Questions, Resources, and General Banter - Life, A User's Manual

[Jim]

Georges Perec’s novel, Life A User's Manual, was first published in French in 1978. The first English translation, by David Bellos, was published in 1987.


Wikipedia page for Georges Perec:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_...


Wikipedia page for Life, A User’s Manual:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_A_U...


Feel free to use this thread to ask questions and post links to resources for Georges Perec and Life, A User’s Manual.

Also, if you’ve written a review of the book, please post a link to share with the group

[Jim]

Working my way through the opening chapters and DANG! This book is dense!

I'd recommend reading Perec's Preamble and also taking a look at the building plan on page 569. Also also, take a look through the Appendices. Perec has provided tons of information about the characters, a chronology of events, and a list of tales told.

Did I mention dense?

[MarkB]

I've started too, Jim. I think I'm going to enjoy the ride (while being oblivious to 90% of the scenery, as usual).

[Mala]

Here's a visual grid of the list of 42 constraints that Perec used throughout this book: all we need now is a (view spoiler)[ translator! (hide spoiler)]

http://escarbille.free.fr/vme/?lmn

[Mala]

This PDF is worth perusing for a better understanding of Life,A User's Manual :

http://www.academia.edu/167346/_Const...

[Jim]

Mala wrote: "Here's a visual grid of the list of 42 constraints that Perec used throughout this book: all we need now is a [spoilers removed]

http://escarbille.free.fr/vme/?lmn"

Oy! Ce quadrillage est très compliqué!

Excellent links Mala! The grid reminds me of the guide that Joyce created with Stuart Gilbert to map Ulysses.

On this first pass, I'm going to let the text stand on its own. While Perec tells us up front he's created a puzzle to solve, I'd like to see what impression I have on my own. Then I'll look at the grids and schematics and strategies on the re-read. BTW, there's some similar discussion going on in the pre-discussion for Pale Fire about how to read the different elements.

[Mala]

Yes,I'm reading the Pale Fire pre-discussion with interest. Will M does the hard sell rather well but I've to climb the Magic Mountain soon, so will've to miss the fire–pale or otherwise!

[Jim]

Mala wrote: "Yes,I'm reading the Pale Fire pre-discussion with interest. Will M does the hard sell rather well but I've to climb the Magic Mountain soon, so will've to miss the fire–pale or otherwise!"

Enjoy Thomas Mann. When you finish, come back and visit the Pale Fire discussions, which I'm sure will be interesting, especially as related to PF as proto-postmodern, etc...

[Jenny]

Jim wrote: "Mala wrote: "Here's a visual grid of the list of 42 constraints that Perec used throughout this book: all we need now is a [spoilers removed]

http://escarbille.free.fr/vme/?lmn"

Oy! Ce quadrillag..."
The text does stand up well on its own, although you may need to take notes or do something to keep track of the characters as you read. I think it is amazing that within the context of all of the constraints and puzzles you have memorable, well drawn characters and a novel that can hold its own as a work of fiction.

[Mala]

Here's Jim & mine collaborative review!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

P.S.
The check is in the mail :P

[Mala]

An interesting collection of LAUM related pics:

http://socks-studio.com/2011/07/16/ra...