Description
ST. URBAIN'S HORSEMAN
Book Summary
Mordecai Richler, the acclaimed author of "Barney's Version", immerses us in the Swinging London of the sixties with a novel of pitch-black humor and sharp social criticism. Through the life of Mortimer Griffin, a successful White Anglo-Saxon Protestant editor, the work dissects the contradictions of a decade of dizzying change. A biting satire on identity, success, and hypocrisy, where the protagonist's foundations are shaken by increasingly eccentric characters and extreme situations that challenge all his certainties.
What is it about?
Mortimer Griffin is the head of Oriole Press, one of the most prestigious and oldest publishing houses in England. His life, apparently perfect and full of success, begins to crumble in the context of the Swinging London of the sixties, a time of radical social and cultural transformations. The plot becomes a labyrinth where Griffin faces a parade of grotesque characters and absurd situations: his friend Ziggy Spicehandler, an experimental film director; a journalist who publicly accuses him of being a renegade Jew; his eight-year-old son's teacher, who decides to stage a play by the Marquis de Sade; and the Star-Maker, an American film mogul who has just bought his publishing house. Each encounter calls into question his identity, his values, and his place in a world he no longer recognizes.
Main themes
- The crisis of identity in a transforming society.
- Satire of success and the hypocrisy of cultural elites.
- The generational clash and the dissolution of traditional values in the sixties.
- Critique of the publishing and film industry.
- Anti-Semitism and the denial of one's own identity.
Who is it recommended for?
For readers who enjoy literary fiction with a strong satirical component and black humor. It is ideal for those who appreciate novels that dissect the society and culture of an era with irony and mordancy, in the style of authors like Philip Roth or Martin Amis. Also for those interested in the portrait of Swinging London and the contradictions of modernity.
What this book offers
- A critical and amusing vision of the excesses and contradictions of the sixties.
- Memorable and grotesque characters that reflect the archetypes of an era.
- A labyrinthine plot that maintains interest and surprise until the end.
- The narrative mastery of Mordecai Richler, an internationally recognized author.
- A deep reflection on identity and authenticity in a changing world.
Technical data
- Author: RICHLER, MORDECAI
- Publisher: LA FUGA EDICIONES
- Language: Spanish
- Topic: MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY FICTION
- Collection: ESCALONES
- Publication date: October 2021
- Number of pages: 268
- Weight: 460 g
Editorial assessment
"St. Urbain's Horseman" is a work that recovers the satirical talent of Mordecai Richler to offer a corrosive and entertaining novel. Its value lies in the ability to portray a tumultuous era through the eyes of a protagonist who finds himself overwhelmed by circumstances. The edition by La Fuga Ediciones, within its Escalones collection, brings to the Spanish reader a key piece by the author of "Barney's Version", perfect for those looking for an intelligent and provocative read that combines social criticism, black humor, and an absorbing plot.