SUICIDE by Edouard Levé | Book Review
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- Опубликовано: 10 сен 2024
- A book review of Edouard Levé’s “Suicide” (trans. Jan Steyn).
Paperback, 128 pages
Published 2021 by Dalkey Archive (first English ed. published in 2011) (Originally published in 2008 by P.O.L éditeur)
ISBN: 1564786285
Authors mentioned:
George Perec
Louise Erdrich
Donald Antrim
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I’d recommend “where reasons end” from Yiyun Li. Her son died of suicide and the whole book is a conversation with this son of here. The novel is also autofiction in a way, or sold as such, just like this one, because of the “scandal”-as you call it-of the real life suicide. I think it could be qn interesting comparison to this boon because in Yiyun Li’s case she is still alive (even if she also tried to kill herself) but its the son who’s dead. Of course its sad but I really admire Li’s cold and non-manipulative analysis of the situation. It focuses more on time and language and the relationship between this mother and son than on the death itself, and it never gets pigeonholed into that type of sentimental narrative of death and suicide. Also her memoir of the time when she was in a psychiatric hospital is quite good (dear friend from my life I write to you in your life).
I've heard great things about Yiyun Li -- that book sounds really interesting. The focus on time and language rather than sentimentality sounds particularly compelling. The next time I can stomach a book on this subject, I'll be sure to check it out. Thanks for the rec!
What a sad little novel. It might be too intense for me at this point in my life but man that quote about the act inverting your biography and then alienating every other part of your life that you wished to relieve of their burden of meaning hits hard. Everything you’ve ever done becomes tainted with the light of your final act whether you want it or not, whether they’re related or not, so instead of being relieved of their burden of meaning, they’re piled on with it. Wow.
It's a pretty brutal little book. That quote stood out to me as well as immensely sad - it reminded me a lot of the reception of authors like DFW who have killed themselves and how almost every review/ critical response to their work thereafter begins with that fact, as I did here.
There were so many more passages like this one that just blew me away. For writing such sort works, Levé packs a punch.
Your students are so fortunate to have a teacher who is so passionate about literature.
That's very kind of you to say!
Should we suicide becoz fail
Great video. Makes me think of Leaving Las Vegas.
Thank you! I haven't read that one or seen the movie, but I'll check it out. I've read people call that novel a kind of suicide note as well.
good book on suicide is the Savage God by A Alvarez who knew Sylvia Plath...all the best brother...
Clearly he knows of which he speaks (writes) having seen it to the end. But I also wonder if the missed understanding of the comic book is his statement on us coming after to read his book. That we too missed the comic book's sign-off note in the form of this novel, if we think we would get to know him or the meaning of the act of suicide, by reading a work of fiction. It's just a shame that his book isn't currently available in the UK, but I'm hot on its trail. Thanks for the heads up on this
That's a really interesting point that I hadn't considered. I suspect you're right in that trying to uncover "why" someone killed themself by engaging with their art is definitely a fool's errand. Perhaps he knew that this book wouldn't be interpreted as a suicide note, but MISinterpreted as one. I hope you can find a copy, Marc - I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
@@travelthroughstories Have you read Perec's "53 Days"? That's a novel about the race to complete the final book before death and poses great questions I think.
@@MarcNash I haven't, but I've been meaning to get back to Perec ever since reading Life: A User's Manual a couple of years ago. I'll try to find a copy of that one asap - thanks for the recommendation!
@@travelthroughstories Managed to track down a copy and it's everything you said it was! Thank you for the heads up
@Marc Nash I'm so glad you found it worthwhile! Going to check out your video now.
Awesome review. Thank you!
Thanks for watching!!
Was surprised I found it in the wild a few weeks ago. Awesome review.
Wow, that's a really nice find. Thank you!
Read Autoportrait a few weeks ago and have the rest of his works, very interested to read them all soon. Would love some recommendations from anyone who knows similar types of authors, not necessarily similar content although I like that too, but more so the style/form and this outsider/avant-garde kind of thing I find really interesting. I have gotten a bunch of books from Dalkey Archive but havn't got to them yet (heard they're good for more experimental/avant-garde stuff), but yeah any authors or publishers that put out stuff like this would great. Love the matt finish and bit size length of these books too.
Dalkey is always a good bet - they do a good job publishing a variety of avant-garde lit. Other publishers that I usually keep an eye on are Archipelago books, Open Letter, NYRB, Deep Vellum, New Directions, and Seven Stories Press. You may be interested in checking out Corona/Samizdat as well. They have a lot of super experimental contemporary stuff.
Man alive. Saying this is my kind of book sounds so weird considering, but I am beyond intrigued and very excited to add this soon. Thank you!
Hah, I get that for sure. It's a strange book to even recommend for that reason, but I think it's very worth reading!
Wow. I am curious. Wish my library had it maybe they can get it. Not so sure I’d want to own it probably, but maybe. You’re always finding interesting stuff to consume!
Hah, I don't blame you for not wanting to own it. It's super short and worth checking out if you're in the right mindset for it though, if you get the chance.
Have you ever read John Barth's _The Floating Opera_ ? I read it in my late teens, and soon thereafter discovered that I am (almost) immune to suicide.
I haven't read any Barth yet, somehow. I just looked that one up though and it sounds really interesting!
Great review. I only recently started reading Levé's Autoportrait but I already know I want to read more of him. I wonder if Dalkey Archive will translate his new unpublished writings "Inédits" published last year in France.
P.O.L., his publisher in France, has this description of his work on their website:
"We thought the work of Edouard Levé was definitively closed: it is not so. The writer and artist who died in 2007, at the age of 42, left in his archives a large number of unpublished texts, of which we offer in this volume a selection produced in collaboration with the writer Thomas Clerc. The author of Works, Self-portrait and Suicide has not stopped writing throughout his short but remarkable career, testifying to the artistic landscape of the 90s-2000s, of which he was one of the actors. We will find in this volume a set of all unpublished texts which reflect, like the disco ball which was one of his favorite objects, the variety of literary genres in which Edouard Levé's obsession emerges: novel chapter, fictions, walks in Paris, an alphabet, autobiographical texts, poems, performance texts, songs, essays, etc. A surprising cabinet of literary curiosities thus redefines the image of an author who wanted to be without style, refusing the limitation that this imposes on the creator."
Just thought I'd share. Thanks for your review!
Wow, I hadn't heard of that -- that sounds fascinating! Thanks for making me aware of it. I hope Dalkey have their eyes on it. Perhaps I'll make a note of it on Twitter and see if anyone knows anything concerning its potential translation. Cheers!
@@travelthroughstories Yes, that would be awesome! I'll make sure to keep an eye out for more news as well. He definitely deserves to be more widely read.
A Mitchell Heisman wrote a novel length book that was also his suicide note. May he RIP in peace youtube.com/@wordsofmitchellheisman3596
Nope . Who made this guitar riff??? You wanna know why I’m alive not bc the book review bc this guitar riff sounds just like Heyy their Delilah
I don't even know what you're trying to say, lol.