He was born into a hungarian jewish family in budapest but, apart from his early school years, was educated in austria. Of all of arthur koestlers works, none demonstrates more vividly his narrative power and uncompromising clarity of vision than this seminal work. Arthur koestler books list of books by author arthur koestler. Koestler became a british citizen and died after having reading a teeming bookshelf of novels and autobiographical works. Darkness at noon 1940 by arthur koestler is worth reading and not forgetting. Darkness at noon was the middle book of an unusual trilogy of loosely related subjects.
Scribner 1230 avenue of the americas new york, ny 10020. Complete with tissue guard and notes from the editor. Darkness at noon by arthur koestler the 309th greatest. Wall street journal andrew stuttaford koestlers novel is worth reading or rereading. It tells a story of a man who had his people turn on him. Arthur koestler books list of books by author arthur. Arthur koestler cbe kosztler artur was a prolific writer of essays, novels and autobiographies. Darkness at noon by arthur koestler the best dystopian novels. Imprisoned by the political party to which he has dedicated his life, nicolas rubashov paces his prison cell, examining.
Darkness at noon is considered one of the greatest books of the twentieth century residing on a shelf with such classics as george orwells 1984. Dec 11, 2009 a fictional portrayal of an aging revolutionary, this novel is a powerful commentary on the nightmare politics of the troubled 20th century. Arthur koestler 19051983 was a hungarianbritish author and journalist who. Arthur koestlers darkness at noon was one of the most influential novels of the 20th century, and the 20th century would have been a better century had it been more influential still. Reflecting koestlers own disenchantment with communism. It tells a story of a man who had his people turn on him and captured him. This is the audible edition of arthur koestlers 1940 novel darkness at noon.
Discover book depositorys huge selection of arthur koestler books online. Several of them were personally known to the author. Sep 17, 2019 buy darkness at noon reprint by koestler, arthur isbn. Darkness at noon study guide from litcharts the creators. But nowhere in the book does koestler suggest that harsher methods to obtain confessions did not play a rolequite the contraryor that the methods. Several years after darkness at noon was written, george orwell published animal farm 1945, an allegorical novel that also refers to the soviet union, though it covers a different period of soviet history than darkness at noon.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Of all of arthur koestlers works, none demonstrates more vividly his narrative power and uncompromising clarity of vision than this seminal work of twentieth century literature. Arthur koestler was a former communist and intellectual, he grew up in europe and eventually became a british subject by choice. The desperate plight behind darkness at noon the new yorker. His bestknown work tells the tale of rubashov, a bolshevik 1917 revolutionary who is cast out, imprisoned and tried for treason by the soviet government hed helped create. This is a classic novel based on real life experiences. Nov 24, 2009 originally published in 1941, arthur koestler s modern masterpiece, darkness at noon, is a powerful and haunting portrait of a communist revolutionary caught in the vicious fray of the moscow show trials of the late 1930s. Over the course of his life, koestler espoused many political causes. Arthur koestlers novel of the moscow trials laid bare the gulf between. In 1940 he published his novel darkness at noon, an antitotalitarian work that.
Nicholas rubashov, who is imprisoned, tortured, and forced through a series of. Darkness at noonarthur koestler born in budapest in 1905, educated in vienna, arthur koestler early immersed himself in the major ideological and social conflicts of his time. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience. It shows how easily a smart person can justify monstrous acts. A fictional portrayal of an aging revolutionary, this novel is a powerful commentary on the nightmare politics of the troubled 20th century. Darkness at noon by arthur abebooks shop for books. Sep 24, 2019 w hen it was first published in 1940, arthur koestlers dystopian indictment of stalinism, darkness at noon, was hailed as a seminal work.
The title of this book is darkness at noon and it was written by arthur koestler. In his spare time he wrote arrival and departure, the third in his trilogy of novels that included darkness at noon. Originally published in 1941, arthur koestler s modern masterpiece, darkness at noon, is a powerful and haunting portrait of a communist revolutionary caught in the vicious fray of the moscow show trials of the late 1930s. Jan 27, 2015 arthur koestlers timeless classic, darkness at noon, first published in 1941, is a powerful and haunting portrait of a soviet revolutionary who is imprisoned and tortured under stalins rule. In 1940 he published his novel darkness at noon, an antitotalitarian work that gained him international fame. This book is the 309th greatest fiction book of all time as determined by. Sep 09, 20 darkness at noon dramatises the moscow show trials and the elimination of the bolshevik old guard by no. The newly discovered lost text of arthur koestlers modern masterpiece, darkness at noonthe haunting portrait of a revolutionary, imprisoned and tortured under totalitarian ruleis now restored and in a completely new translation.
The british author arthur koestler had released another one of his great work in 1940. It is a condemnation of collectivist authoritarianism you may call it socialism or communism. This page contains details about the fiction book darkness at noon by arthur koestler published in 1940. Dec 26, 2012 as orwell wrote, koestler is writing about darkness, but it is darkness at what ought to be noon. Michael scammell is the author of koestler, the literary and political odyssey of a twentiethcentury skeptic random house, 2009. Gladiators and arrival and departure 20th century classics. His best known work, it is the tale of rubashov, an old bolshevik who is arrested, imprisoned, and tried for treason against the government that he helped to create the novel is set in 1939 during the stalinist great purge and moscow show trials. During stalins purges, nicholas rubashov, an aging revolutionary, is imprisoned and psychologically tortured by the party he has devoted his life to. Arthur koestler, a hungarianbritish authorjournalist was arrested as a communist spy during the battle of malaga february 38, 1937 in the spanish civil war, and spent three months imprisoned in solitary confinement in the city of seville seeing others lead out for execution and fearing he might be next. Books by arthur koestler author of darkness at noon. Born in hungary in 1905, a defector from the communist party in 1938, and then arrested in both spain and france for his political views, arthur koestler writes from a wealth of personal experience. Darkness at noon is, quite simply, an example of what the best literature can do.
