Portag San Cristbl

by George Steiner

Book Overview

Imagine, thirty years after the end of World War II, Israeli Nazi-hunters, some of whom lost relatives in the gas chambers of Nazi Germany, find a silent old man deep in the Amazon jungle. He is... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671468324
• ISBN13: 9780671468323
• Release Date: May 1983
• Publisher: Pocket Books
• Length: 190 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Oh, the things they carry!

I read this book at the recommendation of someone who I trust. I might not be that guy for you, but I'll try to help. The central storyline of _The Portage to San Cristobal of A. H._ is that Hitler did not die in the bunker but instead escaped to the jungles of South America. Committed Nazi hunters have found out where Hitler has been hiding and they capture him and work their way out of the jungle. Overall, I enjoyed the book. As a reader, I think the highest praise I can put on a book is that it inspired me to write. This book did just that. Without granting too much of a spoiler, I think the most interesting thing Steiner does is humanize the character of Hitler. He presents him as a frail old man but with a still-powerful mind. Many will have mixed emotions about the ending, but this shows the power of the author's idea. There are a couple of critiques though from my perspective. The first is that there are several chapters that do not have to deal with the main storyline that are presented and seem like filler. I think the author is trying at points to show juxtaposition or contrast to give context, but for me it seemed like filler. The book is short anyways, yet it seemed padded out. This filler means there are many characters who are presented, too many for such a sparse narrative. The ending is also challenging, but if you have an open mind it will grant an interesting perspective on events of the past.

Nazism - theory, causality, failure

This book describes the causality of Nazism (cultural), the theory, and why it failed.

An Odd, Disturbing Book - Not For the Sentimental

There is nothing in recent literature quite like this little book. I have a feeling that it will take its place alongside "First and Last Men" and Voyage To Arcturus" as classic works which are little-read, yet never quite go out of print.This book is only accidently about Adolph Hitler. Its true theme is the power of language.

Thought-provoking

To say that Steiner's work is controversial would be an understatement, and the controversy is probably well-deserved. This book is an expanded version of what first appeared in the KENYONG REVIEW, and it sometimes has a padded feel to it. The book is clearly at its strongest when following the Israeli team as it seeks to return the captured Adolf Hitler to San Cristobal, where he will be? This is part of the story--what would happen if Adolf Hitler was brought out of a South American jungle to a world that, for a variety of reasons that Steiner acutely outlines, would rather not be reminded of Hitler. There are several interludes where various intelligence services in several countries ponder this question, but I find these portions more of a drag on the story. Where Steiner is at his best is in first trying to provide a sense of the horror that Hitler represents. Then, in an ambiguous ending, he has Hitler explain himself. This, more than anything else, has been the source of a firestorm of criticism of Steiner. Critics say that by having Hitler at center stage in the last chaper, spouting his venomous justifications for his actions, suggests a sympathy for Hitler's thinking. These critics seem to ignore the exceptional passages Steiner has written about the impact of Hitler's horror on an individual like Lieber, who is the driving force behind the decades long search for Hitler. Some have even suggested that Steiner's words not only justify or mitigate Hitler, but place the blame for the Shoah on the Jews themselves. Nonsense. Steiner has bravely put forth for all to contemplate, how seductive evil can be to those predisposed to hate. More than that, he has set forth a story of pain, its continuing effect on people, and how we must learn to live with its memory.This is a brave and disturbing book; it will challenge any serious reader to work one's way through the unthinkable and unimaginable. There is no easy explanation for Hitler or the Shoah, and Steiner does not try to offer one. What he does offer is the freedom for the individual to think about issues that others would rather not have raised.