Customer Reviews

The Foreign Legion (New Directions Paperbook)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Lispector wrote some of the most amazing and revolutionary prose in the 20th-century. I realize this statement is bold, considering the fact that she shared the 20th-century with the likes of Joyce, Stein, Borges, and Faulkner, but I firmly believe she holds her own in this company. In stories just a few pages long, the reader will find ideas that relate to poststructuralist language and gender theories, as well as the Bible, Greek philosophy, and countless other great works of literature and philosophy. These ideas do not merely serve as references, but rather are put into play with all their complexities and internal contradictions exposed for all to see.

Many find Lispector's work to be overly theoretical, but I believe this is a misreading of her work in a misunderstanding of its importance. While it is true that one could probably learn more about poststructuralism by reading a Lispector story than by reading the works of Derrida, Foucault, or Cixous, what makes Lispector so great is that with every work she demonstrates that these theories, or any philosophical theories for that matter, fail to contain or explain the creative text. In other words, Lispector does not merely serve as an example of poststructuralism. It is more accurate to say that poststructuralism serves as an example of Lispector.

Although I'm a huge fan of this book, it is not for the faint of heart. It is incredibly dense an extremely difficult. If you're willing to spend the time and you're up for the challenge, the rewards are great. I have returned to this book many times over many years, and each time I learn something new and question what I know and what I think I know.

Lispector applies her "stream of consciousness" style in an unusual two part writing. The two parts, stories and chronicles, offer observations on life within the unstable framework of her society.

The stories subjects are worked over by the raw cats tongue of power. From a simple invitation to lunch to a series of dreamlike cockroach executions we are drawn in and held captive and helpless.

The chronicles are observations "rescued from my bottom drawer" and called incomplete by themselves. However, as a group, these snapshots evoke a potent response. They blend together the best of this writers style in a format that strengthens the individual parts and gives back much more than you expect.

I was amazed that this book pulled such intense emotional responses from me. I needed to withdraw and carefully inspect each segment before going back. A strong book written without denouement or apology

Qué está haciendo aquí: ¿Tratando de interesarse por el libro? Pues entonces que espera ¡cómprelo! Se lo advierto, no se va a arrepentir. Recomiendo la quinta historia (es buenísima) END

That book stinks. That is my Opinion. has nothing to do with the French Foreign Legion. I dumped it into the trash can already. Very disappointed.