His best known work, it is the tale of rubashov, an old bolshevik who is arrested, imprisoned, and tried for treason against the government that he helped to create. Now, almost 80 years later, the hungarianbritish authors original text is. Darkness at noon originally published in 1941, arthur koestlers modern masterpiece, darkness at noon, is a powerful and haunting portrait of a communist revolutionary caught in the vicious fray of the moscow show trials of the late 1930s. Revisiting arthur koestlers darkness at noon national endowment. The darkness at noon is a remarkable read and provides significant detail and caption. The west may have prevailed as applebaum suggests, but koestlers tale of lies and oppression is all too chillingly contemporary. Darkness at noon a bantam book published by arrangement with the macmillan company publishing history. Koestler is lucid, profound and readable, and even in the bleakest moments it is a joy to be carried along with him.
Arthur koestlers classic story of stalinist purges has hitherto been. Darkness at noon dramatises the moscow show trials and the elimination of the bolshevik old guard by no. Darkness at noon book by arthur koestler official publisher page. Darkness at noon the newly discovered lost text of arthur koestler s modern masterpiece, darkness at noon the haunting portrait of a revolutionary, imprisoned and tortured under totalitarian ruleis now restored and in a completely new translation.
Arthur koestler has 88 books on goodreads with 100106 ratings. Some spotting on page ends noticeable only when you hold the book up under a light0. Darkness at noon book by arthur koestler 19 available. Essentially, koestler relates what it was like to live under stalanism. He has been arrested for a supposed assassination plot against the leader of the totalitarian nation. The novel expresses the authors disillusionment with the bolshevik ideology of the soviet union at the. Arthur koestlers timeless classic, darkness at noon, first published in 1941, is a powerful and haunting portrait of a soviet revolutionary who is imprisoned and tortured under stalins rule. In march 1942 koestler was assigned to the ministry of information, where he worked as a scriptwriter for propaganda broadcasts and films. Miller is joined by flagg taylor of skidmore college to discuss arthur koestler s darkness at noon. Even if you skim the pages, the words dark and darkness announce their presence.
See all books authored by arthur koestler, including sonnenfinsternis, and the thirteenth tribe. The desperate plight behind darkness at noon the new. The author, arthur koestler, became a member of the german communist party in 1931. Darkness at noon still lives as a study of fear and victimhood, of state brutality, of unjust imprisonment, of interrogation and forced confession. Sonnenfinsternis is a novel by hungarianborn british novelist arthur koestler, first published in 1940. The newly discovered lost text of arthur koestler s modern masterpiece, darkness at noon the haunting portrait of a revolutionary, imprisoned and tortured under totalitarian ruleis now restored and in a completely new translation. It was suggested to me that i look up kioestler on the web and read about him for context. Koestler was a middle east correspondent for several german newspapers, wrote for the manchester guardian, the london times and the new york herald tribune. Like darkness at noon, animal farm also refrained from naming russia or stalin explicitly. Oct 17, 2006 in 1931 koestler joined the communist party of germany until, disillusioned by stalinism, he resigned in 1938.
Koestler was born in budapest and, apart from his early school years, was educated in austria. Darkness at noon by arthur koestler the newly discovered lost text of arthur. Darkness at noon arthur koestler darkness at noon translated by daphne hardy bantam books new york toronto london sydney auckland this edition contains the complete text of the original hardcover edition. Editor michael scammell and translator philip boehm bring us a brilliant novel, a remarkable discovery, and a new translation of an international classic. Darkness at noon by arthur koestler, signed abebooks. The action is set during stalins purge trials of the 1930s and concerns nicholas rubashov, an oldguard bolshevik who at first denies, then confesses to, crimes that he has not committed. As orwell wrote, koestler is writing about darkness, but it is darkness at what ought to be noon. Koestler wrote darkness at noon, which centers on the destructiveness of politics, the act of creation, a book about creativity, and the ghost in the machine, which bravely attacks behaviorism. Sonnenfinsternis is a novel by the hungarianborn british novelist arthur koestler, first published in 1940. In a series of trials that were publicized around the world, some of the. Darkness at noon originally published in 1941, arthur koestler s modern masterpiece, darkness at noon, is a powerful and haunting portrait of a communist revolutionary caught in the vicious fray of the moscow show trials of the late 1930s. Darkness at noon by arthur koestler and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Its hero is an aging revolutionary, imprisoned and psychologically tortured by the party to which he has dedicated his life.
A communist during the 1930s, and visitor for a time in the soviet union, he became disillusioned with the party and left it in 1938. Grounded in reality, the sovietstyle dictatorship depicted by koestler is as twisted, illogical and terrifying as any science fiction. That took a few minutes and gave the book more gravity for me at least. They then had him put in prison for a crime he did not commit. After 80 years, darkness at noons original text is finally translated. Darkness at noon by arthur koestler the best dystopian. Originally published in 1941, arthur koestlers modern masterpiece, darkness at noon, is a powerful and haunting portrait of a communist revolutionary caught in the vicious fray of the moscow show trials of the late 1930s. Miller is joined by flagg taylor of skidmore college to discuss arthur koestlers darkness at noon.
Some on the right have unfairly criticized koestler, claiming that darkness at noon implies that subtle argumentation, rather than crude torture, obtained the confessions at the moscow trials. It was published by scribner and has a total of 288 pages in the book. Jul 28, 2017 darkness at noon 1940 by arthur koestler is worth reading and not forgetting. Rubashov a fictitious merging of real bolsheviks known to koestler. Darkness at noon by arthur koestler the greatest books. Full leather edition published in 1979 by the franklin library.