Evguenie Sokolov [Paperback]

Serge Gainsbourg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 1998

Evguénie is a performance artist who uses his bodily gases as his medium of expression. With an introduction by bart plantenga and afterword by Russell Mael (Sparks).

Editorial Reviews

Review

Serge Gainsbourg is one of the world's great eccentrics. His kinky obsessions, smothering fashion with tastelessness have catapulted him into super stardom in France. This is his only novel and you have never read anything like it. Evguenie Sokolov will make you squirm. It will make you laugh. It also may very well make you sick. Gainsbourg's vision is his own: authentic and convulsive. But don't forget to hold your nose. --John Zorn

Gainsbourg takes one childish, cheap and tasteless one-joke idea and manages to keep it entertaining enough to last for a whole book. --Mark Webber (Pulp)

About the Author

Serge Gainsbourg (1928-1991) was a major music and public figure in France.

Product Details

• Paperback: 137 pages
• Publisher: Tamtam Books; 1 edition (September 28, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966234618
• ISBN-13: 978-0966234619
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,162,074 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gainsbourg: composer, singer, actor... and novelist, January 1, 1999

By 

Chris Meloche (London, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Evguenie Sokolov (Paperback)

In 1980, French provocateur Serge Gainsbourg expanded his range from composer/singer and actor to that of novelist. An English translation of his one and only book "Evguenie Sokolov" has now been made available in on this side of the Atlantic via the small publisher TamTam Books in Los Angeles, California.

The book is essentially a fictional memoir of the character Evguenie Sokolov as related from his hospital bed. We learn that, from an early age, Sokolov was afflicted with an extreme and apparently terminal case of flatulence. While that may seem like a one-note premise on the level of a third grade joke (or perhaps an episode of "South Park"), the detail of the ensuing problems and situations lifts this story to a much higher level.

From his early school days to his stint in the military, Sokolov's life was always affected by his gastric affliction. At one point, he set his sites on an artistic career and began to express his talents with drawings and paintings. While posessing a fair talent for the medium, a revelation eventually occurred. During one of Sokolov's drawing sessions, a particularly violent outburst of gas forced his hand dramatically across the page. So impressed was he by the result that he decided to purposely execute drawings in this manner.

In time, an art dealer discovered Sokolov's work and he became a highly respected member of the arts community in the field of hyper-abstraction. His drawings and paintings eventually found their way into collections around the globe from Germany to the USA. Unfortunately, Sokolov's gastric problems eventually stopped. This equivilant to writer's block sent the artist into a heavy period of research in order to try to intentionally recreate his previous flatulence misfortune. Although successful with his efforts to regain his former glory, it eventually proved to be his undoing.

"Evguenie Sokolov" is a book which brims with great wit and sometimes sickening detail. In the long-run, Gainsbourg's spirit shines through with this fine translation from the original French. Indeed, through Serge Gainsbourg's pen, Evguenie Sokolov can be seen as an artist who helped to put the 'f' back in 'art'.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Evguenie Sokolov" is a book which brims with great wit., December 20, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Evguenie Sokolov (Paperback)

Wired for Sound Book Review

"Evguenie Sokolov" by Serge Gainsbourg

In 1980, French provocateur Serge Gainsbourg expanded his range from composer/singer and actor to that of novelist. An English translation of his one and only book "Evguenie Sokolov" has now been made available in on this side of the Atlantic via the small publisher TamTam Books in Los Angeles, California.

The book is essentially a fictional memoir of the character Evguenie Sokolov as related from his hospital bed. We learn that, from an early age, Sokolov was afflicted with an extreme and apparently terminal case of flatulence. While that may seem like a one-note premise on the level of a third grade joke (or perhaps an episode of "South Park"), the detail of the ensuing problems and situations lifts this story to a much higher level.

>From his early school days to his stint in the military, Sokolov's life was always affected by his gastric affliction. At one point, he set his sites on an artistic career and began to express his talents with drawings and paintings. While posessing a fair talent for the medium, a revelation eventually occurred. During one of Sokolov's drawing sessions, a particularly violent outburst of gas forced his hand dramatically across the page. So impressed was he by the result that he decided to purposely execute drawings in this manner.

In time, an art dealer discovered Sokolov's work and he became a highly respected member of the arts community in the field of hyper-abstraction. His drawings and paintings eventually found their way into collections around the globe from Germany to the USA. Unfortunately, Sokolov's gastric problems eventually stopped. This equivilant to writer's block sent the artist into a heavy period of research in order to try to intentionally recreate his previous flatulence misfortune. Although successful with his efforts to regain his former glory, it eventually proved to be his undoing.

"Evguenie Sokolov" is a book which brims with great wit and sometimes sickening detail. In the long-run, Gainsbourg's spirit shines through with this fine translation from the original French. Indeed, through Serge Gainsbourg's pen, Evguenie Sokolov can be seen as an artist who helped to put the 'f' back in 'art'.

Chris Meloche, Wired for Sound

4.0 out of 5 stars This is really funny, April 8, 2002

By 

Sam (LA, CA, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Evguenie Sokolov (Paperback)

As stupid as this book sounds, it really is hilarious--here we have a "great" artist, who has absolutely no control over his creations--the lowest of things, his ... are the only reason his genius is proclaimed. The rectal blood prints are particularly amazing. Makes you think up all kinds of crazy ways to paint, "periodic musings", "birth scenes", loads o' great stuff...