Inhaltsangabe

Er liebt sein Land, das er nicht mehr versteht. Er hasst die Liberalen. Er schläft nicht ohne seine Waffen. Er ist das Gegenteil von politisch korrekt. Er liebt seine Enkelin Ella über alles. Er hat einen Gehirntumor, für den er das Agent Orange aus dem Vietnamkrieg verantwortlich macht. Er überlebt die Operation. Er nimmt die letzte Chance wahr, sich mit seiner Vergangenheit, seinem Sohn und seinem Erzfeind aus dem Krieg, Clayton Fire Bear auszusöhnen.

Er heißt David Granger, 68 Jahre, Vietnamveteran.

Er ist: Ein Mann mit Anstand. 

Meine Meinung 

Diese Story hatte ich damals ganz schnell ins Auge gefasst, dann ist sie jedoch ziemlich schnell wieder in Vergessenheit geraten. Als ich bei Spotify auf das Hörbuch gestoßen bin, dachte ich mir, das ist ein Zeichen, nun wird es Zeit.

Warum mir die Story ins Auge fiel?

Ich mag das Cover unheimlich gern! Manche sagen, es ist nichtssagend, ich finde es sehr ausdrucksstark. Zu dem interessieren mich Geschichten um Kriegsveteranen sehr.

David Granger’s Geschichte wird hier kontinuierlich von Volker Lechtenbrink erzählt, als ob der Mann direkt neben dir sitzt. Da ich das Hörbuch ausschließlich beim Auto fahren gehört habe, saß David bei jeder Fahrt neben mir und hat von sich erzählt. Erzählerisch war das ganz großes Kino!

Anfänglich konnte mich David natürlich mit den Geschichten aus dem Dschungel in Vietnam fesseln. Er nimmt beim Erzählen kein Blatt vor den Mund und sagt frei heraus, wie es ist.

„Mit Männern, die gute Weine verkosten, kommst du nicht wieder lebend aus dem Dschungel raus.“ (Kapitel 3)

Und dann bleiben diese Begegnungen in Erinnerung, egal ob es hier um den Kambodschaner Tao oder um Bullshit geht. Mein Herz war erweicht.

Zu dem punktet der Autor mit Themen, wie zum Beispiel das Agent Orange, da habe ich im Nachhinein tatsächlich sehr viel nachgelesen.

„Das lernt man übrigens im Dschungel.

Du schläfst, aber du schläfst nie wirklich.“ (Kapitel 22)

Neben den Erzählungen aus der Kriegszeit, erzählt David Granger aus seinem Leben. Von seinem liberalen Sohn Hank, seiner verhassten Schwiegertochter Femke und der geliebten Enkelin Ella. Die Beziehung zu seinem Sohn war vor allem interessant zu verfolgen, denn hier lag einiges im Argen, aber David nimmt sein Leben und auch das einiger anderer in die Hand.

„Jeder, der den Dschungel in Vietnam überlebt hat, kennt sich mit dem Tod aus.

Ich kenne den Scheißkerl besser, als du dich selbst kennst.“ (Kapitel 7)

Wunderschön zu verfolgen, war sein Verhältnis zur kleinen Ella.

Denn ja, David hat auch eine weiche Seite.

Ich könnte ewig aus seinem Leben erzählen, aber das würde einfach zu viel vorwegnehmen. Hört oder lest selbst, über welche menschlichen Begegnungen und Hürden David noch erzählt.

„Nur die Guten sterben jung und ich hatte böse gelebt.“ (Kapitel 5)

Ich brauche bei Büchern nicht immer ein besonderes oder schönes Ende.

Das, welches hier auf mich wartete, gefiel mir super und bringt die Geschichte zu einem krönenden Abschluss.

Mein Fazit

Für mich war „Anstand“ tatsächlich einer der besten Hörbücher, die ich bis dato gehört habe. Mich konnte sowohl der Protagonist, als auch die gesamte Story um ihn herum packen. Der Sprecher macht diese Geschichte zu einem Hörgenuss und das Hörbuch vereint Ernst mit Humor.

Meiner Meinung nach hätte man nichts besser machen können.

Absolute Hörempfehlung!

Truth - I had watched the movie version first and I do find it oddly attracted to the movie in many ways (the performance, the story, the theme) that I truly enjoy it a lot. What I did not was reading the book first. I had this with me for a year over now and last month, I decided (based on a mention) to read it and it was then, I never thought how honest this book turns out to be. There are many realistic themes about this book that makes it not just sad but emotional, troubled but relief and undeniable but real... because in reality, there are no happy endings. Just closure.

