Autumn in Peking [Paperback]

Boris Vian (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0966234642 | ISBN-13: 978-0966234640 | Publication Date: January 25, 2006

Vian's 1947 novel Autumn in Peking (L'Automne à Pékin) is perhaps Vian's most slapstick work, with an added amount of despair in its exotic recipe for a violent cocktail drink. The story takes place in the imaginary desert called Exopotamie where all the leading characters take part in the building of a train station with tracks that go nowhere. Houses and buildings are destroyed to build this unnecessary structure - and in Vian's world waste not, make not. Vian, in a mixture of great humor and unequal amount of disgust, introduces various 'eccentric' characters in this 'desert' adventure, such as Anne and Angel who are best friends; and Rochelle who is in love and sleeps with Anne, while Angel is madly in love with her. Besides the trio there is also Doctor Mangemanche; the archeologist Athanagore Porphyroginite, his aide, Cuivre; and Pipo - all of them in a locality similar to Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, where there is a tinge of darkness and anything is possible, except for happiness.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"AUTUMN IN PEKING serves as an antidote to the tired, self-obsession and gimmicky cleverness of most hip contemporary fiction." -- Jeremy Baker, Seattle Sinner, May 2005

"AUTUMN IN PEKING is the strangest of many strange Vian novels, and wholly, unforgettably readable." -- James Sallis, Boston Globe, May 22, 2005

"Autumn in Peking" (L'Automne à Pékin) could well become one of the classics. -- Alain Robbe-Grillet

Vian is one of the great iconoclasts, and more than that, one of the great comic iconoclasts. -- J.K.L. Scott, From Dreams to Despair: An Integrated Reading of the Novels of Boris Vian

Vian was one of the most powerful writers to have appeared in France since the war. -- Roger Shattuck

About the Author

Boris Vian was a jack of all trades - although unfortunately his name was Boris and "Boris of all trades" never took off as a turn of phrase. But nevertheless Vian was a great songwriter, playwright, singer, jazz critic and, of course novelist so it should have been Boris instead of Jack.

Product Details

• Paperback: 284 pages
• Publisher: Tam Tam Books (January 25, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966234642
• ISBN-13: 978-0966234640
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,151,641 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars An absurd mirror that reflects an absurd reality, January 22, 2011

By 

Anibal Madeira (Lisboa Portugal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Autumn in Peking (Paperback)

One of the weirdest novel I've ever read, and also one of the funniest. Even the title is nonsensical. No, the action it's not in Autumn and certainly not in Peking.

But it's unbelievable as so many absurdities reflect real life situations. The promotion of fools to places of power, the uselessness of most tasks done in nowadays, the frequently imbecilic and time wasting meetings so popular in the corporate world, the fact that many religious prayers and rotes are words memorized and most persons don't even think about what they mean much less putting them in practice, the irresponsability of many professionals protected by silly rules (for example, and an gross exageration, that the Doctors could kill at will as many persons as they saved). All done with an excellent sense of humour, interesting characters, a love triangle and a priceless plot - the construction of a railway to the middle of a desert where nobody goes. And obviously it must go through the only building that exists in the entire desert!!!!

If you can read in French I would strongly advise you to do so. Vian is a master word weaver and much is lost if read it in other language, even with a good translation.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read, May 12, 2007

By 

Joachim Hubert (St. Augustine, FL United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Autumn in Peking (Paperback)

This book is totally awesome. I have read all Boris Vian's books in French and this translation is good. Some of his books are a little out-there for some people but I would highly recommend reading this book to everyone.