Finally I entered a small, seedy lunch counter and stood looking around at the crowd, mostly men at the zinc counter, wolfing down eggs. Then I meandered to the back of the place and leaned against the wall next to the small telephone station, where a man with his back to me jabbered intoContinue reading “From Book 1: Scatterbrained”
Category Archives: Book 1 – Traitor Comet
From Book 1: The Surrealist Research Bureau
In a small storefront on the rue de Grenelle where the Surrealist Research Bureau made its headquarters, we sat on hard chairs with about a dozen young men in a cramped room, and were subjected to a long and tedious lecture by the founder of the movement, André Breton. He seemed a pleasant enoughContinue reading “From Book 1: The Surrealist Research Bureau”
From Book 1: Sleep-Driving
JACQUES RIVIERE TO ANTONIN ARTAUD Dear Sir, Something puzzles me: the sharp contrast between the vagueness of your literary efforts and the excruciating precision with which you diagnose your inner erosion. Had I no other evidence, your handwriting—tortured, wavering, as if pulled in by hidden whirlpools—convinces me of the reality of these phenomena you describe.Continue reading “From Book 1: Sleep-Driving”
From Book 1: Breton Makes It Official
Finally he finished, rolled up his rug and stood up, his face collapsing into brown wrinkles as he smiled. He nodded to me, and reached out to playfully slap Artaud’s cheek, again startling the young man. “Peace be with you both!” the Muslim cried, and slipped into the crowd. Artaud’s hand flew to hisContinue reading “From Book 1: Breton Makes It Official”
From Book 1: All I Ask is Life
Artaud stood over me as I leafed through the strange little piece I’d written the day before, but his face, when I finally looked up at it, showed no anger. Genica had held her tongue, it seemed. I resolved to apologize to her; then I decided not to and save both of us theContinue reading “From Book 1: All I Ask is Life”
From Book 1: I Hang These Words in Flesh
“You know, Geoff, if you really hate the idea of living with your folks,” Roger commented, “you could get a place of your own, around here. You’d have plenty of company. We’re all trying to escape our families.” “That’s for sure,” murmured Justine. I mulled this over as we passed a smallContinue reading “From Book 1: I Hang These Words in Flesh”
From Book 1 : Funeral
“Look,” I said, standing up, “I’m going for a walk. I—I need to think.” My father started to protest again. “This is my life and my problem,” I continued, drowning him out. “Back off!” As I walked out, I caught a glimpse of Franz and Catherine sitting at the table in the dining room,Continue reading “From Book 1 : Funeral”
Excerpt from Book 1: Robert Desnos
There were voices outside and someone pounded on the door. Desnos answered it and let in a group of five or so friends. Before any introductions could begin more people walked right in, so he left the door open to the warm night air. Some of the people I recognized from the theatre thisContinue reading “Excerpt from Book 1: Robert Desnos”
Excerpt from Book 1: Pain
Artaud stood gazing around and I sat gawking as well at this cavernous cathedral. It was so huge, so lofty, much larger than Saint Stephen’s in Vienna, and Saint Stephen’s had no flying buttresses. This place had double buttresses with open tracery that extended from the seven-sided apse. The building’s grace was hardly interruptedContinue reading “Excerpt from Book 1: Pain”
Excerpt from Book 1: Meeting Justine
We ended up in Louis’s small, squalid apartment somewhere on the rue Blomet in a seedy little quarter far from the fashionable districts. Louis gave Roger no money but shared with us bread, cheese, and wine, and allowed us to play with his canvas and paints. While stuffing ourselves and passing around the wineContinue reading “Excerpt from Book 1: Meeting Justine”
The Double 