Philippe Sollers

[Nathan "N.R."]

Husband of Julia Kristeva and editor of Tel Quel, Sollers also wrote some novels. Chums with the likes of Lacan and Barthes we might expect him to be of a certain French nature. But stuff does sound good. Strong stomach for experi/innovi-fiction required, I imagine. He's got one about French intelli-life which sounds good, Women. Also available in English (if not Oop, which surely everything everywhere is) are The Park and A Strange Solitude.

[Steve]

By accident, I found another GR listing of Sollers and The Park with a misspelling of the author's name. I have asked in the Librarians Group that they be merged. I intend to re-read and review Le parc , if there is interest.

[Nate D]

N.R., I know you've already spotted my disaffection with Women, but just to report to the rest of the group: I'm sad to say that Women would have to be much much more experimental than a rambling Celine imitation to induce me to wade through its entire length. Particularly as the content seems dated to decades before the 80s of its publication as far as dumb self-aggrandizement and sexist bravado goes.

I still extend much greater hopes for The Park, at some point.

[Nathan "N.R."]

Nate D wrote: "N.R., I know you've already spotted my disaffection with Women, but just to report to the rest of the group: I'm sad to say that Women would have to be much much more experimental than a rambling C..."

I have it on my shelf and have my fingers crossed for my own temperament when I eventually get to it. Advantage or disadvantage for having read no Celine (yet)?

[Nate D]

You might make it further -- to Sollers' credit, his rants and digressions are often inspired, and it's a book seemingly designed only to house rants and digressions. Not having read Celine goes both ways -- it'll seem fresher, perhaps, but also some of the stylistic decisions may seem especially arbitrary without that precedent.

Anyway, it's an entirely buried book, certainly, so needs more eyes to see what they may make of it. I might pick it up again in fits and starts, which is incidentally how I had to read A Long Day's Journey into Night as well.