Molloy (The Trilogy #1)

If you haven\’t read, heard, or seen Waiting for Godot, do so now. Then return to this additional masterpiece by Samuel Beckett. This is the stripped-down, minimalist story of one man, aged and deteriorating and bitter, but frank beyond what many people would find acceptable — certainly this is not someone you would want to hang out with. No one can truly follow in the footsteps of Beckett in creating this kind of character and spare yet eloquent prose. There are two narrators of this book, and the first one, who is the voice of Molloy, is the best to render Molloy\’s music. Molloy is the first book in a trilogy, and the second has just been realeased on Audible format. I finally figured out the (perhaps obvious) significance of the three titles. In the first the main character\’s name is Molloy, though he sometimes forgets it. In the second the main character is named Malone, which seems to me to be basically the name of the same character, though his name has evolved. And the third, The Unnameable, is the last evolution, where the name has evolved into dust. I think that some people will just hate this book, but if it reaches you, it will reach to your core.

There were points in this narrative when I was laughing hysterically, and some when I was disgusted and filled with utter pity for our sad little man, Molloy. Beckett is unlike anybody I can think of: hilarious, disturbing, and somehow smooth all the while. I\’ll definitely be listening again and again to this one. The narrator Barrett does an excellent job in this and other recordings.

Caveat lector or caveat auditor, Samuel Beckett is an acquired taste, like escargot, cuisses de grenouille, or foie gras. If you are not familiar with the theater of the absurd, or the inexplicable and haunting mysteries of life’s angst and anguish, then you will not enjoy these stories or vignettes in the form of stream of consciousness of which Beckett was not only a Genius, but an adept Master. These are autobiographical fictional stories of Nothing but pure life in all its vicissitudes floating in and out of first, second, and third person. Bits of life full of tragedy mixed with comedy that will horrify and in an instant make you laugh at our genuine absurdity as we strive for purpose and the search for personal meaning in what seems to be a cold, irrational, and indifferent world. Beckett is one of my favorite writers and this trilogy of Malloy, Malone Dies, and the Unnameable is my most cherished. The narration is superb, sublime, and acted out in a dramatic fashion like many of Beckett’s plays, which makes the character studies seem more than life like. I only wish audible would continue to produce more of Beckett’s short stories with Sean Barrett and Dermot Crowley, these two great actors! Bravo and Kudos!!

I got this because it sounded challenging. I couldn\’t stop listening. I was inspired by the loose ends. Utter audio bliss.

This a dark book, and a true masterpiece, it is as if it\’s protagonists voice comes from a dark hole in the ground. He struggels with a poor memory, forgets, modifies or changes what he just said. Repeats himself. He is desoriented. Our existential condition resembles his, trying to handle lifes fifferent aspects. But this guy is really struggling. This is a dark book, but it is also very, very funny – if you are into absurd and dark humor.

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