The City of the dead bears a similarity to the city described by C. S. Lewis in his novel The Great Divorce. The Brief History of the Dead (2006), a post-apocalyptic fantasy novel by Kevin Brockmeier, follows the story of humans trapped in purgatory between the living and the dead, and what happens when their mysterious city starts to shrink. Original and fascinating, so different from other apocalyptic stories. Other city-dwellers have their own remarkable tales of crossing into this strange world, from which inhabitants depart as mysteriously as they entered. They will reside in this afterlife until they are completely forgotten. There is a difference.”, Diverting, but not much more. As the outbreak spread, many tried to save themselves by avoiding allegedly tainted tapwater and drinking nothing but Coca-Cola - which ironically guaranteed that they would be infected. The Brief History of the Dead. They are not wholly dead, for they still live in the memories of the living, who can call them to mind, create their likeness in art, and bring them to life in anecdote. I'm used to sci fi that starts off well, then is okay in the middle, then fizzles out. The City is inhabited by those who have departed Earth but are still remembered by the living. Those who criticize the lack of resolution in this novel are missing the point. By the anticlimactic ending, though, this "novel" feels like two excellent short stories stretched far beyond their breaking points, and. Does Puckett’s claim that he can remember between fifty and seventy thousand people seem exaggerated or plausible? Damn, this was a whole acid trip of a chapter and I was just like, DIE ALREADY. The dead move to another plane of existence where they are kept alive by Laura’s thoughts. The Brief History of the Dead (Vintage Contemporaries) Kevin Brockmeier. Fans expecting resolution be forewarned; it's a kind of incomplete ending. As such, The Brief History of the Dead makes for a unique take on the idea of life and death, as well as a poignant testimony to the power of memory. The story is set partly in the City and partly in the realm of the living, where Laura Byrd is stranded in Antarctica. Ten thousand? . As she struggles to survive the harsh Antarctic conditions alone, the people who remain in the city of the dead begin to realize that their own survival depends on Laura. It also follows a three-person research expedition for the Coca Cola company to the Antarctic. A reference is made to the Wandering Jew, a legend from medieval Christian folklore. A moving story that explores the power of memory, the significance of loss, and the meaning of our existence. Her scenes are so painfully and poetically protracted that one could easily skip three and four pages at a time without missing anythng but descriptions of frostbitten extremities and an unvaried landscape. The novel starts along two parallel tracks, telling the story of the city where the remembered dead carry on an existence much like that of the living, and the story of Laura Byrd, an environmental biologist working for the Coca-Cola Company at a research station in Antarctica (which by now has been privatized). We’d love your help. It was (for me) a really new and interesting concept and I was looking forward to see where it went. FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00. I really did enjoy this book even if the promise of the story didn't find it's way into the ending. The people in The City are there only as long as someone who remembers them is still alive on earth. As long as she lives, everyone who she knew in her life remains alive on the otherside-in essence, they are the soul survivors of The City because she is the soul survivor on Earth. You can have love measured out in the wrong proportions. I think it is a great though experiment about the importance of human relationships. Yet the journey is the thing. I'm used to sci fi that starts off well, then is okay in the middle, then fizzles out. One character, who believes this legend, speculates about what the emptying of The City could mean in light of this story. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Just the preface had me hooked, though it took a couple of chapters to grasp what was going on. Excellent in all other aspects, however! The Coca-Cola corporation is used as a stand-in for these corporations and it is their irresponsible decisions and the resulting consequences, both intended and unintended, which drive the plot of the novel. You can have love that parches, love that defeats. Those still alive know nothing of The City. ‎From Kevin Brockmeier, one of this generation's most inventive young writers, comes a striking new novel about death, life, and the mysterious place in between. It makes you think... about 'life after death', about a virus situation spreading over the world beyond control, about relationships and memories... How can someone think of a story line like this? See all 3 questions about The Brief History of the Dead…, Best Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction, The Brief History of the Dead / Kevin Brockmeier. The one where when people die, they go to live in "the city" until no living person remembers them. What does The Brief History of the Dead reveal about the subtle ways a single, ordinary human life is interconnected with thousands of others? One of the few comforts we can draw on when facing up to our own mortality is the fact that we will live on in the memories of those we leave behind. The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier, unknown edition, How does the author explore this idea throughout the novel? This City, however, is inhabited by the recently departed, who reside there only as long as they remain in the memories of the living. So I started reading and couldn't stop. I really wasn't expecting it to affect me this way, and it completely came out of nowhere. When the last person to know an ancestor dies, that ancestor leaves the sasha for the zamani, the dead. The last large mammalian species left is man, who is also now under threat of extinction as well. And that was it. The lethal virus slowly kills off each person in the living realm which results in the abrupt fluctuation in The City - each day, more and more people miraculously disappear (and areas