Người Có Trái Tim Trên Miền Cao Nguyên

by William Saroyan, Huy Tưởng (Translator)

Play

Genres: Plays, Fiction, Short Stories

284 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1939

About the author

William Saroyan was an Armenian-American writer, renowned for his novels, plays, and short stories. He gained widespread recognition for his unique literary style, often characterized by a deep appreciation for everyday life and human resilience. His works frequently explored themes of Armenian-American immigrant experiences, particularly in his native California, and were infused with optimism, humor, and sentimentality.
Saroyan's breakthrough came with The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze (1934), a short story that established him as a major literary voice during the Great Depression. He went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1940 for The Time of Your Life, though he declined the award, and in 1943, he won an Academy Award for Best Story for The Human Comedy. His novel My Name Is Aram (1940), based on his childhood, became an international bestseller.
Though celebrated for his literary achievements, Saroyan had a tumultuous career, often struggling with financial instability due to his gambling habits and an unwillingness to compromise with Hollywood. His later works were less commercially successful, but he remained a prolific writer, publishing essays, memoirs, and plays throughout his life.
Saroyan's legacy endures through his influence on American literature, his contributions to Armenian cultural identity, and the honors bestowed upon him, including a posthumous induction into the American Theater Hall of Fame. His remains are divided between Fresno, California, and Armenia, reflecting his deep connection to both his birthplace and ancestral homeland.

Reviews

[Tatevik · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first encounter with William Saroyan's works was during the premier of the play My Heart is in the Highlands. The play was written by Perch Zeytuntsyan, contamporary Armenian playwriter, who passed away several years ago.
After reading Saroyan's other writings, I desparatly wanted to find that play, but never did. I had this story for a long time, but didn't dare to read it. I didn't want to change the feelings I had towards the play. What I didn't realize until today... Although Saroyan wrote both the story and the play by the same title, the play I saw was written by Zeytuntsyan. He combined some of the stories into one. It was not just the play of the story My Heart is in the Highlands. It also included the play from "Mama, I love you" and maybe other stories.
I wish they didn't take the play off the stage. Maybe some day I will find this combined play. Zeytuntsyan paid a beautiful tribute to Saroyan's works.

[aida · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can for sure say that Saroyan has become one of my favorite authors. he reminds me so much of Jack (Kerouac) - or should I rather say that Kerouac reminds me of him? I know that Jack was influenced by him, or admired him at least, but the similarities that can be found between them aren't a matter of a writing style etc., but a matter of their similar outlook on life, I believe. The freedom their work transfers is always so seizable for me, real. both of them carry a hard to describe kind of sadness about this world, but also infinite happiness about the fact that one gets to be alive and enjoy what is offered and given to him.
I'd like to move from Saroyan's short stories onto some of his novels; I'm pretty sure it guarantees a unique experience, to see his characters that are always so interesting live through a longer time period.

[Seda Hovhannisyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Միշտ չքնաղ ու շոտլանդական

[Sara Antonyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Առաջին ծանոթությունս էր Սարոյանի հետ, ու էսքան տխուր, էսքան թախծոտ ու էսքան շատ ասելիք ունեցող ստեղծագործություն։ Տպավորված եմ անսահման։ Չէի սպասում, որ էսքան էմոցիա կստանամ։
Ինչ֊որ տեղ մի բան սխալ է... Վ. Ս.

[Craig Flint · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical Saroyan...he presents a slice of life as a lesson about living. Interesting that critical reviews at the time of the original play are included in the book and they are mixed between good and bad.

[Joy Caine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked it. I've read The Human Comedy before in school and thought since I'm related to him that I should read more of his stuff. Good play!

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This simple play was adapted from a short story called "A Man with His Heart in the Highlands". Plays are easy to read, as they are meant to be acted out. Rule of thumb is that it should take a minute a page for the acting of a play, making this play roughly an hour long. Its a fun little story about a man who is a poet and his son living in poverty in Fresno, and their experience with an old man who escapes an old-folk's home to visit them. In the introduction, its clear that Saroyan thinks this play is his most powerful work. I've always had trouble reading into theater what the theatrical crowd does. I like prose, for it allows the time to develop ideas fully. Short stories are also at times good but they must be excellent (like Poe). Poetry is only good if it is read in the language in which it is written. Trying to read Charents or Neruda translated into English is tedious. Also, poetry should sing - beats and rhymes, like Kipling or Keats. It should be hard to write. I've written some, and writing a poem is an extraordinary feat - compared to a short story which flows easily. Thats how it should be. But this is not a book of poetry, so I digress. It is a play - and a good one - a nice one that I would have liked to see in the theaters. Simple and pure. Reminding us of better days in which lived better people that the current madding crowd of now.

[Cem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Öncelikle William Saroyan'ın okuduğum ilk eseri.
Bir tiyatro oyunu... Fakir ama gururlu yakışıklı aktörlerin oynadığı eski Amerikan filmleri, broadway gösterilerine ilgi duyuyorsanız edinmeniz gereken buruk bir umudun oyunu.

Saroyan edebiyatı bakımından umut kırıntılarını beceriksizce toplamaya çalıştığım bir eser oldu. Yazarın okuduğum ilk kitabı olmasından ötürü, kötü diye yaftalayamam. Ama büyük beklentilerim vardı.
Okumaya devam edeceğiz bakalım.

[Ezgi Köse · Rating 3 out of 5]

benim gibi yüreği dağlarda bir dostun hediyesiydi... saroyanın yazılarında yaşadığımı sandığım hayatı okuyorum. yaşamaktan ne anlıyorsam o yazılı eserlerinde. üstelik bir de tiyatro oyunuysa bu... benim için yerin hep ayrı🍓

[Vlad Mkhitaryan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I respect William Saroyan, some of this stories, but it's a waste of the time to read this story.
The title and the story don't have any mutual thing. The title sounds greats, but the story is meaningless.