努力未曾得到回报的痛苦。连着去了四天的校招，越来越迷茫、越来越不甘。我和别人说，不用担心，我有给自己做好心理建设，考研失败了嘛就找工作啊，又不是只有一条路。我可以找个普通工作，朝九晚五，给自己做饭、整理屋子、读读书、周末和朋友逛街小聚、...  

到上海之后开始出现超现实的情节，是作者有意为之，这并不是一部传统意义上的“侦探小说”，而是假借这一范式又将其拆解；背景环境的模糊以及尽量避免区域文化特征则是作者走向世界文学这一场域的一种写作策略。石黑一雄所写并非惊心动魄的故事，更非宏伟的史诗，而是人内心世...  

用户评价

Whenever I see the title "When We Were Orphans," a peculiar blend of melancholy and curiosity washes over me. It's not just a name; it's an evocative phrase that hints at a narrative steeped in memory, loss, and perhaps a shared, unspoken history. The "we" immediately suggests a collective experience, while "orphans" conjures images of vulnerability, resilience, or even a profound sense of displacement. I can envision a story that delves into the complexities of childhood, the bonds forged in innocence, and the inevitable ruptures that can occur, leaving individuals feeling adrift. Perhaps the narrative explores a specific period, a time of upheaval or transition, where innocence was lost and a generation was forced to mature beyond its years. The title alone implies a journey, a looking back at a past that is both cherished and painful, a time when the world felt different, and perhaps more secure, despite whatever hardships existed. It makes me wonder about the characters' present lives, how their past as "orphans" has shaped them, their relationships, and their understanding of the world. Is it a story of overcoming adversity, finding solace in shared experience, or a poignant reflection on the indelible mark of early life? The beauty of such a title lies in its open-endedness, its ability to resonate with diverse interpretations and to spark a deep personal connection before even turning the first page.

"When We Were Orphans" – the sheer poetry of that title! It’s less a simple label and more a poignant invocation, a phrase that lingers long after you first hear it. It conjures an immediate atmosphere, a world tinged with the bittersweet hues of memory and shared hardship. The "we" is particularly compelling; it hints at a communal experience, a collective identity forged in the crucible of shared circumstances. And "orphans"… that word carries so much weight. It speaks of a profound lack, a disconnection from the familiar anchors of family and belonging. I find myself wondering about the nature of this orphanhood. Is it literal, a story about children who have lost their parents? Or is it metaphorical, an exploration of a generation or a group that felt alienated, adrift, or disconnected from the larger societal fabric? The title alone suggests a narrative that will likely delve into themes of resilience, self-reliance, and the often-unseen strength that emerges when individuals are forced to navigate the world without a safety net. It makes me anticipate a story that might explore the formation of unlikely bonds, the creation of chosen families, and the profound impact of those early, formative experiences on the individuals’ subsequent lives. It's a title that promises depth, emotion, and a compelling exploration of the human condition.

This title, "When We Were Orphans," has a certain haunting quality to it, doesn't it? It’s like a whispered secret from the past, a declaration of a shared condition that carries so much weight. I keep imagining the atmosphere it conjures – perhaps a certain dusty, sepia-toned hue, a feeling of faded photographs and half-forgotten lullabies. The "orphans" aspect, it's not just about lacking parents, is it? It feels more profound, perhaps a sense of being disconnected from a larger belonging, a societal or even existential orphanhood. It makes me ponder the societal structures that might have led to such a collective state. Was it a time of war? Or a period of social upheaval where families were fractured? The collective "we" is also fascinating. It suggests a shared upbringing, a common struggle, or a mutual understanding forged through shared experiences of being on one's own. I wonder if the book explores the dynamics within this group – the friendships, the rivalries, the ways they relied on each other for survival and comfort. It could be a powerful exploration of found family, of how individuals create their own support systems when the traditional ones are absent. The title evokes a sense of nostalgia, yes, but also a deep well of potential pain and resilience. It promises a narrative that isn't afraid to delve into the darker aspects of human experience, but also, I hope, to find the light and strength that can emerge from such circumstances.

The title "When We Were Orphans" immediately ignites a sense of narrative possibility, a fertile ground for storytelling that is both deeply personal and potentially universal. It’s a title that speaks to a formative period, a time of intense vulnerability and perhaps unexpected self-discovery. The plural "we" suggests a shared experience, a collective memory that binds individuals together, even if their individual paths diverged later. This immediately makes me think of childhood, of innocence gradually giving way to a starker reality, and the ways in which young people adapt and survive when left to their own devices. The word "orphans" itself is loaded with connotations of abandonment, loss, and a lack of guidance, but also, crucially, of resilience and the forging of one's own identity in the absence of established structures. I'm drawn to the idea of a story that might explore the formation of unique bonds and subcultures within such a group, the informal networks of support and understanding that emerge when formal ones are missing. It hints at a narrative that might not shy away from hardship and struggle, but could also celebrate the inherent strength and ingenuity of individuals facing adversity. The title, for me, promises a journey through memory, a look back at a critical juncture in life that shaped the characters in profound ways, leaving an indelible mark on who they became.

这本书的名字总是会在我脑海中萦绕，When We Were Orphans。虽然我还没有真正深入翻阅这本书，但光是这几个字就已经勾勒出一种深刻的情感基调。它唤起了一种怀旧的、带点忧伤的，却又充满某种集体记忆的画面。我不禁想象，这“我们”指的是谁？是童年时的伙伴，是一群曾经一起经历过某个特定时期的人们，还是一个失落的群体？而“孤儿”这个词，又为这份怀旧增添了一层更为复杂和沉重的意味。它可能暗示着失去、遗弃，或者一种被迫独立、在缺乏依靠的环境中成长的经历。这样的组合，总让我联想到那些在时代洪流中被抛下的个体，或者是在特定历史背景下，集体性的创伤与成长。书名本身就像一首无声的诗，传递着一种朦胧的美感和一种难以言喻的失落。我好奇作者是如何将这种标题所传达的情绪，转化为故事的骨架和血肉的。它会是一部关于童年记忆的碎片拼凑，还是关于个体在成长过程中如何面对失去和孤独的深刻剖析？亦或是，它会借由“孤儿”这一意象，探讨更宏大的社会议题？仅仅是这个名字，就足以激发我无穷的想象，让我渴望去探索它背后所隐藏的丰富世界。

最后那个动机，我仿佛在读轻小说。寻母的部分是好的。It’s metaphor. It’s symbolic.

前半部非常好，到了重返上海找父母，在战争前线穿过那些平民窟的部分真是让我又想到了前部作品《无可慰藉》，那种卡夫卡的诡异迷宫。好在结尾部分回复正常，精彩的收尾并切题when we were orphans!

Of course it turns out to have nothing to do with my research and the entire set-up has some intrinsic problems, but a good read nonetheless

跟上海不期而遇了。

写了一大串没保存..就这样吧