カヴァリエ&クレイの驚くべき冒険

カヴァリエ＆クレイ、この２人の物語は
漫画家・藤子不二雄Ａの「まんが道」を
想わせる。

“スーパーマン”“バットマン”が
誕生していく中、２人は
実在した“奇術師ハリー・フーディーニ”をモデルに
“エスケーピスト”（脱出師？）を創り上げた

ついには「エスケーピスト」なるコミックスが
現実のアメリカに出回っている！？

本当はかなり長い話で、本書はその短いバージョンだそうな。ナチスから逃れて本国から脱出する手段がずいぶん奇抜。こんな回りくどい、しかもあやふやな情報で動くことがあるのか？と感じてしまった。コミックの共作や出兵のいきさつのあたりなど、少し読み急いでしまったかもしれない。本来の長さなら多分全部は読めなかったか、と思いつつ、あまりに淡々と描いてあることに「驚くべき」を感じにくかったので星３つ。

Following in the tradition of many renowned novelists of the twentieth century, Michael Chabon sets his love story, 'The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay,' in a large city. Mr Chabon contributes much here to the urban legend of New York City. A troika of major characters, Joe Kavalier, Rosa Saks, and Sammy Clay, joins with a cast of minor characters so believable that they seem like neighbors. The comic book characters drawn by these three sketch artists come to life as well.Mr Chabon's prose is passionate and, yes, purple in places, a narrative device used to lift the lyricism off the page. Sometimes I looked up unfamiliar words; sometimes I didn't. I found Leo Rosten's 'The Joys of Yiddish' useful for looking up Golem of Prague and some Yiddish words. I enjoyed all the references to Harry Houdini; for the reader who wants to know more about him, I recommend reading 'Houdini!!!' by Kenneth Silverman. Mr Chabon provides a clue to his extensive research in his Author's Note and gives excellent suggestions for reading more about New York City during the 1930s to 1950s; Prague during the 1930s to 1940s; magic, magicians, and escape artists; the Antarctic; the Kabbalah; radio and comic books; and Levittown. 'Kavalier & Clay' is a tender love story writ large that caresses some controversial themes with sensitivity, humor, and grace and well deserves its Pulitzer Prize.

All too often, I have found so-called "great" books depressing. However, I found in Michael Chabon`s latest novel, a plot, which throughout the emotional ups and downs, maintains a thread of hope, although at times only as fine as a spider`s silk, just barely there. THE ESCAPIST reaches out to the escapist in all of us. For who, at some point in their life, has not wanted to run away from something. The questions remain, however, as to where one is running, as well has how.I can relate: as a full-time Japanese housewife and fishing widow (like a football widow) with salaryman husband (long commute,) two active little boys, and no babysitter, of course, I have only just reached the stage where I can usually keep up with the front page each day (catching up, occasionally, when I chance upon a missed day`s issue while wrapping fish entrails.) Yet somehow, I managed to read this adult`s novel all the way to the satisfying close in less than a week: a feat I have not accomplished since the birth of my first-born. I kept wanting to know more: it kept me hoping, and delivered. Yet this is no typical American Dream. There is no TYPICAL American Dream, anyway.