The Man Who Went Looking for Time
Kate ThompsonJiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing House2017
Rating 3.7- Chapters
- 7
- ISBN
- 9787539999548
Tags
Literature Foreign Literature SecretsComing of AgeGrowing UpFantasy NovelHeartwarming NarrativeIrish LiteratureYouthYouth ReadingSummary
In the small Irish town of Kenvara, time is slipping away at an incredible speed, and everyone feels that each day is more insufficient than the last. Fifteen-year-old J.J. Liddy is troubled by two things: the old family stories he has heard from a friend, which suggest that the previous generation of the Liddy family hides a secret they do not wish to show; and the fact that everyone around him is rushing about, and even his own time is being "stolen" bit by bit. When his mother is asked what she wants for her birthday, she says only that she would like a little more time. So J.J. decides to get time back for her.Editor's review
这是一部把“时间不够用”这种每个人都有的切身感受，写成一场奇幻冒险的小说。作者凯特·汤普森是爱尔兰传统音乐表演文学硕士，四度获得爱尔兰比斯托奖，她把爱尔兰神话传说中的“永恒之地”、代代相传的民间音乐与一个普通小镇少年的家庭秘密编织在一起：现实世界里人们在追赶时间，传说之地上时间却静止不动；而当地的居民某天发现时间不断增多，让居民感到恐惧，两界之间的屏障就这样出现了裂缝。汤普森在创作后记中写到，这本书缘于一场为社区中心募款而举行的“承诺”拍卖：一位本地出版商承诺把自己写进她的下一本书，并坚持要写到她自己真实的生活，这个念头最终长成了整部小说。因此，书里的小镇、酒吧、琴手和乐声都带着真实的温度。这部作品获得过惠特布莱德年度作品奖、《卫报》年度作品奖，并提名卡内基文学奖，曾与《追风筝的人》《偷书贼》一同被列为美国年度最佳读物。适合在忙碌的日常里，给自己留一段慢下来的阅读时间。Who it's for
A good fit for
- 喜欢爱尔兰民间传说与音乐题材的读者
- 希望读一点奇幻色彩、但不追求硬核设定的读者
- 对成长、亲情、家庭秘密等主题有共鸣的青少年与成年人
- 想在忙碌生活中借一本书重新思考时间与生活的读者
Not a good fit for
- 偏好强情节、快节奏悬疑或硬科幻的读者
- 期待严格考据爱尔兰神话体系与设定的读者
- 不喜欢以少年为主角的成长故事的读者
Reading tips
- 先读作者前言，了解“拍卖出来的故事”这一由来，会更容易读懂书中真实与虚构交织的细节。
- 可留意书中反复出现的爱尔兰传统音乐与乐器意象，它们是推动情节的关键线索。
- 读完不妨写下自己“最想把时间花在什么事情上”，与吉吉替母亲寻找时间的动机做一个对照。
About the publisher
Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1958Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing House focuses on literary publishing while also covering the humanities, social sciences, and books on art and daily life. Its approximately 1,535 titles in the database span social novels, world history, design, science fiction, classic works, and film and television: they include modern Chinese literary classics by Lu Xun such as A Madman's Diary: The Complete Short Stories of Lu Xun, Call to Arms, Four Generations Under One Roof, and Teahouse, as well as foreign literary memoirs like Stefan Zweig's The World of Yesterday. In science fiction it offers Asimov's Galactic Empire series, while in architecture and art it publishes Liu Dunzhen's Classical Gardens of Suzhou and design titles from Phoenix Space. Its authors are concentrated among classic writers such as Lu Xun, Zweig, and Asimov, with translators including Liang Xijiang, Zhong Haonan, and Ye Lihua. Its overall character is built on classic works while embracing genre fiction and visual culture. Public information is limited, and this introduction is based on the titles in the database.
Contents
- Preface
- PART 1 The Family Secret
- PART 2 The Time Membrane
- PART 3 Kinvara
- PART 4 The Flute and the Leak
- PART 5 Time Restored
- PART 6 All Settles
FAQ
《寻找时间的人》有哪几个中文译本？
目前常见的中文版主要有两种：2008年南海出版公司版，由孙张静翻译，ISBN 9787544237659；2017年江苏凤凰文艺出版社（中国作家网书目写作“江苏文艺出版社”）版，由闫雪莲翻译，ISBN 9787539999548。2023年四川文艺出版社还出过闫雪莲译的精装典藏版。这本书适合多大的孩子读？
它是以十五岁少年吉吉为主角的成长奇幻小说，语言清新、想象丰富，一般建议小学高年级以上至成人阅读；年龄较小的孩子可以亲子共读，遇到爱尔兰神话与音乐相关的内容时由大人稍作解释。“永恒之地”和奇那昂格是什么关系？
奇那昂格是书中永恒之地的名字，源自爱尔兰神话中青春不老、时间静止的乐土。小说里吉吉正是穿过“时间薄膜”来到奇那昂格，与那里的小提琴手一同寻找时间泄露的原因。这是不是一套多册的书？
本书是独立长篇小说的单行本，并不是分册系列。市面上偶尔会见到“XX大师作品集”“年度最佳读物套装”之类的合集，其中收录它作为一册，但作品本身没有第几册之分。This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.
About the author
Kate Thompson AuthorKate Thompson is an author of foreign literature, but public information about her is currently limited, and basic details such as her life and nationality remain unclear. According to the library's holdings, two of her works are available to readers: The Book of Time Seekers and its commemorative collector's edition, commonly classified under literature and foreign literature. The title suggests that her writing may revolve around themes such as time, growth, or life choices, with a certain narrative and emotional quality. The release of a commemorative edition indicates that the book has attracted some attention among readers and reflects continued market interest in her work. Given the limited material, it is difficult to form a fuller judgment of her overall body of work; readers may begin with the existing translations to appreciate her narrative style and thematic concerns.