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"First-rate research collaborates with first-rate imagination. . . . Superb."--The Boston Globe Paris, 1940. The civilized, upper-class life of film producer Jean Casson is derailed by the German occupation of Paris, but Casson learns that with enough money, compromise, and connections, one need not deny oneself the pleasures of Parisian life. Somewhere inside Casson, though, is a stubborn romantic streak. When he's offered the chance to take part in an operation of the British secret service, this idealism gives him the courage to say yes. A simple mission, but it goes wrong, and Casson realizes he must gamble everything--his career, the woman he loves, life itself. Here is a brilliant re-creation of France--its spirit in the moment of defeat, its valor in the moment of rebirth. Praise for The World at Night "[The World at Night] earns a comparison with the serious entertainments of Graham Greene and John le Carré. . . . Gripping, beautifully detailed . . . an absorbing glimpse into the moral maze of espionage."--Richard Eder, Los Angeles Times "[The World at Night] is the world of Eric Ambler, the pioneering British author of classic World War II espionage fiction. . . . The novel is full of keen dialogue and witty commentary . . . . Thrilling."--Herbert Mitgang, Chicago Tribune "With the authority of solid research and a true fascination for his material, Mr. Furst makes idealism, heroism, and sacrifice believable and real."--David Walton, The Dallas Morning News… (more)
User reviews
Not his best work, but even weak Alan Furst is better than most writers in this genre.
His journey is the
His journey is the journey from Facism to Communism and finally to a sort of redemption. Along the way he finds himself fighting in all the major theaters of the European war and we see how it develops through his eyes.
A must, must read for anyone interested in WWII.
Paris, 1940. The civilized, upper-class life of film producer Jean Casson is derailed by the German occupation of Paris, but Casson learns that with enough money, compromise, and connections, one need not deny oneself the pleasures of Parisian life. Somewhere inside Casson, though, is a
I am a new comer to Alan Furst's novels and to make it worse I am reading them in the wrong order! But I don’t think it really matters.
Good and evil; honour and loyalty...these aspects of the Parisian occupation are laid on the shoulders of this carefree, slightly dissolute, marginally successful film producer Jean Casson.
Casson initially reacts to the war by hoping it will all just go away but he's called up to join the French Army to repel the German invasion, which, which ends in a debacle. Later Jean Casson becomes entangled, albeit reluctantly, in the shady and dangerous world of espionage.
You really get the feel of how it must have been to be part of the French Resistance; Casson is scared, terrified, most of the time. Also he reignites an old flame an actress named Citrine, this romantic liaison adds another layer to the heady mix.
The real achievement of the author is showing the mundane, normal every day experiences like eating, drinking, working, loving against the backdrop of the terror of the occupation and this is what makes the book so "real."
A sub-plot involves Casson's efforts to make a movie during the Occupation, working with UFA and wondering how much must change now that the Nazis are involved, what constitutes collaboration and what is, simply, making a movie in strange times. The whole effort serves as a commentary, both on Casson as a character, and intentionally or not, also on the reader of genre fiction such as the spy novel. Good stuff.
Much is made of Furst's atmospherics, often with a whiff of disdain. Were there nothing else to the novel, I could agree with the criticism. For me, though, The World At Night is a little tale, told with panache and a very comfortable sense of time & place, and much of this is deliberate. But knotted at the heart of this story is a sober glimpse of the moral (and sometimes, ethical) weight pulling at a life in conflict. Like Hitchcock, I think, the point is not to be dramatic or focus on the events of History. Rather, it is to examine the tensions and dilemmas of an ordinary person caught up in extraordinary circumstances, and from it glean something worth taking to heart. The agent / counter-agent business, Casson's collaboration with saboteurs, are very much a MacGuffin.
The ending was unexpected, as other reviews have mentioned, but I do not make too much of it. The turnabout came quickly, was handled in a few paragraphs, and the story was done. Primarily it was the speed of it that shocked. But it did not change the central problems facing Casson throughout the novel, and for that reason, I think, it is quite fitting.
