The questions, discussion topics, and reading list that follow are intended to enhance your reading groups discussion of mordecai richlers hilarious novel, barneys version, which is soon to be a major motion picture. Barneys version a novel by mordecai richler biographical criticism 19312001 barney mordecai raised on st. We see his imperfections and selfinflicted wounds even as he tries to build a life and family with his true love. Taking place in montreal, barney is a hard drinking, hard smoking, foul mouthed, confused writer and producer, who is given up life struggles with numerous obstacles as the story goes on and nothing seems to be going his way. He also receives a message earlier from barneys wife that he was suppose to give to barney but didnt leaving his wife to kill herself. After falling in love with barneys version, the only book he has ever read twice, he discovered that mr. Paul giamatti is comfortably charming in the central role in this brash canadian comedy, even if its all a bit softfocus. In his novel barneys version 1997, mordecai richler uses layers of narrative. Barneys version vintage international kindle edition.
He has many sexual exploits in his past and loads of self doubt in his present, together with digitalis and dentures. The play was adapted for radio by howard wiseman, and directed by greg sinclair, or gregory j. The book gets into the head of a complicated man, while the film merely observes him. Shakespeare, tolstoy, or even dickens, understood more about. Its an uneven film, but the terrific cast makes it well worth watching. Barneys story is told in retrospect, in the form of a response to a book written by a cop who is convinced barney murdered his best friend. Barneys version turns out to be a fine, funny novel, often derivative, but deft, irreverent and affecting all the same. Barney panofsky is a hard living, curmudgeonly television producer, and barney s version is the story of his lifes successes and failures, professional and personal. The story is told through flashbacks and interconnected vignettes. This was a wonderful movie, now im looking forward to reading the book and then seeing it again. It is barneys side of the murder and his life, and it leads up to and devolves from that fateful evening when, far from being angry, he felt joy in a bedroom scene that would be his ticket to live with miriam. A very unreliable character who is responsible for the narration of the book, leaving readers unsure on whether to trust him not. Barneys version is one of richlers most glorious achievements. Underlying the story of barneys three marriages is the mysterious disappearance of his friend.
Barneys version movie trailer official hd synopsis. Barneys version is his 10th novel, his first since 1989s solomon gursky was here, and while it is attracting richlers usual. Mordecai richler january 27, 1931 july 3, 2001 was a canadian writer. Barney panofsky canadian expat, wily lover of women, writer, television producer, raconteur is finally putting pen to paper so he can rebut the charges about him made in his rivals autobiography. Both are excellent even though i enjoyed the book more than its cinematic version. Barneys version by michael konyves based on the novel by mordecai richler. The bigbudget film adaptation of richlers final novel, barneys version, has brought with it an avalanche of new vintage paperbacks, with paul giamatti smirking wryly from the peak of a stacked. Charged with comic energy and a steely disregard for any pieties whatsoever, barneys version is a major richler novel, the most personal and feeling book of a long and distinguished career. An analysis of barneys version by mordecai richler kibin. Barneys version taking place in mont real, barney is a hard drinking, hard smoking, foul mouthed, confused writer and producer, who is given up life struggles with numerous obstacles as the story goes on and nothing seems to be going his way. I suspect that is because i am edging closer to barneys age and ive drunk my share of single malts, etc. Readers may never love barney panofsky, the selfdestructive, selfloathing, derisive, womanizing, hottempered antihero of richlers latest novel.
I liked this book when i first read it years ago ill admit, i was mesmerized by it this time around. This is barneys best friend who betrays him in the book and sleeps with his wife. The book is narrated by the aged and mentally faltering barney, and much of its charm is in the fact that the reader cannot fully trust the version being recounted by a. If you have read richler and enjoyed him, barneys version is a book not to be missed. Barneys version, by mordecai richler kevinfromcanada. Barneys version essaysthe novel barneys version by mordecai richler is an exquisite illustration of an authors attention to detail in regard to the first person narrative. Lewis, based on the novel of the same name by mordecai richler. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of barneys version by mordecai richler. Lantos owned the rights and got a friend, the canadian theater impresario garth h.
An incredible novel on the value of memory, of honesty, and of life. Barneys version by mordecai richler the canadian book. His best known works are the apprenticeship of duddy kravitz 1959 and barneys version 1997. Barneys version audiobook mordecai richler audible. The book, with its erudite, unreliable narrator, who is justifying his life through a fog. I read mordecais barneys version and i saw the movie. Its no surprise it took years to bring mordecai richlers last novel, barneys version, to the screen. Underlying the story of barneys three marriages is the mysterious disappearance of his friend boogie. The story of barney panofsky, mordecai richlers mercurial comic creation, sets an astringent standard of political incorrectness in present.
