Sebastian Faulks was the literary editor of The Independent. Human traces was published in 2005 and it took Faulks five long years to complete the story. Though he is more known for his book Birdsong which was made into a film, Human Traces is also an interesting book about consciousness and the human mind. The Tavistock Clinic in association with the University of East London awarded him an honorary doctorate for his contribution to the understanding of psychiatry in Human Traces. Set in the late nineteenth century the story is about two young men who become friends and embark on a joint partnership to unravel the world of psychiatry. Jacques Rebiere son of a forester lives in rural France and grows up to study medicine in Paris .His brother Olivier is mentally challenged and lives in a world of his own. Jacques is determined to help his brother . Thomas Midwinter lives in England and is resigned to study medicine as per his father’s wishes . At the age of twenty the two men meet at a French sea side resort and become friends and partners on a lifelong path of scientific study and discovery. The two men become pioneers in the nascent field of psychiatry.
The story revolves around the lives of the two men . Sonia is Thomas’s sister who comes to live with her parents after her husband releases her from a loveless marriage but only after he signs a lucrative deal with Sonia’s father. Jacques falls in love with Sonia and marries her. Jacques and Thomas start working together . They face serious professional conflicts which threaten to destroy their partnership. The book captures details of the conditions of the asylums and the suffering of the patients in those times. Psychiatry is a specialised discipline and generally people tend to ignore issues related to mental health problems unless they personally face such matters directly or indirectly. It is not easy to come across good psychiatrists in the same fashion that one might come across cardiologists or gynaecologists in cities infested with doctors of all shapes and kinds.
I feel it requires some courage to write a story around such a complex theme. Around the central theme the story also talks about relationships – both Thomas and Jacques have very strong, supportive partners. Jacques’ love for his brother, Thomas’ love for his sister and Sonia’s love for her brother -every relationship is beautifully built into the theme . A lengthy and a leisurely read , I found it quite easy to read Faulks since this was the first time I was reading Faulks.
Ref: above picture and further reading
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