NOTE: Furst mentioned in his Aug 09 Author Chat that this book marks his first use of what he termed the "existential novel", culminating in Kingdom Of Shadows. He implied the first three books took a different form, and that those following Kingdom Of Shadows similarly adopted a different overall literary approach. So while his novels are often mentioned as an informal series, Furst suggests there may be mini-serials within the set.
Paris, 1940. The civilized, upper-class life of film producer Jean Casson is derailed by the German occupation of Paris, but Casson learns that with enough money, compromise, and connections, one need not deny oneself the pleasures of Parisian life. Somewhere inside Casson, though, is a
I am a new comer to Alan Furst's novels and to make it worse I am reading them in the wrong order! But I don’t think it really matters.
Good and evil; honour and loyalty...these aspects of the Parisian occupation are laid on the shoulders of this carefree, slightly dissolute, marginally successful film producer Jean Casson.
Casson initially reacts to the war by hoping it will all just go away but he's called up to join the French Army to repel the German invasion, which, which ends in a debacle. Later Jean Casson becomes entangled, albeit reluctantly, in the shady and dangerous world of espionage.
You really get the feel of how it must have been to be part of the French Resistance; Casson is scared, terrified, most of the time. Also he reignites an old flame an actress named Citrine, this romantic liaison adds another layer to the heady mix.
The real achievement of the author is showing the mundane, normal every day experiences like eating, drinking, working, loving against the backdrop of the terror of the occupation and this is what makes the book so "real."
This is the first of Furst's books to feature Casson; unfortunately, not realizing it at the time, I'd read the second one (Red Gold) years ago, and now, finally, have read this one. Despite knowing how it ends, this was an exciting read. First, recalled to active duty to fight the invading Germans, Casson spends a few harrowing weeks with a unit filming the war for newsreel footage. The French are overwhelmed, German occupation begins, and back in Paris, Casson is approached by contacts from the film industry, one who wants him to continue making movies and another who asks him to participate in a scheme against the Germans. Reluctantly, Casson agrees to both; the former reunites him with the actress he loves and the latter puts them both in danger.
The beauty of Furst's books is his ability to realistically recreate time and place, putting the reader into the story. I hope there's a third book featuring Casson because I really want to know what happens to him.
I expected to like this book much better than I did. I think I just had too high an expectation. I enjoyed the story, but Casson's reluctance to become involved and air of futility began to annoy me. I felt like he lived in his own little world, but I admit it was an interesting one, filled with fascinating French characters. His obsession with a former lover, Citrine, provided a lot a flashbacks to happier times. I like most of Furst's books but this wasn't my favorite. If you have never read a book by Alan Furst, I recommend Night Soldiers, The Polish Officer or The Spies of Warsaw.
I expected to like this book much better than I did. I think I just had too high an expectation. I enjoyed the story, but Casson's reluctance to become involved and air of futility began to annoy me. I felt like he lived in his own little world, but I admit it was an interesting one, filled with fascinating French characters. His obsession with a former lover, Citrine, provided a lot a flashbacks to happier times. I like most of Furst's books but this wasn't my favorite. If you have never read a book by Alan Furst, I recommend Night Soldiers, The Polish Officer or The Spies of Warsaw.
In this volume, Jean Claude Casson, a Parisian film producer
But it's hard to stay neutral in occupied Paris. The Germans hear about his flirtation with espionage and then start pressuring him to play the game by their rules, and Jean Claude must make a desperate run towards Unoccupied France and then to Spain. This one kept me madly turning the pages until the last page.
If you are looking for a spy thriller with lots of violence, The World at Night is not for you. The dangers are subtle and barely suggested. Instead, Furst is a master of detail. From fashion and the automobiles to the food and drink and music, the culture of Paris lives and breathes alongside its society. Furst's imagery is perfection: what do you picture when he describes a young woman as having "hen-strangler hands"? Furst takes you into 1940s Paris with love. A commentary on authenticity. I believe authenticity comes from the ability to faithfully mimic primary sources; the ability to take first-hand accounts and recreate them exactly. Once you see faithful details repeated you assume a truthful interpretation. Such is The World at Night.
Speaking of characters and love, I could not help but fall in love with Jean-Claude Casson. His mature passion for beautiful women and the way he makes each one feel as though she were the only one in his life...sigh. When he finally settles on one particular woman you root for them to be together.