Boris Vian Books

This was the very first book I read from Vian. I would just skip some classes to get back to it! I just couldnt stop.As I`m French, I read it in French(!), so I dont know what the English translation looks like, and I feel the translators had a hell of a time trying to translate some words that dont even exist in French(Special to Vian`s writing, those compound words, you know). This book is very moving and describes the man`s feelings in an amazing way(the room getting smaller and smaller, more and more humid as the disease gets stronger).Besides, surrealism really takes a step forward . For those who loved that book(who didnt?!), I strongly recommand L`Herbe Rouge(The Red Grass), which also is very strong,not as charming, but may go a little deeper with feelings and personality, as this guy creates a time machine to go back and erase his memory..(I cant tell you the whole story, right!), which by the way was back then a satire to Freud`s Psychoanalysis. Really try to get that book, you will love it.

The thing that really atteacted me to this book was the strong surreal overtone that this book contains. I read this book in french and English. For all the french readers I suggest you read the book in french because there are some points that can not be picked up in the English language. L'ecume des Jorurs or Froth on the Daydream is a great book and I hope that you like it just as much as I did.

PS Pay close attention to the scean at work in the factory and in the ice skating ring.

A girlfriend begged me to read this book. I never did until last years, a long time after we broke up. I wished I had sooner, I could have then thanked her for introducing me to Vian. It is a stunning book and one everybody with an imagination should read, you can not but be stunned by the imagery. I only wish I could speak French, as I hear the original version is is ten times better. Hard to believe considering how good the translation is.

I first read this book in 1973 on the recommendation of Kenneth Owen McNally. I'm not sure how he came to read it, but it seemed important to him and I valued his judgement then. I still do now and have rarely set a foot wrong as a consequence thereof. I've read it, and bought it, several times since then. In the interim, NATO has sent me all over this planet. The book makes a perfect present and I also love to read it aloud to others. I only wish I had written it myself. It triggers every emotion and ranks equal with other important fairy tales for adults (see The Little Prince etc). At the end of the day, only love matters after all.

Don't miss it! This novel is an example of what modern French litteracy was made of back in the 40's. It is a mix between surrealism, high sense of humor, love, emotion, and so much more. I am such a Vian fan that I also read him in English! Anyway, the French version is also so wonderful that it deserves any native English speaker to learn French ;-)