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The Man Who Saw Everything

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( 11,257 ratings, 1,601 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Man Who Saw Everything by Deborah Levy weaves together a story across time when Saul Adler, a historian, is involved in a peculiar accident on Abbey Road. As his journey unfolds, the narrative shifts between 1988 and present-day Europe, exploring themes of love, history, and the reliability of memory. The book intricately examines how past and present are intertwined, reflecting on political and personal dimensions.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this captivating narrative if you appreciate stories weaving together historical and personal themes with a touch of the surreal. The novel offers a unique exploration of memory, identity, and the complexity of relationships across different eras. Fans of introspective and thought-provoking literature with a poetic touch will find this an intriguing read.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The unmissable, Booker Prize-longlisted novel from the critically acclaimed author of Hot Milk.

In 1988, Saul is hit by a car on the Abbey Rd crossing. He is fine; he gets up and goes to see his girlfriend, Jennifer. They have sex and then break up. He leaves for the GDR, where he will have more sex (with several members of the same family), harvest mushrooms in the rain, bury his dead father in a matchbox and get on the wrong side of the Stasi.

In 2016, Saul is hit by a car on the Abbey Rd crossing. He is not fine at all; he is rushed to hospital and spends the following days in and out of consciousness, in and out of history. Jennifer is sitting by his bedside. His very-much-not-dead father is sitting by his bedside. Someone important is missing.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Deborah Levy's The Man Who Saw Everything is highly praised for its surreal, gripping narrative and technical brilliance, set in a time-bending tale of love and power. Critics highlight Levy's beautiful writing, intelligence, and her exploration of themes like memory and identity across different contexts, making it a standout in contemporary fiction. The novel is celebrated for its craft, playful nature, and its complex, insightful examination of historical and personal subjects.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241977606

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 April 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 12.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 151g

Pages: 208

About the Author

Deborah Levy is the author of several novels including August Blue, Hot Milk and Swimming Home, alongside a formally innovative, critically acclaimed 'living autobiography' trilogy- Things I Don't Want to Know, The Cost of Living and Real Estate. She has been shortlisted twice each for the Goldsmiths Prize and Booker Prize and won the Prix Femina Etranger. She has also written for The Royal Shakespeare Company and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

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