Freedom
Probably the most life changing books I ever read were the Roads to Freedom trilogy by Jean-Paul Sartre: 'The Age of Reason', 'The Reprieve' and 'The Iron in the Soul'. Each is a great read on its own and each has its own individual style. The first being the most traditional novel - introducing the main characters and Mathieu and some of his friends as well as showing us the futility of his so-called 'free' existence, which is actually a typical petit-bourgeois life over-set with the pretence of bohemianism. It is set in the pre-war era, when war is still a way off but provides us with a shadowy backdrop to all the events that take place.

'The Reprieve' is much more harrowing and takes us to the eve of war, with Hitler threatening Czechoslovakia. The writing itself becomes more experimental, zooming us around Europe and beyond in the flash of a sentence or even mid-sentence. The old characters crop up again, but many new ones are introduced, some briefly, some in depth; all have their own story and tragedies, including Chamberlain and his team trying to work out what Hitler is up to. Mathieu is on holdiay with his big brother and is resigned to joining the army as conscription is announced: is this freedom? does anything matter? is it just an easy way out of all his problems - let someone else take all the decisions?

'Iron in the Soul' takes yet another literary form; the first half re-joins Mathieu with his army unit - the French have lost the war and they're waiting for the German army to come along and take them prisoner. It is high summer and there's a summer holiday feel - there's nothing they can do except try to forget that they've lost the war and save a bit of dignity in defeat - I won't spoil the end of the first half for you. The second half shows one of Mathieu old school friends who is a bigwig in the Communist party, he is a prisoner and trying to organise the other prisoners. We see inside his mind, what outcome does he want? What will most benefit the aims of the revolution? Who can he trust? What can he do to help? Again, I won't tell you how it ends, but this half of the book is written with virtually no paragraph breaks - to reinforce the feeling of being herded into an old barracks with thousands of men and no space or time for yourself.

How did they change my life? Well, I was about 18 when I read these - still young and idealistic enough to think "Yes! I too can be free - I will live my life on a whim, loving and leaving as I choose, or maybe going with the flow and submitting to fate. I will go to France and drink wine in low bars with n'importe qui, alors, on-y-va!". So I became a francophile and had adventures - most of which I've since recounted to you lot - and yes, I was free for a while and yes, I am glad I was, and yes, it has coloured my life ever since....

I think perhaps it's time to re-read them.
(Che Grimsdale Best before:, Fri 16 May 2008, 10:16, Reply)