It has been eagerly awaited, and is now available in all good bookshops. “Thirteen Ways of Seeing is the latest novel from acclaimed author Colum McCann. A difficult novel, which took the author more than 5 years to write, and which is tragically inspired by a tragedy experienced by the writer himself.
The story is simple and original. The story is about Peter Mendelssohn, a well-connected 82-year-old retired prosecutor, who is about to be mugged as he leaves a New York restaurant where he was a regular. The attack proved fatal. Numerous witnesses agreed to give their view of the facts, hence the title “Thirteen Ways of Seeing”.
The writer’s new opus is far from being just another novel. Originally intended as pure fiction, the novel was written in 2 stages, before finally being transformed into fiction inspired by true events.
For the record, Colum McCann very quickly declared himself dissatisfied with the way his project was turning out, going so far as to abandon it, even though he had already been working on the novel for 5 years. But this was without taking into account the terrible assault he himself suffered a few months later, in New Haven, Connecticut. So, on June 27, 2014, as he was leaving his hotel, the writer spotted a woman being assaulted. Without hesitation, the author decided to intervene, but was eventually knocked unconscious and beaten. A violent attack that left him with multiple fractures, broken teeth and a long hospital stay.
It’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. After the attack, I was unable to speak for several days. The newspapers asked me to express myself. I decided to say what I felt, even though I wanted to stay home alone. I was then lucky enough to be able to confront my attacker, to have him judged in a dignified and proud manner, so I no longer suffer from it. Completing this book also allowed me to close this chapter in my life.
This terrible event gave Colum McCann the strength and inspiration he needed to resume his project and bring it to fruition. The result is gripping and captivating, halfway between a thriller and more critical and philosophical reflections on violence, the balance of power, the meaning of life and death…etc.
In short, a good novel that should keep you enthralled from cover to cover!
“Treize façons de voir”, ed. Belfond, 306 pages, 20.50 euros.
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