Everything is Illuminated (BOOKRING)

by Jonathan Safran Foer | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0060529709 Global Overview for this book
Registered by outofreach of Melbourne CBD, Victoria Australia on 12/18/2004
Buy from one of these Booksellers:
Amazon.com | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon FR | Amazon IT | Bol.com
11 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by outofreach from Melbourne CBD, Victoria Australia on Saturday, December 18, 2004
With only a yellowing photograph in hand, a young man -- also named Jonathan Safran Foer -- sets out to find the woman who may or may not have saved his grandfather from the Nazis. Accompanied by an old man haunted by memories of the war; an amorous dog named Sammy Davis, Junior, Junior; and the unforgettable Alex, a young Ukrainian translator who speaks in a sublimely butchered English, Jonathan is led on a quixotic journey over a devastated landscape and into an unexpected past.




Journal Entry 2 by outofreach from Melbourne CBD, Victoria Australia on Sunday, January 9, 2005
this book will go out as a ring. please pm me to join in...

1. suzy26 - netherlands - international
2. miss-piggott - italy - international
3. kernow8 - uk - international
4. genevalove - usa/china - international
5. paigeturner124 - usa - international (surface)
6. caligula03 - usa - international
7. aramena - usa - international
8. geishabird - canada - international
9. paolawood - argentina - international
11. meganh - australia - national -- on its way --
--
back to outofreach - australia

guidelines:

1. when you recieve the book, please make a journal to let me and the rest of the group up to date to what's happening to the book.
2. try to read the book as quick as possible, for there are other people waiting for the book.
3. when you finish reading the book, PM the next person on the list for their mailing address, and write an entry when you send them the book.

Journal Entry 3 by outofreach from Melbourne CBD, Victoria Australia on Wednesday, January 19, 2005
book is on its way to the first participant of the ring. have fun reading...

Journal Entry 4 by Suzy26 from Delft, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Sunday, January 23, 2005
Received this book in the mail yesterday (from Germany, not from Australia?). Thanks outofreach! I will start reading it once I have finished my current read, which will be wihtin a few days.

Journal Entry 5 by Suzy26 from Delft, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Thursday, February 3, 2005
I found this one of the weirdest books I have ever read. It is chaotic and confusing. Some parts I don't understand at all, like the end for instance. The chapters written by Alex were very funny, sometimes downright hilarious. They made me laugh out loud. But other parts of this book were rather boring. The book also contains some deeply disturbing scenes. As a reader you are constantly on edge. It is hard work to keep the story straight in your head. After I had finished the book I found myself thinking: could someone please explain to me what I've just read? I am left with the feeling that I've missed one or two things here.

Journal Entry 6 by Suzy26 from Delft, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Monday, February 7, 2005
Book is on its way to Miss-Piggott.

Journal Entry 7 by Miss-Piggott from Roma, Lazio Italy on Monday, February 14, 2005
I've just got the book. I will start reading it as soon as I finish my current reading.
Thanks suzy26 ^-^

Journal Entry 8 by Miss-Piggott from Roma, Lazio Italy on Monday, February 28, 2005
What a beautiful and unusual book this is!
Jonathan Safran Foer is a very talented writer, and although the first pages of the novel can seem a bit confusing, once you get into the story you feel completely absorbed by the plot and the characters...
Thank you outofreach for giving me the chance to read this book!

I am waiting for kernow8's address, since PnelopePistop asked me to skip her.
I already Pmed kernow8, hope she replies as soon as possible so that the book can continue its journey ^-^

Journal Entry 9 by Miss-Piggott from Roma, Lazio Italy on Thursday, March 3, 2005
Since I work in the morning, my sister just went to the Post Office to send the book to kernow8. Sorry for keeping it a little longer than what I should have, but I've been terribly busy...
Happy reading you all ^-^

Journal Entry 10 by Kernow8 from Southampton, Hampshire United Kingdom on Sunday, March 6, 2005
Arrived in England this weekend - thanks!

Journal Entry 11 by Kernow8 from Southampton, Hampshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, May 3, 2005
I thought this book was fantastic, and have recommended my husband reads it (another copy though of course!). I loved the surreal nature of it - it reminds me a little of Garcia Marquez. It's the sort of book you either keep flicking back through to find previous references that suddenly become important, or want to re-read again straight after finishing. The three styles of narrative worked well for me, and I thought the mangled translations were hilarious - you could spends months just trying to work out which words he should have used. I've heard this is going to be a film soon with Elijah Wood in - I was trying to work out which role he'd play - Jonathan I would imagine. Who should play Alex then? I think Ali G (Sasha Baron Cohen) would be perfect. You can tell when I've really enjoyed a book because I immediately turn into a casting director ;-)

Thanks outofreach! On to genevalove when I've got an address.

Journal Entry 12 by Genevalove from Lexington, Kentucky USA on Friday, May 20, 2005
This just arrived--thanks for sending it my way! I will read it as soon as I'm finished with my current book and get it moving again as soon as possible.

Journal Entry 13 by Genevalove from Lexington, Kentucky USA on Monday, May 23, 2005
This was a truly fascinating book. When I first started reading, I was really afraid the voice of Alex, the young Ukrainian who acts as Jonathan Safran Foer's interpreter, would become really annoying. Instead, Alex is the most vivid and emotionally real character in the book, and I came to appreciate his unique application of the English language. I actually found myself agreeing with some of his comments on the novel within a novel--why would the author choose to depict his grandfather as he does? Why can't the main characters love anyone?

