Synopses & Reviews
This volume collects three remarkable novels from the Jean Echenoz, "the most distinctive French voice of his generation" (
Washington Post). For the first time, a single volume reveals the tremendous range of Echenozs body of work, in which no two novels are similar.
Running is "a small wonder of writing and humanity"; a portrait of the legendary Czech runner Emil Zátopek, set against the backdrop of post-World War II communist Czechoslovakia. Zátopek, who was forced into his first footrace but discovers a passion and tremendous capacity for long-distance running, invents his own harsh training regimen and goes on to become a national hero, winning three gold medals at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and breaking countless world records along the way, even as he runs up against the unyielding realities of life under an authoritarian regime.
Only a "master magician" (Washington Post) such as Echenoz could rewrite Dante's Inferno for the existentialist malaise of contemporary Paris; such is the achievement of Piano. The novel follows Max Delmarc, a concert pianist with paralyzing stage fright and alcoholism, through his untimely death as he descends from purgatorypart luxury hotel, part minimum-security prisoninto a modern vision of hell. As Elle said about Piano, "Every word is perfectly placed; the writing is fluid, never forced, and there isnt a trace of an awkward phrase, like a garment that fits beautifully even inside-out."
Big Blondes is "a parodic thriller sparkling with wit” (LHumanité) that probes our universal obsession with fame. When renowned singer Gloire Stella mysteriously disappears from the public eye, a television documentary producer tries to track her down. Gloire goes on the run, leading us from the cliffs of Brittany to the back alleys of Bombay in a darkly comedic, noir-style tour de force that finally answers the age-old question: Do blondes have more fun?
Collected here for the first time, these novels contain some of the best prose and most versatile writing in contemporary literature. Echenozs style is elegant yet playful, gripping yet penetrating.
Synopsis
A single volume that gathers together three of the most remarkable novels from Jean Echenoz, the most distinctive French voice of his generation” (
The Washington Post),
Three by Echenoz demonstrates the award-winning authors extraordinary versatility and elegant yet playful style at its finest.
A parodic thriller sparkling with wit” (LHumanité), Big Blondes probes our universal obsession with fame as a television documentary producer tries to track down a renowned singer who has mysteriously disappeared. A darkly comedic, noir-style tour de force, it finally answers the age-old question: do blondes have more fun?
Fluid, never forced
like a garment that fits beautifully even inside-out” (Elle), Piano brings Dantes Inferno to contemporary Paris, following Max Delmarc, a concert pianist suffering from paralyzing stage fright and alchoholism, as he meets his untimely death and descends through purgatorypart luxury hotel, part minimum-security prisoninto a modern vision of hell.
Running is a small wonder of writing and humanity” (LExpress)a portrait of the legendary Czech athlete Emil Zátopek, who became a national hero, winning three gold medals at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics even as he was compelled to face the unyielding realities of life under an authoritarian regime.
About the Author
Linda Coverdales most recent translation for The New Press was Jean Echenozs
1914. She was the recipient of the French-American Foundations 2008 Translation Prize for her translation of Echenozs
Ravel (The New Press). She lives in Brooklyn.
Mark Polizzotti has translated over forty books from the French, including works by Gustave Flaubert, Marguerite Duras, André Breton, Raymond Roussel, Patrick Modiano, and Jean Echenoz, and has written six of his own. He directs the publications program at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where he lives.
Liesl Schillinger is a New Yorkbased critic, translator, and moderator. Her work has appeared in
The New Yorker,
The New York Times,
The Washington Post, and many other publications. She is the author of the illustrated lexicon
Wordbirds, and her recent translations include the novels
Every Day, Every Hour by Natasa Dragnic and
The Lady of the Camellias by Alexandre Dumas
fils.