プロット・アゲンスト・アメリカ もしもアメリカが(The Plot Against America) by Philip Roth

"...... This is an astonishing book written by an author whose works I have been meaning to read for some time. For me, it is a classic, American novel which provides as much to think about as 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and 'The Grapes of Wrath' It is a counter-factual novel which conducts a thought-experiment looking at what would happen if the United States of America had elected the aviation expert / celebrity and renowned anti-Semitic, Charles Lindbergh in 1940. This aspect of fiction is set amongst all the factual events that led up to and followed this election. Lindbergh of course, was the famous aircraft pilot who flew the Spirit of St Louis from America to France and was the pioneer of modern aircraft travel. It discusses the story of the kidnapping of his son and his voluntary exile to Europe where he becomes aware and interested in the rise of National Socialism in Germany. Following his election, upon which theories as to why this happened are discussed towards the end of the novel, America sees a slow build up of anti-Semitism across the country starting with minor indignities which the protagonist family experience on a trip to Washington DC ...."

".....この作品は文芸誌「すばる」に連載されていたもので、単行本化にあたって、どれほどの校正がなされたかは未確認だが、私がすばるを一時期毎月購入していたのは、殆どこの作品のためだけであったというくらい面白かった作品である。歴史改変小説ではあるが、アメリカの伝統的な不介入主義など基本的な背景は殆ど変わらず、リアリティは非常に高い。収容所の全貌が明らかになった以後ヒトラーは悪の代名詞になってしまったが、当時は世界を二分するくらいの人気者であった点も。そして一番リアリティを感じ、圧倒された点は、「政治」というものが、人間にとっていかに大きなものであるかという所。それは、家族や男女の恋愛などはモノともせず、ひとを、対立と憎悪、あるいは付和雷同へと突き進ませるのである。たとえばルワンダやバルカン諸国で、昨日まで近所づきあいしていた者同士がなぜこれ以上はないくらいに憎しみ合うのか。この作品はフィクションだが、その状況を肌で感じさせる所にかなり近づいていると思う。しかもこの作品は物語を、単純にユダヤ対非ユダヤの構造ばかりに落とし込まず、登場人物ひとりひとりに確かな個性を感じさせるのである。ふだんは顔があるのだ。そして「政治」の圧倒はその顔を、微妙に表情のない顔にしてゆく...." 

약 470페이지의 장편이다. 긴 호흡을 갖고 읽어야 하는 작품이다. 문장이나 표현 등은 아주 어려운 것은 아니지만 빠르게 읽고 넘어갈 수준은 아니다. 정말 이 작가는 글을 잘 쓰는 것 같다. 소설인데 소설 같지 않은 느낌을 주는 작품이다. 비행기로 대서양을 횡단하는 데 성공한 '찰스 린드버그'가 미국의 대통령이 되고 히틀러가 이끄는 독일과의 전쟁을 피하고 고립주의를 주장하면서 생기는 갈등 등을 유태인 가족을 통해서 잘 보여주고 있다. 1940년대가 배경이지만 작품이 전달하고자 하는 이야기는 시대를 초월하는 거 같다. 작가의 세상에 대한 통찰력이 보이는 작품이다. 2020년에 HBO에서 드라마로 만들어졌다. 책을 읽기 힘든 사람은 드라마를 보는 것도 좋은 방법인 거 같다. 개인적으로는 드라마보다는 책이 더 좋은 것 같다.