It inevitably leads to the question: how much of this is based on reality, and to what degree? It's strange how we always want to know the answer to that question, even when it's completely irrelevant to the story, but still, I found myself wondering. The author certainly invites the question by making himself a character, even if he's only depicted through Alex's eyes. Alex's descriptions of Foer's efforts to find vegetarian food in Ukraine were some of the funniest bits in the book.

It's bizarre, and an incredible accomplishment, that a story with such a dark, tragic tale at its center can be so funny along the way. This was a unique and thought-provoking book and I'm very happy to have read it. I'll PM the next person on the list right away and get this book moving again.

Journal Entry 14 by wingAnonymousFinderwing on Saturday, July 9, 2005
I received this book today. I'm in the middle of another book ring book, but will do my best to finish it up quickly and start on this one. I'm looking forward to reading it!

CAUGHT IN SCHERTZ TEXAS USA

Journal Entry 15 by PaigeTurner124 on Saturday, July 9, 2005
Oops! I just realized I was not logged in when noting that I received this book, so it was registered as anonymous. My computer is down, and I'm using another one, and forgot about not having the cookies on here. At any rate, it is I, PaigeTurner124, that has this book, so don't worry about it being in the wrong place!

Journal Entry 16 by PaigeTurner124 on Wednesday, July 27, 2005
I finished this book last night and have been trying to figure out what to say about it all day. After reading Suzy26's comments I think she pretty much summarizes my thoughts. I found the way Alex mangled the English language absolutely hilarious. However I felt the story was confusing. Certain parts were interesting, but others just didn't seem to have any significance. I also didn't understand the ending, and last night it had crossed my mind that maybe I didn't read it attentively enough to get the big picture. I just feel like I missed something.

I mailed this on to Caligula03 today via USPS Media Mail.

Journal Entry 17 by caligula03 from Hayward, California USA on Saturday, July 30, 2005
Book has arrived. Thank you.

Journal Entry 18 by caligula03 from Hayward, California USA on Tuesday, August 23, 2005
I didn't like the book. There was nothing to any of the characters that made me willing to put up with Foer's chaotic style of writing. The experience was rather a chore and a headache to read.

Journal Entry 19 by caligula03 at on Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Released 18 yrs ago (9/2/2005 UTC) at

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Mailing to Aramena.

Journal Entry 20 by wingAramenawing from Noble, Oklahoma USA on Monday, September 12, 2005
Came today! I'm in the middle of The Witching Hour, and will start this as soon as I finish it, most likely it won't be until this weekend at the earliest.

Journal Entry 21 by wingAramenawing from Noble, Oklahoma USA on Wednesday, September 28, 2005
I finished this book today. Not really sure what I think of it, about 1/4 in I considered sending it on and going on to another book, but I decided to stick with it and it did pick up. I found it a little confusing at first, but once I picked up the threads of the three narratives I was able to keep up. And like others before, I loved the mangled English, it sounded both eloquent and fractured at the same time! I'm interested to hear that a movie may be in the making, as at one point I thought the dialog would be well suited to a movie!

I have packaged the book up to go to geishabird, and should be going to the post office Friday. Thanks outofreach!

Journal Entry 22 by geishabird from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Monday, October 31, 2005
Received today...thanks! I'm intrigued by the wide variety of comments so far. Am nearly finished my current "bus book" so should be able to start this tomorrow.

Journal Entry 23 by geishabird from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Saturday, November 5, 2005
What an amazing book. I'm totally impressed with Jonathan Safran Foer and the way he narrates the tragi-comedic history of Trachimbrod over 200 years. How many authors can make us laugh out loud on one page and then, just a few paragraphs later, make us weep uncontrollably (as I did, during the chapter titled "Illumination" - one of the most utterly raw pieces of writing I've ever come across)? Foer deals with some fascinating concepts here - love, death, memory, tradition, history - and weaves them together in a unique and mesmerizing tale. I started out not liking Alex very much, but by the book's end felt a much greater respect and affection for him. A marvellous book about one of humanity's darkest ages.

And if we are to strive for a better future, mustn't we be familiar and reconciled with our past?

I am a good person who has lived in a bad time...

Journal Entry 24 by geishabird from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Monday, November 7, 2005
Mailed to paolawood today.

Jan 22/06: Phew! After reading paolawood's comment below, I'm relieved...I was feeling very guilty! Glad it *finally* arrived!!! :)

Journal Entry 25 by PaolaWood from La Plata, Buenos Aires Province Argentina on Sunday, January 22, 2006
I finally got the book!!!! After several trips to the local post office, it arrived first thing on thursday morning.
I began reading it as soon as I opened the package.
There´s not much I can say about the book, except that I has been a while since I went through such a wide range of emotions I one book. I laughed and cried and laughed again and enjoyed every single minute of it.
I´m sending this to qantaqa as soon as I can manage this week (to speed things up, I don´t know why it took so long to get here).
Thanks outofreach!!!

Guilessly (wink)
Paola.

Are you sure you want to delete this item? It cannot be undone.