Georges Perec (1936-1982)

[tegeus-Cromis]

Anyone here besides me read Georges Perec? I think he's one of the most extraordinary writers of the 20th century, and in particular his 1978 novel, Life A User's Manual is not only a masterpiece, but a ton of fun too. He also wrote (among many other things) the ultimate Borgesian story that almost out-Borgeses JLB himself, "A Winter Journey."

Here's a good introductory article from the New Yorker: The Absolute Originality of Georges Perec
A short essay on Life by its English translator: Book of a lifetime: Life A User's Manual, By Georges Perec
Another short essay on Life, also from the Independent, emphasizing its fascinating storytelling: Book Of A Lifetime: Life: A User's Manual, By Georges Perec
A post on Life by Ted Gioia (BTW, do you all know his excellent sites on literature, including one on SFF?): Life: A User's Manual by George Perec
Paul Auster's original review of Life in the New York Times, from 1987: THE BARTLEBOOTH FOLLIES

 

[hitmouse]

I bought a copy of Life a User’s Manual in 1988 in a large bookshop (?Blackwells) at the top of Park St in Bristol. I actually remember where it was shelved and that I bought a novel about a double-bass player (?By Patrick Suskind) at the same time. Last time I looked it had become a Jamie Oliver restaurant.

 

[tegeus-Cromis]

I bought a copy of Life a User’s Manual in 1988 in a large bookshop (?Blackwells) at the top of Park St in Bristol. I actually remember where it was shelved and that I bought a novel about a double-bass player (?By Patrick Suskind) at the same time. Last time I looked it had become a Jamie Oliver restaurant.

That's around the same time I got my copy, at Schoenhof's Bookshop in Cambridge, MA. So... did you read it?

 

[hitmouse]

Yes. I bought it as a birthday present for a friend along with the Suskind and (I remember now) Byzantium Endures by Michael Moorcock. As with these things, one buys the books one is interested in, plus that was quite a lot of money on my undergraduate stipend, so I read them before I gave them to her.

Thought the Perec was excellent. I bet she never read them.