Being There

Enjoyed the movie for years. Decided to read the original and enjoyed learning background on Chance.Writer has an easy flow and I will pick up more of his novellas.

A venerable old lawyer dies, and the executors of his estate find an odd man wandering around his house. Chance Gardiner claims to have been tending the garden ("Gardiner," get it?) since he was a little boy, yet there are no records of his employment. Chance has no contract, no pay stubs, no ID. He has no mother, no father, no family. His name is Chance "because he had been born by chance." He has no existence outside the garden and no knowledge of the outside world that doesn't come from his television. He's adopted and introduced into high society by a rich woman who runs over him with her car. Chance proceeds to impress the members of the loftiest sociopolitical strata who see him as a genius and an expert on pretty much everything despite his oft-professed desire to simply watch TV. His cheery optimism and ability to talk a lot without actually saying anything (Conservative friends, insert your Obama jokes here) propel Chance into the upper echelons of money and politics, an empty and empty-headed symbol of power (Liberal friends, insert your George Dubya jokes here). Suggesting that our politicians are vacant vessels and that our celebrity-obsessed culture feeds off vapidity is hardly revelatory, but that doesn't make Jerzy Kosinski's sharp little novel any less pointed or accurate. In fact, DC life went on to imitate art. Thirty-odd years after "Being There" was published, Dubya unwittingly echoed Chance's innocent declaration of ignorance: "I don't read newspapers." A fawning media usher Chance into prominence in much the same way that Barack Obama took office almost 40 years later. Today, "Being There" almost reads like straight-faced biography. As politicians and pundits continue to grow ever more cartoonishly ridiculous, is there anything left to satirize?

A very well written and entertaining novella, but the abrupt, yet still anti-climatical, ending made me think the author lost the final chapter or two on the one way to the publisher.

After having seen the film several times, dove into the book and was pleasantly rewarded. As so often happens, the book was better than the film. Fun read

I taught this novel to a variety of high school students decades ago. I selected it this year for book club. Kosinski's target is more relevant than ever.

Too short man. When I spend the money on a novel, I want a novel. Not a short story. It should be a rule. Novels are not less than 250 pages. Anything less is a short story and should be part of a larger collection.

Fifty years ago Peter Sellers satrred in the "Being There" movie. Some of the hype around that anniversary implied I was missing something by not reading the novel - I don't agree mainly because the book did not have Peter Sellers.

My title is not hyperbolic. This is one of the rare movies that manages to convey what is in its characters’ core.I recommend Roger Ebert’s two reviews he wrote (the first when the movie came out, and the second, years later as a reflection). They are far more articulate than I could hope to be.This movie, to me, is a gently cynical and sarcastic evaluation of the superficial reality of television and its impact on, or reflection of our culture. This has become magnified by the internet. And for this reason remains relevant.We are deeply affected by appearances and often build our relationships and values upon such sand.Peter Sellers is brilliant and profoundly controlled and understated in this most amazing performance.

Probably Peter Sellers second best film (after Dr Strangelove) shows how keeping quite and saying little is mostly interpreted as wisdom. Those you meet assume that you already understand everything and have nothing to prove. The perfecr gift for the talkative friend or president, whose every word demonstrates how stupid they really are.

The first English book I read till the end.Opened my apetite, gave me some confidence and made me read more English books.

A very interesting book, been after this for ages, very useful, and will make a very long needed read. Arrived as per description, no damage, perfect. There are no dislikes at all with the book or the read, and it will be well looked after. Many thanks doing business with you.

Good book, great story, easy to read for a non-native speaker. In comparison to the film, I prefer this simple ending description of the book. Sounds more real to me than the walking on water in the film. Highly recommendable read with am important message about life.

Very light and entertaining read. Difficult to compare with anything else but it does get you thinking of things you would probably always have taken for granted. Whilst the scenarios are obviously absurd, they make you wonder. The central character I am sure everyone will identify with in some way or other.