I Thought My Father Was God: And Other True Tales from NPR’s National Story Project by Paul Auster (EPUB)

Description

One of America’s foremost writers collects the best stories submitted to NPR’s popular monthly show–and illuminates the powerful role storytelling plays in all our livesWhen Paul Auster and NPR’s Weekend All Things Considered introduced The National Story Project, the response was overwhelming. Not only was the monthly show a critical success, but the volume of submissions was astounding. Letters, emails, faxes poured in on a daily basis- more than 4,000 of them by the time the project celebrated its first birthday. Everyone, it seemed, had a story to tell.I Thought My Father Was God gathers 180 of these personal, true-life accounts in a single, powerful volume. They come from people of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life. Half of the contributors are men; half are women. They live in cities, suburbs, and rural areas, and they come from 42 different states. Most of the stories are short, vivid bits of narrative, combining the ordinary and the extraordinary, and most describe a single incident in the writer’s life. Some are funny, like the story of how a Ku Klux Klan member’s beloved dog rushed out into the street during the annual KKK parade and unmasked his owner as the whole town looked on. Some are mysterious, like the story of a woman who watched a white chicken walk purposefully down a street in Portland, Oregon, hop up some porch steps, knock on the door-and calmly enter the house. Many involve the closing of a loop, like the one about the woman who lost her mother’s ashes in a burglary and recovered them five years later from the mortuary of a local church.Hilarious blunders, wrenching coincidences, brushes with death, miraculous encounters, improbable ironies, premonitions, sorrows, pains, dreams-this singular collection encompasses an extraordinary range of settings, time periods, and subjects. A testament to the important role storytelling plays in all our lives, I Thought My Father Was God offers a rare glimpse into the American soul.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Offered here is a compilation of many brief yet impacting memories of a listeners’ life. The introductory character is an NPR program host, tiring of narrating his own writing; thus, putting out a call to all of his listeners to share the single, most important memory of their lives. Additionally, this host promises, to read each and every narrative received.Within a week of broadcasting, several hundred responses flood the NPR studio with no promise of ending.Comprised within related chapters, the personal narratives are abridged in length: a mere one to perhaps three or four pages. The elicited emotions might include:a laugh out loud or due to the start of the next vignette, a shock of tears. Simple, heartfelt nuggets of abbreviated writing shared by folks as diverse as you and me.Please do add this fulfilling collection of life-bites to your Kindle or the more tangible bookcase.

⭐”I Thought My Father Was God: And Other True Tales from NPR’s National Story Project” is a superb and unusual book that manages two wonderful things: it confirms the universality of the human experience and it amply demonstrates that everyone, EVERYONE has a story to tell.The experiences told in this eclectic and endlessly absorbing collection are varied and run the gamut of experiences life has to offer. There are stories of love, loss, regret, joy, sorrow, and growing up. The subjects that bring on these emotions are as varied as a pet bird, a sharp slap from a parent, a new piece of clothing, a weekend alone at the beach, a party in which the increasingly annoying guest of honor gets his face pushed into the cake, a reconnection with a former lover, a loose car tire, and a harrowing audition for a sleazy adult film.Some of the stories are flatly told, facts laid out on the page. Others take loving care with the details. Either way, the accretion of all the stories gives the reader a most satisfying sense of membership by the end of the book–membership in the human race.

⭐I have had this book for years, and I absolutely love it. One of my favorites is the first story about a chicken who strolls down the street.THe stories are short, extremely well written, and all seem to come from the heart.Most of the stories make you feel like you have a little fascinating insight into the lives of people – a wide variety of people with different values, expectations, and life experiences. Admittedly, people you will never actually meet, but somehow the stories make you feel close to them. THey also give you different ways to look at things, and new ideas to think about. They run the gamut of the human experience. And these are stories that will stay with you for a long time.The stories are honest, sincere, and not always happy. But reading from this book always leaves me with a warm, happy feeling.

⭐I bought this book for a neighbor who has been hospitalized for an extended period of time. It has wonderful stories. Some very short and some a wee bit longer, which can be read to her in random order. It’s a book that you do not have to start at the beginning and read all the way through.

⭐This is definitely not Chicken Soup and i couldn’t be happier. I’m forcing myself to read this book slowly so the stories can soak in. These are REAL stories written by REAL people, not cheesy forwarded email drivel. The texture of so many voices, so many perspectives, so many characters is just wonderful. Anyone looking for fairytale endings is going to be disappointed, but if you’re interested in hearing what touches the minds and lives of your fellow humans, this is a treasure trove.

⭐A couple of not-so-great stories (including the title one) yet others are relatable, heart-warming and touching. I do think something is missing though in not hearing the voices of the authors as you would on the radio series.

⭐Purchased this fabulous collections of stories – all from 1 to 1.5, others 2 or 3 page stories … some longer, some less. This is a collection that anyone can pick up at anytime for a smile, the next minute tears and at all times appreciation for the sharing of favorite life moments from others who are as you and me. I can’t imagine ANYONE not liking this fabulous array of intimate nuggets of individuals’ lives.

