The Childhood of Jesus

諾貝爾文學獎與兩屆布克獎得主柯慈備受矚目新作
翻開第一頁，就想一口氣讀到最後一頁的精彩烏托邦式寓言！

　　故事從一個老人帶著一個男孩離鄉背井、遠度重洋，來到陌生的國度開始說起。他們在此展開全新生活，包括新名字、新身份，也學習起當地人使用的新語言。

　　老人Simon找到一份在碼頭搬貨的工作，以他的年紀而言，這份工作實在吃力，不過，最讓他煩惱的還是不知小男孩David母親的去向。麻煩的是，這個城市裡，每個人來此之前的記憶似乎都莫名消失了，而且官方也建議他忘掉過去、放棄回憶。

　　某日，Simon遇見一個他認定很適合做David母親的人，便極力說服對方成為這個家庭的一員。當他倆發現異常聰明的David竟被校方認定為危險份子，必須送去遙遠的特殊學校唸書時，他們迫不得已，只好三個人一起逃離這座完美城市……。（文/博客來編譯）

　　After crossing oceans, a man and a boy arrive in a new land. Here they are each assigned a name and an age, and held in a camp in the desert while they learn Spanish, the language of their new country. As Simon and David they make their way to the relocation centre in the city of Novilla, where officialdom treats them politely but not necessarily helpfully.

　　Simon finds a job in a grain wharf. The work is unfamiliar and backbreaking, but he soon warms to his stevedore comrades, who during breaks conduct philosophical dialogues on the dignity of labour, and generally take him to their hearts.

　　Now he must set about his task of locating the boy’s mother. Though like everyone else who arrives in this new country he seems to be washed clean of all traces of memory, he is convinced he will know her when he sees her. And indeed, while walking with the boy in the countryside Simon catches sight of a woman he is certain is the mother, and persuades her to assume the role.

　　David’s new mother comes to realise that he is an exceptional child, a bright, dreamy boy with highly unusual ideas about the world. But the school authorities detect a rebellious streak in him and insist he be sent to a special school far away. His mother refuses to yield him up, and it is Simon who must drive the car as the trio flees across the mountains.

　　THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS is a profound, beautiful and continually surprising novel from a very great writer.