Jewish themes a list of 40 titles created 06 oct 2018 2010 best 25 films a list of 25 titles created 2 months ago to watch a list of 21 titles created 07 feb 2017. Barneys version by michael konyves based on the novel by. Paul giamatti wonderfully portrays a life though the stages from youthful and idealistic 20s through the difficulties of aging and confronting death. Barneys version quotes showing of 32 i dont hold with shamans, witch doctors, or psychiatrists. Barneys version nude scenes naked pics and videos at mr. The novel barneys version by mordecai richler is an exquisite illustration of an authors attention to detail in regard to the first person narrative. Barneys version is an autobiographical account written in old age, and annotated with footnotes by his priggish and obsessive son. Barney panofskylike so many of richlers protagonists and like richler himself, one suspectsis a harddrinking, hardsmoking, foulmouthed, hedonistic writer and producer. I wanted to know if he was sensing a shift in critical and public reaction to him now that his new book barneys version has been published. Barney panofsky is a hard living, curmudgeonly television producer, and barneys version is the story of his lifes successes and failures, professional and personal. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading barneys version vintage international. Barneys version is a narrative, where the protagonist gives a summary of his life and what he has achieved so far. In one of the scripts many liberties, the book that.
Barneys version by mordecai richler, paperback barnes. Barney panofsky the main character in the book who is the most dramatic and entertaining. Robert lantos adapts barneys version for screen the. Told in the first person, it gives us the life and what a life. When a tellall expose about him is published, curmudgeonly tv producer barney panofsky paul giamatti sets out to tell barneys version 2010. Mordecai richlers 1997 novel barneys version which barneys version is based on plays with the idea of the unreliable narrator. Based on mordecai richlers award winning novel his last and, arguably, best barneys version is the warm, wise and witty story of the politically incorrect life of barney panofsky. The problem with adapting mordecai richlers 1997 novel barneys version to film is the same problem that hits so many book tofilm adaptations. I read barneys version the novel because i loved the movie. Here is a custom theme for barneys musical scrapbook. There is a lot to dislike about barney and the way he has hurt others, yet there is a good heart underneath it all as he yet fulfills the adage of being his own worst enemy. The story is written as if it is an autobiography by barney panofsky recounting his life in varying detail. Urbains horseman and 1989 novel solomon gursky was here were shortlisted for the man booker prize. Barney tells his story after the onset of alzheimers disease, and then his notes are reedited by his son, so its hard to know whats.
Hallway outside barneys apartment continuous he picks up the morning newspaper. Barney opens the book dumps a handful of peanuts on the page, pounds it shut with his. What we read is barneys version but not just barneys version, since the novel also includes footnotes written by barneys son, michael, who has seen the manuscript through publication and has added a long, decisive afterword. I must note that it is not difficult to notice the similarity between mordecais barneys version and bellows masterpiece herzog, both in terms of the protagonist and in terms of the writing style. Barneys version presentation by alana hobson on prezi. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. He is also well known for the jacob twotwo childrens fantasy series. Barneys version of events may be viewed as that of two unreliable narrators, in that his recollections are told from varying mental states and then posthumously edited by his son. Barneys version stars paul giamatti in an adaptation of a book by mordecai richler. Barney s version a novel by mordecai richler biographical criticism 19312001 barney mordecai raised on st. I hate to be one of those the movie couldnt hold a candle to the book types, but thats the best way to describe this one.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Barneys version a middletier marriage drama distinguished by an excellent paul giamatti. Barney takes viewers on a trip through his lives, or, rather, his wives clara rachelle lefevre, the gorgeous redheaded and very, very pregnant first wife, the neurotic second wife known only as the second mrs. Based on mordecai richlers prizewinning comic novelhis last and, arguably, bestbarneys version is the warm, wise, and witty story of barney panofsky paul giamatti, a seemingly ordinary man who lives an extraordinary life. Ironically, barneys version random house returns to a similar kind of funmaking and eyepoking mass culture and canadian cultural authorities come in for repeated drubbing but canadian readers since the novels publication have been willing to take it on the chin and laugh.
Barney panofsky tells his life story, complete with three wives, three children, and a possibly murdered best friend. In march 2003, my radio drama colleagues and i recorded a play called barneys version, based on canadian author mordecai richlers last book. If you have read this book and want to share your views send us an email with your full name, dayevening phone numbers, book title and comments. Barneys version is a 2010 canadian comedydrama film directed by richard j. The book is a firstperson confessional, an explication of the life and philosophy of the eponymous barney panofsky, a jewish canadian television producer with a. Barneys version, in the way it is written and in the themes that emerge, is very similar to margaret laurences the stone angel i actually rewatched the film adaptation just to reaffirm my opinion. Barneys version vintage international kindle edition by mordecai richler, michael panofsky. Barneys version is based on a 1997 novel by mordecai richler, whose the apprenticeship of duddy kravitz 1959 is also the life story of a flawed but lovable jewish character from montreal. The movie moved me through its no holds barred view of barneys life. He is mainly the person to blame for barneys misery. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. The film was nominated for the golden lion at the 67th venice international film festival. Im starting on this shambles that is the true story of my wasted life violating a solemn pledge, scribbling a first book at my advanced age, as a riposte to the scurrilous charges terry mciver has made in his forthcoming autobiography. The footnotes with their nod to nabokovs pale fire are an interesting twist.