Skip to main content

Human Traces by Sebastian Faulks: book review



Human Traces (2006) is set in England, France, and Austria from 1870-1916. 

Beginning with two schoolboys at 16 years of age, one in Brittany, France, and the other in London, England, it tells of their fascination with science, medicine, and the condition of the mind.

Jacques Rebiere in Brittany has a brother Olivier, older by four years with progressive ‘madness’ that he is devoted to. Jacques wants to improve his mental health. Thomas Midwinter in London has a sister Sonia, intelligent and ambitious, and totally devoted to her brother. She wants to see him progress in his career of psychiatry. 

At age 20, the three of them—Jacques, Thomas, and Sonia—meet in Deauville, in northern France during vacation, and for the first time, they find like-minded friends. They swear to remain friends forever. 

At age 30 in 1884, together they establish the Schloss Seeblick Sanitarium and Clinic for Nervous Disorders. It is in the beautiful lake region of Carinthia, Austria. Finally, Jacques can give his brother Olivier the health care he needs, free from being sent to a government asylum. 

Patient Katharina is strong-willed with her eyes on Thomas. As they marry, it drives a wedge between Thomas and Jacques, bringing out their differing views of psychiatric treatments.

World War 1 brings further divisions between the two innovative psychiatrists, as well as their own tragedies. 

This epic book is beautifully written, fixated on the human mind set amid the science, history, and politics of the times. The characters are complex and inquisitive, career-driven yet empathetic, and well-liked. Although long and scientific, this is an easy-to-read novel and highly interesting. 









MARTINA NICOLLSis an international aid and development consultant, and the authorof:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom(2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).




Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The acacia thorn trees of Kenya

There are nearly 800 species of acacia trees in the world, and most don’t have thorns. The famous "whistling thorn tree" and the Umbrella Thorn tree of Kenya are species of acacia that do have thorns, or spines. Giraffes and other herbivores normally eat thorny acacia foliage, but leave the whistling thorn alone. Usually spines are no deterrent to giraffes. Their long tongues are adapted to strip the leaves from the branches despite the thorns. The thorny acacia like dry and hot conditions. The thorns typically occur in pairs and are 5-8 centimetres (2-3 inches) long. Spines can be straight or curved depending on the species. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Suda...
1 comment
Read more

Hop on hop off bus tourism comes to Tbilisi, Georgia

City Sightseeing buses have arrived in Tbilisi. The iconic red double-decker buses, a feature of many cities around the world since the company was established in Seville, Spain in 1999, is now in six continents and almost 100 cities. The company established its Tbilisi business in November 2013, with its operations commencing in February 2014. The 90-minute tour stops at 11 major locations in Tbilisi (with 2 to 5 minute waiting times at each location): the Old City (where it commences), Freedom Square, Rose Revolution Square, Marjanishvili Square, the Dry Bridge, Konka, Avlabari, Metekhi, Akhundov Museum, the Sulfur Baths, and European Square. Passengers can hop off at any stop and see the sights, hopping back onto the next bus at any time. Alternatively, passengers can remain on the bus for the whole tour and take photographs when the bus stops at each location. There are one day (24-hour) passes (for 35 lari – about $20) and 48-hour passes for 55 lari, with family d...
2 comments
Read more

The Knight in the Panther Skin by Shota Rustaveli (2015 translation): book review

The Knight in the Panther Skin (12th century, this edition 2015) is a recent translation by American poet and author, Lyn Coffin. The author, Shota Rustaveli, is Georgia’s most loved poet. This poem is mammoth, a magnum opus – it is 1,656 verses long, separated by chapters. But readers, don’t give up, because every verse is worth reading. It is akin to 1001 Arabian Knights, Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, or Shakespearean poetry. King Rostevan of Arabia has a daughter, Tinatin. She loves the knight Avtandil and he loves her. Verse 368 from Avtandil: ‘The doctor’s could do nothing. A dark twilight on my heart now pressed, I was on fire because of love, but nobody knew or guessed. They blamed my blood. The king decided bleeding my arm would be best; I let it be done to hide the suffering I had not confessed.’ But a knight in panther skin is seen weeping, and subsequently kills the king’s soldiers, sparing the king. Before Tinatin weds Avtandil she r...
Post a Comment
Read more