Customer Reviews

Depends on being a Boris fan - By: , 15 Mar 2006
A rather esoteric book, that only those interestedin Boris Vian or the Saint Germain Des Pres scene will like. Anyone else will be nonplussed by it. A historical document lovingly rendered into a handsome English language version. A warning about Vian is his love of bad puns, which may have worked betterin French,in the 1950's. Dated but delightful. Vian is surprisingly well translatedin English, considering the small audience he must attract, I'd recommend starting with his novels & short stories before buying this book. One for the converted I think. Search for other 'pataphysical works. Raymond Queneau to The London Institute of 'Pataphysics (Atlas Press), the originator: Alfred Jarry. This will lead to well known names of Oulipo members like Georges Perec, Calvino, Harry Mathews & lesser known people (to an english audience) like Leris, Butor, Roubaud, Benabou, Arrabal, Cortazar & so on... If you liked Vians I Spit on Your Grave, don't bother with the movie, but look at the books it parodied, the best works by Jim Thompson (later 'homages' to pulp include the magnificent James Ellroy & David Peace novels). If you like Vians other works, perhaps look at some of the surrealist & related texts by people like Rene Daumal, Breton (UGH), Raymond Roussel (an acquired taste), Cendrars,Soupault. Living authors not French or Surrealist that may appeal are Richard Beard (English), Gilbert Sorrentino (USA), or Virgilio Pinera (Cuban).