⭐Paul Auster had successful and sporadic participations on a radio show. When he was asked to appear more frequently, he refused. He was not ready to give up his peaceful life, but when he told his wife about the offer she gave him an idea. Instead of him doing the talking and the thinking why not ask the audience to share their stories. The response was overwhelming, and from thousands of stories sent, he included his favorite ones in this book. An interesting way to learn how Americans think and react.

⭐A recommander chaudement, cette suite de récits autobiographiques tour à tour drôles, poignants, qui font ressembler la vie à la fiction comme l’écrit Paul Auster dans sa préface.

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⭐The book is a good read.

⭐この本は小川洋子さんが、「博士の本棚」という著作の中で紹介してくれたものである。小川さんが紹介してくれた鶏の話はこの本の最初に出てくる。たったの六行の記述でしかないがとぼけた話で意表をつく。編集者のPaul Austerのセンスを感じさせる冒頭の挨拶である。 ここに掲載された179編の物語は、作家・Paul Austerがラジオで呼びかけて一般の聴取者から募集したものになんの手も加えずに放送し、そして本にまとめたものである。内容は、普通の人が普通の日常生活を綴ったものであるが、事実は小説より奇なり、と思わせるもの、人の情けとそれを実行した勇気ある人々の話、（Christmas Morning, 1949、これには思わず快哉を叫びたかった）、子供の頃に黒人の子供が差別されるのを目の当たりにして何も出来なかった自分を悔やむ話（The New Girl）、帽子屋に帽子を買いに行ったお父さんが時間をかけてようやく見つけたお気に入りの帽子は？？？、と思わずにんまりする話（A Felt Fedora）、そして私の一番のお気に入りは、可愛がっていた甥を突然失ってぼんやりと過ごしていた日に出会ったある青年の慰めの言葉、「I am Lee.」には、世の中にこんな優しい人が居るのだろうかと驚き、人を慰めることを厭わないその気持ちと実行力に敬意を表したものである（Lee）。 このように、Paul Austerはこの本をまとめた経緯を述べる以外には表に出てこないし、（編集だけなので）存在感もはっきりしないのであるが、さすがに作家の意地を見せたかったのか、最後に読者をあっと言わせるような作品を持ってきている。これから読む人のために詳細は省くが、私はこの話が一番気に入ったわけではないものの、恐らく多くの人がラジオを聞いて、或いはこの本を読んで孤独から救われそして立ち直ったのではないかということが、この最後の物語から推測されたのである。小島慶子さんというラジオ・パーソナリティが随筆に、「（ラジオは）誰かの孤独を温めるかもしれない。行き場のない人が明日も生きてみようと思うかもしれない。」と書いているが、まさにそれに当てはまるような人生の中のひと時の物語であった。 そして私はこのPaul Austerのラジオを体験したくてこの本のCDを注文した。

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⭐作家のポール･オースターが アメリカ人の実生活の記録博物館のようなものをラジオ番組内に作ろうと 聴取者に実話を書いて送るよう呼びかけた。集まった4000編以上の物語の中から選ばれたものが一冊になっている。ラジオで朗読された文章なので，易しい。出版の経緯を述べるオースターの前書きが７ページ弱ある以外、話は長いもので２ページ余、短いものは６センテンス。技巧などはない。物語は一枚の写真のような印象だ。古びていたり、モノクロもカラーもあるけれど、それぞれにちゃんと語る人の思いが反映されていて、持ち主の存在が感じられる。家族･思い出の品･夢･戦争･ドタバタなど大雑把に分類された物語をいくつか読むうちに 広いアメリカに暮らすたくさんの人たちの姿が点々と、そして緩やかに結ばれて見えてくるような気がして不思議だ。オースターの試み通り、この本は記憶のアーカイヴになっている。南北戦争、２回の大戦、ヴェトナム戦争、Ｏ･ヘンリーのような話、Ｏ･ヘンリーの幻の原稿の話、認知症の母、浮気、孤独等々。私はこの本を 小川洋子さんの書評で知った。小川さんのお気に入りのニワトリの話は、冒頭にあってこの本の特徴を表している。若い人よりも 振り返れば自分にも何がしかの物語がある年頃の人たちにお勧めしたい。

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⭐ポール・オースター氏は1947年にポーランド系ユダヤ人の両親のもとに生まれた現代作家。彼が手がけた「ナショナル・ストーリー・プロジェクト」とは、アメリカのラジオ局NPR (National Public Radio) で、全米４２州の市民から寄せられた個人的逸話を、オースターが朗読するというもの。本作品は、4000点を超えるそれらの物語の中から厳選された１８０編を収めたアンソロジーで、アメリカのざらっとした現実を教えてくれます。近年、地方国公立大学（茨城、静岡）や有名私大（上智、明治など）の入試問題で頻繁に使われています。大学教授の入試問題作りにも役立っているようです。2001年出版なのでまだ旬かもしれません。貧困大国アメリカに落ちぶれた現在に近い物語よりも、強くて誇り高き国であったヴェトナム戦争前のそれに心を惹かれる自分に気がつきます。本の体裁も美しいので２冊買ってしまいました。Read By the AuthorのAudio Book もavailableです。

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