I had feared, when buying, delivered in 48 hours by Amazon, incidentally - that this new novel resembles, in some respects, the previous one, "What have I done," I had read with delight and spoke, too, of the creation of the universe and the relations of man with God. Now it is not so, and this book is a profound reflection on the World, of course, on the place of man in the universe, about life, about death. A thesis and synthesis of scientists and philosophers of all times who have tried to give an explanation to the creation of the world: no one is missing, and even those that most of us do not know, appear, and astonish us.
Much humor, when "The Dream of the Old" exclaims "Stardust, my ass" (p.106), and thanks, to conclude, the hand of a man who erased, on the walls from an American university, the famous "God is dead, Nietzsche signed" to write "Nietzsche is dead, signed God." God has fun and is surprised, argues and softens or irritated, while "the labyrinth of the wire" describes the beliefs, progress, wanderings, exploits or mistakes of those who have tried to understand and explain.
The second part, entitled "Why does he have something rather than nothing," makes the floor to Jean d'Ormesson, always talkative, bright, comforting too. He was surprised, he marveled at the many aspects of creation, and invites us to enjoy life, which is primarily Beauty, and inspires a feeling of admiration. He pauses to tell us that it is agnostic and it asks for understanding. In this second part, a long development on everything related to God and the World, structured part by over forty "titles" that generate a major and unexpected interest: "the world is a novel", "time is a mystery "," reality is a dream, "" the world is an enigma, "" being is and that's enough. " In short: "Does God exist and?" What was he after death? These are the essential questions.
The final section, "Death, a beginning?" leads us to transcend ourselves, to become better. The author's goodness shines through every line, who has faith in man and that makes us love it. If he does not really believe in God, however, he wrote "I doubt God because I believe in." And if he had to believe in just one thing, more than in the same words that are to his purpose, he should believe in God!
In the final pages, he exclaims, full of joy and the World of Hope, "all is well" Such a posture, such openness and sincerity or naivety on his part, make us feel for him great sympathy, which is probably the one that should unite all the inhabitants of our planet.
There is, indeed, such a love of our world, of all these men, great and small, served by a feeling still surprisingly beautiful style (despite advancing age ...), clear, sincere, we have traveled this work with great joy to the heart. For the talent or genius of Jean d'Ormesson, is to make us the joy of living when we are sad or worried. He always reassures us. It is as we see on television: quiet, open to dialogue, compelling, soothing, surprising. With him, everything is possible.
Some readers and critics may blame him to flaunt his culture or being too narcissistic. Who is not, in one way or another? This ostentation, which is that the support of a private development with no other goal than to touch the universals, was bought by the tone of confident assuring us that we are truly friends, we readers, it is, it certainly also our friend and brother, the one who knows the questions that we all ask, which it provides meaningful answers, human and poetic.
I highly recommend this book, which has the merit of pleasing and touching, make us more gays and stronger, more confident also in ourselves and in humans, while educating us.