of the City itself also begin to vanish) until the only remaining residents are those who were known to Laura Byrd. It had no name, and nobody knew exactly where it was. There is no direct communication between the two realms. They will reside in this afterlife until they are completely forgotten. Synopsis from the back cover: The City is inhabited by those who have departed Earth but are still remembered by the living. Start by marking “The Brief History of the Dead” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Here's the story how I came by the best book I read in 2007: There should be a particular damp shelf in book hell for science fiction books that start off with an interesting premise and then go absolutely NOWHERE. The brief history of the dead Kevin Brockmeier ; Patrik Giardino In an afterlife world inhabited by the recently departed who remain in the memories of the living, Marion and Phillip Byrd fall in love again, while on Earth, their daughter, Laura, is stranded alone in an Antarctic research station. When the last person remembering them dies, they go to the zamani and are then revered and recalled by name only. A nice haunting book that brings an interesting twist on the afterlife. A world where the dead are held until forgotten [s], SOLVED. 3 stars, SOLVED. I'm so glad I found this book! as having gone extinct. Kind of feel like I just wasted a lot of time on this book. Who cares about all the dull crossing stories, and really, WHO CARES about the idiot street preacher as the last human on earth is risking death on the ice in Antarctica? . The first edition of the novel was published in February 14th 2006, and was written by Kevin Brockmeier. This is not a book, it's an idea. I bought the book because I found the theme and story line extremely intriguing. This is a novel of questions not answers. This book started out brilliantly with a wonderfully unique premise. This story reads like an adventure tale as Laura tries to survive and find out what happened to the rest of the world. The dead stay "alive" in this city as long as there are living people on earth who remember them. Certainly many of us want to know that our life have meaning, perhaps even remembered beyond our existence. The Brief History of the Dead: A Novel (Vintage Contempor... en meer dan één miljoen andere boeken zijn beschikbaar voor Amazon Kindle. by Kevin Brockmeier. Equally, the novel describes most large mammalian species (elephants, whales, gorillas, etc.) Meer informatie Who cares about all the dull crossing stories, and really, WHO CARES about the idiot street preacher as the last human on e. There should be a particular damp shelf in book hell for science fiction books that start off with an interesting premise and then go absolutely NOWHERE. Imagine that every person you ever met, ever remembered, has endured after death, kept alive by the power of your memory. As the legend has it, after mocking Jesus Christ during the crucifixion this man was condemned by Christ to roam the earth until the Second Coming. Though the novel does not explicitly say so, it is implied that globalism has caused many problems. Definitely recommending it to my friends. There is some female internal monologue, but it is not particularly dramatic. The City is not unlike those on earth: it has parks and streets, stores and restaurants, garbage and homelessness --- all of the pleasures and problems of modern life. I mean, nowhere. Laura Byrd survived because, in addition to her isolated location, despite working for the Coca-Cola Company she actually had a strong aversion against drinking its products. The second chapter flies off in another direction entirely, and plants us firmly in the ice and snow of antarctica. The Brief History of the Dead had a fantastic premise but ultimately failed to deliver. I think it is a great though experiment about the importance of human relationships. The Brief History of the Dead is prefaced with a quote describing African societies that believe humans pass from being alive to living-dead, to dead. They are not wholly dead, for they still live in the memories of the living, who can call them to mind, create their likeness in art, and bring them to life in anecdote. Wow! I think it's a good book for your son to read. Though it is left ambiguous, it is possible that the ultimate source of the virus may have even been the United States government: this hypothesis is supported by an early epicenter of the virus being in the Middle East, which when considered with the virus' distribution method is suspicious; this is further supported by the inordinate knowledge of the virus had by officials from the US government. Population growth, irresponsible hunting and global climate change have affected the Antarctic ecosystem in the novel: for example, penguins have been thriving after the extinction of whales and are beginning to grow to be hundreds of pounds (with the potential of evolving further to fill the niche left by the extinct whales). I mean, who cares what the city of the still-remembered is like if nothing happens there? Kevin Brockmeier takes this sentiment and envisions a world in which it is literally true. The first half of The Brief History of the Dead is compelling and fascinating, full of interesting characters, lyrically restrained prose, and amusing bits of satire. I'm still not sure what to think about this book exactly. Many ancient cultures believe that birds are harbingers of death or foreshadow the coming of a deity. While reading this novel I was constantly reminded of Berkeley's "If a tree falls in the forest" question. The stories of the city remain interesting, if hard to believe, for a while. The Brief History of the Dead Plot: What's the story?. Publication Date: January 9, 2007; Genres: Fiction; Paperback: 272 pages; Publisher: Vintage; ISBN-10: 1400095956; ISBN-13: 9781400095957 From there the novel alternates: each odd-numbered chapter explores the city of the dead from a new character's perspective, while the even-numbered chapters follow the adventures of the woman in Ant, I dearly wanted to love this book. There are several threads - Laura on an Antarctic expedition; a city peopled by those who are not dead as long as someone living remembers them, and a virus killing off the world's population. I mean, who cares what the city of the still-remembered is like if nothing happens there? But the City is shrinking, and the residents clearing out. [s], SOLVED. Nominated for numerous awards, it won the 2006 Borders Original Voices Award for Fiction. In this book, there is the earth and the living and there is a city of the recently dead. