The Soul of Anna Klane is a 1977 Science Fiction novel by Terrel Miedaner. The plot centers on the trial of the scientist Anatol Klane, the father of Anna Klane, an exceptional ten-years-old child. Klane is accused of Anna's murder following a brain surgery she underwent; he claims his daughter's soul departed from her body in the surgery (to which he objected), and the defense line centers around trying to scientifically prove the existence of souls in humans.
| Author | Terrel Miedaner |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Vincent Topazio |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | Coward, McCann & Geoghegan |
Publication date | 1977 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback) |
| Pages | 178 |
| ISBN | 0450039374 |
Reception
editThe book received mostly mediocre reviews upon its release, with Kirkus Reviews noting that "If pop metaphysics am your game, there are a few sparks in the courtroom dialogue; otherwise... bzzzt",[1] and Newgate Callendar, in a review of several crime novels in The New York Times noting that while the opening is interesting, "after a while the book bogs down in didacticism".[2] A more scorching review was published in The Wichita Beacon, calling the book an "engagingly silly novel" and cynically concluding that "one suspects ... the author ate too much pizza before going to bed one night, with the resulting dreams turned into this book."[3]
Discussions and adaptations
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Two sections from the book, "The Soul of Martha, a Beast" (an excerpt from Chapter 13) and "The Soul of the Mark III Beast" (an excerpt from Chapter 23) were included in The Mind's I, with reflections about both provided by Douglas R. Hofstadter.[4]
The section "The Soul of Martha, a Beast" was also the basis for the 1995 short film The Beast, which competed in the 1995 Cannes Film Festival short film competition.[5]
Notes
edit- ^ "The Soul of Anna Klane". Kirkus Review. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ Callendar, Newgate (July 10, 1977). "Book reviews / Crime". The New York Times. p. 197. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ Potter, Chuck (June 24, 1977). "Murder of a soul headlines novel plot". The Wichita Beacon. p. 42. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ Hofstadter, Douglas R.; Dennett, Daniel C. (1981). The Mind's I: Fantasies and Reflections on Self & Soul. New York: Basic Books. pp. 100–115. ISBN 0-465-04624-X.
- ^ "THE BEAST / Rhoderyc Charles MONTGOMERY". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 21 April 2024.