A Death in Vienna and The Secret Scripture

My apologies for not posting a Sunday Salon yesterday.  I was having  a difficult time tearing myself away from reading to do much of anything else!  (I know you understand.)  As it turns out, I completed not one, but two books, for a total of about 280 pages.  Considering that I only read 4 books in July, I am off to a terrific start in August.  I just hope I can keep up the pace.

The first book I finished was A Death in Vienna by Frank Tallis (rated 4/5).  I enjoyed this book a great deal.  It focuses on Max Liebermann, a young psychoanalyst in turn-of-the-20th-century Vienna who, when he's not seeing patients, playing the piano, attending concerts, or visiting museums, helps his police inspector friend solve a gruesome (and seemingly unsolvable) murder utilizing his analysis techniques.  The murder victim was a beautiful medium, who had a motley crew of clients - many of whom with reasons for wanting her dead.  What makes this book really interesting, though, was the focus placed on the techniques employed by Liebermann (often in line with Sigmund Freud, who has a cameo appearance in the book) as he searches for more humane and effective treatments for his patients.   These two aspects of the book combined to make a really good story. 

The second book I finished was The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry (rated 5/5).  I get the impression that Barry isn't well known here in the US, which is a shame.  He is one of the most exquisite prose writers I have ever read.   I know that I had not heard of him until he was longlisted, then shortlisted, for the Man Booker Prize in 2005 for A Long, Long Way - a book that continues to haunt me 3 years after I read it.  It came as no surprise to me that The Secret Scripture also made the Man Booker Prize longlist.  I made sure it was the first longlisted book I read for my personal "Bookerthon".

Roseanne McNulty, who thinks she is about 100 years old, has spent most of her adult life in a mental institution.  The institution is about to be demolished and replaced by a new, much smaller facility.  Since the new building will not hold nearly as many patients as the current one, the patients are under assessment to see if some of them can be released back into society.  Dr. Grene,  the head of the institution, is attempting to make an assessment of Roseanne and is intrigued by how long she has been there and why she was institutionalized in the first place.  He begins by writing his impressions of Roseanne in "Dr. Grene's Commonplace Book", but ends up scrutinizing his own life and relationships.

In the meantime, Roseanne is making her own assessment of herself and her life.  She is writing her story, which she calls "Roseanne's Testimony of Herself", and keeps the pages hidden under a loose floorboard in her room.  It is through these pages that we learn of Roseanne's tragic past at the hand of a self-serving Catholic priest.  But what is the truth?  Barry's mesmerizing prose keeps the pages turning as the reader has to decide whom to believe.

Here are some passages I liked:

"His [Dr. Grene] talk had locked me in silence, I know not why.  It was not opening, easy, happy talk like my father's, after all.  I wanted to listen to him, but I did not want to answer now.  That strange responsibility we feel towards others when they speak, to offer them the solace of any answer.  Poor humans!  And anyway he had not asked a question.  He was merely floating there in the room, insubstantial, a living man in the midst of life, dying imperceptibly on his feet, like all of us." (pg. 29)

"Too much thinking on death.  Yet it is the music of our time." (pg. 150)

"There has never been a person in an old people's home that hasn't looked around dubiously at the other inhabitants.  They are the old ones, they are the club that no one wants to join.  But we are never old to ourselves.  That is because at the close of the day the ship we sail in is the soul, not the body." (pg. 177)

As troubled as the characters and situations are that Barry creates, he always treats them with dignity.  And, oh that beautiful, exquisite prose.

Comments

[Teresa Brader]

You've convinced me to read a Sebastian Barry novel, ASAP! I just requested his "Annie Dunne" from the library.

[Ann Darnton]

Hi Sharon, I've just finished the second in the Leibermann series, 'Vienna Blood' and if anything enjoyed it more than the first. It's definitely worth a read. The Barry is on order from the library so we'll have to compare notes when I've read it. I'm just finishing off 'Netherland' which gets better as it goes along.

[Ex Libris]

Teresa: Wouldn't you know that Annie Dunne is the only one of Barry's novels that I haven't read. I'd love to know what you think after you've read it.

Ann: I have Netherland on hold at the library and hope that it will come in soon. I've been hearing good things about it. I want to read Vienna Blood (my library has it), but it will have to wait a little while.

[Megan]

The Secret Scripture sounds really interesting. I really like that last quote you shared - too true. My grandfather had open heart surgery this year and then started going to rehab as he recovered. He's 70, so he made us all laugh when he said that rehab is "just full of old people." Thanks for the review - this will definitely be one for the wish list.

[Ex Libris]

I loved that quote, too, Megan. It is so true! Hope your grandfather enjoys a complete recovery.

[Danielle]

I have the Barry book out from the library and hope to read it before it's due back. It looks very good and is one book that appeals to me the most out of the group. I also have the first couple of Tallis books to read--it looks good, too.

[Ex Libris]

Danielle, the Barry is a fairly quick read, as it is so captivating that you won't want to put it down. Also, it isn't a long book - only 300 pages. So I hope you are able to read it before it has to go back to the library.

[Samantha]

Both of these books sound interesting. I'll have to add them to my TBR list. Nice reviews!

[Teresa Brader]

I just finished "Annie Dunne" today. It starts off slowly (which isn't a criticism), and spins its tale and characterization and themes as a spider spins a graceful web. Beautiful, lyrical prose that gets better and better as the story goes on. I'll be reading more by Barry, I'm sure of it.