Pat Peoples was released from an institution he could not remember why he was there in the first place. At age 34, staying with his parents is the only way he could recuperate his mental health. With a football season starting, Pat has to improve himself physically and started reading books to return to his wife Nikki, so that his 'apart time' is over. He can't wait to go back to his wife until he befriends Tiffany, his friend's wife sister and the secrets they both block and keep together in their own way to come to terms with their hearts and mind.

Its not easy to write characters that are broken and in ways, how damage they become. I can relate a lot with Pat Peoples and most of all, people who do not understand him well. Much like how TiffanyPats and his family and friends, the joy and happiness and the opposite of it. The anger and opinions about the books Pat reads and how he needs help from people he never expect. Its what I believe why this book works because its real. For me - a real positive message is better than a hopeless positive message advice given and for a long time now, I never thought I would read a book that really hits it. Although the movie adaptation and the book had a lot of difference in terms of content, both in their own way is good except I like the book better.

My first 2018 book rated very highly because this book makes me feel in so many ways that I can say I loved it a lot and its one of my favorite reads. I would highly recommend to readers who doesn't believe happy endings are real but believe that we are all part of life to who wants to be happy but not in a Disney way.

What I liked most about this novel is when Nanette finally begins to stand on her own two feet. She has always done what is right, been the perfect person and done what is expected of her. But when Nanette is given a novel by her teacher, this novel changes something inside her. The novel, The Bubblegum Reaper, was an older novel which Nanette instantly falls in love with. Her enthusiasm and passion for this novel was understood and appreciated, as I have felt the same way for a few novels that I have read. Reaching out to the author, Nanette wants answers to the questions that she has pertaining to the book but the author is reluctant to discuss the novel. Nanette does not back down and I enjoyed Nanette persistent probing and inquiring of the author over this novel. If I were in Nanette shoes, I don’t’ think I would be able to walk away either without giving it my all. It’s funny but as Nanette mentions the book, how many people have read it which leads to many discussions. These characters help her discover how to unlock her true identity, some of them just by who they are.

The Reason You're Alive - Matthew Quick

A special thank you to Edelweiss and Harper for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You may be familiar with Quick because of the success of The Silver Linings Playbook—isn't that such a great title?  I had not read anything of his and happily requested this book because The Silver Linings Playbook was such a fantastic movie, not just because of Bradley Cooper, but because of the story.

David Granger is a sixty-eight-year-old Vietnam vet that has crashed his BMW.  Upon further testing, it is revealed that he has a brain tumour that he attributes to his exposure to Agent Orange.  In the twilight from surgery, David repeats the name "Clayton Fire Bear" over and over.  Fire Bear a Native American soldier that Granger had the task of disciplining during the war, and his nemeses.  Granger stole something from him and decides that in order to make peace with his life, he must return it.  In search of closure, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery; this may save his sanity and help him deal with the loss of his beloved wife.

He is an incredibly multi-faceted character that is hanging on to his not so politically correct ideals in a changing world.  There is so much he doesn't understand, yet he ploughs forward, and stumbles his way through awkward social situations and modern American life with the help of his loved ones.  At times his behaviour is cringe-worthy, but under the surface is a kind, patriotic, honourable, and compassionate man.   

I loved the book and by the end I absolutely adored David, even with his many flaws.  His outspokenness was so comedic yet strangely endearing.  Pick this up, you'll be so glad you did!

Eh, I can't say I felt a lot when I finished this one. I didn't totally love it but I didn't totally hate it. One of those just okay books. The characters annoyed me more than not. But I appreciate the fact that Quick unabashedly discussed teenage issues like sex and other things.

Nanette is in her senior year. She's the star of the soccer team and all set to go to college. The problem is, she doesn't even know if she wants to play soccer or go to college. But everyone, including her parents are counting on her. Then she reads the Bubblegum Wrapper and it changes her life. From meeting the author to falling in love. Nanette truly starts to learn exactly who she is.

This is an odd little book. It bugged me when it went from first person to third person. Nanette seemed a bit too naive for me (maybe because I'm not longer a teen and in my late twenties?).

Its one of those books that I would only recommend to mature teens, because it does deal with some tough topics. I haven't read Silver Linings Playbook yet but am interested in the author enough to do so.