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published The first chapter--establishing a vast city of the recently dead, an afterlife for everyone still remembered by the living--is amazing and beautiful. Once Upon a Time, in a land far, far away... really far away... there existed a city. If you read my reviews then you'll probably think I just wax lyrical about everything I read. what would you say this book is rated? From Kevin Brockmeier, one of this generation's most inventive young writers, comes a striking new novel about death, life, and the mysterious place in between. Some of the holdouts, like Luka Sims, who produces the City's only newspaper, are wondering what … A lethal virus is indeed released and as the global death toll mounts, the population of The City begins to fluctuate alarmingly. Although the exact group that spread the virus or their motives remain an unanswered mystery, the characters are eventually able to figure out how it was spread. When the blind man arrived in … A blind man arrives in a new city, telling a story of having traveled across a desert after his death. Not really. and (B) NOTHING HAPPENS. Good premise, but not entirely well-fleshed out story. Laura Byrd's surname also recalls another Antarctic explorer, Admiral Richard E. Byrd, whose memoir Alone has a similar setting and theme to the book's even-numbered chapters. The writing is e-x-c-e-l-l-e-n-t, but somehow the story loses its momentum at the end and speaking of endings, I found this one to be very unsatisfying. A Traveler's Guide to the Afterlife: Traditions and Beliefs on Death, Dying, and What Lies Beyond by Mark Mirabello Paperback $16.95. And it's much more fun writing about stuff I've enjoyed anyway, so there! I just finished reading my first book of many, The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier. It deals. The Brief History of the Dead (author Kevin Brockmeier) From Kevin Brockmeier, one of this generation’s most inventive young writers, comes a striking new novel about death, life, and the mysterious place in between. While reading this novel I was constantly reminded of Berkeley's "If a tree falls in the forest" question. Only then will they pass on to whatever afterlife awaits them. “Dreaming was easier than screaming, and screaming was easier than worrying, and worrying was easier than crying, which was what she knew she would be reduced to if she didn’t keep a hard eye on herself.”, “Anyone who has ever experienced love knows that you can have too much or too little. The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier, 2006, Pantheon Books edition, in English - 1st ed. This novel takes place during the mid-to-late 21st century, where current concerns such as global warming and terrorism have become acute crises. This one fizzled right away. At first The City expands - entire buildings and blocks materialize to accommodate the new arrivals, but then, as the living who remember the departed also die, people in The City suddenly vanish and so do entire buildings and blocks. yes, a delight. THE BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEAD by KEVIN BROCKMEIER. The City segments focus on several different people in The City; as the book progresses, increasing numbers of the City's residents seem to just disappear, leaving friends and their relatives in mystery. Rated PG. They will reside in this afterlife until they are completely forgotten. The Brief History of the Dead | | ISBN: 9781846325489 | Kostenloser Versand für alle Bücher mit Versand und Verkauf duch Amazon. Other Editions of This Title: Digital Audiobook (3/13/2006) Compact Disc (2/1/2006) Hardcover (2/14/2006) Description. In The Brief History of the Dead, a deadly virus is unleashed upon the world and kills everyone- save for one survivor, Laura Byrd. I don't know, maybe I'm just really self-centered. A brief afterword to the novel acknowledges a debt to Apsley Cherry-Garrard's Antarctic memoir, The Worst Journey in the World. Paperback. Then they disappear from the City. The ultimate source of the global virus in the novel is unknown; however, it is implied that the source of the virus was involved in one way or another in the inflamed war on terrorism. It's like your sunlight and water - the wrong kind of love is just as likely to stifle hope as it is to nourish it.”, Locus Award Nominee for Best Fantasy Novel (2007), New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award Nominee (2007), Borders Original Voices Award for Fiction (2006). Two separate stories are revealed. I wholeheartedly recommend this book --- certainly one of the best I've ever read. [Like that super long part about Laura trapped in Limbo! Save this story for later. i want my 13 year old boy to read it (he is a very good reader). From Kevin Brockmeier, one of this generation's most inventive young writers, comes a striking new novel about death, … Brockmeier holds things together in the first half, but before too long he's grasping to fill out the length of the novel. Does this book have any very dramatic parts, particularly for a female monologue? The polar ice caps are melting at a dangerous (and irreversible) rate and the people of the United States live in constant fear of biological terrorism attacks. I really loved this book--beautiful writing and a thought provoking cosmology. No conversations, no character development, hardly any movement. January 9th 2007 It had no name, and nobody knew exactly where it was. Not really. It was just called The City. It is a story of spellbinding power and imagination, which resonates long after the final page. The premise is wonderful and exactly the kind of story I usually love. Readers have a lot to look forward to this year! About The Brief History of the Dead From Kevin Brockmeier, one of this generation’s most inventive young writers, comes a striking new novel about death, life, and the mysterious place in between. 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