Customer Reviews

Revolution of the Mind: The Life of Andre Breton

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

 

 

I'd been interested in the Surrealists for years, and when I saw that Mark Polizzotti, a translator I had admired for years, had written one about the pope of Surrealism, Andre Breton, I knew that I must have it! From the first page, Polizzotti has you; informative, insightful, and mostly, very entertaining and stimulating. I thought that I knew most of the great stories of the movement and its contributors, but I was shocked: there are surprises everywhere. Quite simply: read this book, it will change you, and perhaps change the way think and perceive. Breton was of the the century's great thinkers

This book is the best book about André Breton, it gives a good picture of the time in wich André Breton and hes friends lived.
Inspite of what many people say, this book does not reflect Breton as a bad tempered man in the negative sense. Breton had verry good reason for conflicts with certain people. Mark Pollizoti did a good job on research by talking to Bretons friends and looking in certain documents and letters. It shows André Breton exactly as he was and as he is described in the book. The revolutionaire leader who tried to change life and was loved as men loved women.

The fact that this is strangely the first good book about such a Revolutionairy man who made such a difference in the way we look at life, compensates with the content wich is verry deep and shows an insight in what happend during the years before, during and after the movement.

I recommend people to read this book after they have read books on surrealism and the movement.
Mark Pollizoti's years of research have proven to be worthy.

When Aube (Breton's only child) was very young, Breton told her that someday he will tell and teach her anything she wants to know about "life, love and revolution". Indeed these can be described as the essence of Breton's colorful, and dramatic life. Plozzotti has not only told us aboiut the history of Surrealism, but also told us about how Breton started, and eventually controlled every aspect of this movement. Excellent book. Highly recommended.

One of the best books on Breton and the French Surrealists. I was sorry when I got to the end. How many books can you say that about? A Must read!

If Polizzotti's biography of Breton is any indication, then it is plain that Anglophones--noteworthy for producing the most risibly stupid critical writing on Surrealism since almost the movement's inception--are indeed fated to understand neither Surrealism nor Breton (By the way, thanks, kurtscar, for reminding us by example that that ignoble critical tradition is alive and well).

Breton's achievements should be obvious even to an idiot, and they require no defense from anyone. As to his personal foibles, they have always been well-documented, and one would expect no less from a serious biography of the man. What exposes Polizzotti's obvious bias, however, is the fact that, even when recounting episodes where Breton is far from being clearly at fault, Polizzotti invariably takes the negative side. Never once does his biographer give Breton the benefit of the doubt.

One can only speculate as to the reasons for this negative bias, but I suspect that it arises at least in part from the Post-Modernist perspective, a viewpoint that can scarcely imagine the existence of individuals in the arts who adhere passionately to convictions and personal principles beyond their own careerism and self-promotion. Indeed, one of the only valuable aspects of this biography is its clear presentation of Breton as a man who, as a matter of personal conviction, lived largely in poverty for the better part of his life, indifferent to Warholian money-grubbing and fashion. One suspects that this fact bothers Polizzotti and others of that ilk. For that reason, we see Polizzotti taking the opportunity to vent his resentment of such an individual, while simultaneously--and in good PoMo fashion--making a hypocritical and parasitic buck off his "host".

Aside: How this man earned the trust of Elisa Breton, Andre's widow, to the extent of convincing her to waive the clause in Breton's will stipulating that his personal papers be sealed until fifty years after his death, I shall never understand. I dare say that she never would have consented had she known of the hatchet job that was in store.

In sum, I urge readers to avoid this book on principle. Despite its unbalanced portrait, however, the book does contain much material that is unavailable to those who read only English; hence the two stars. Those who read French, however, should definitely first look elsewhere for a balanced treatment of the subject, and then look here, perhaps, only for the information afforded by the unsealing of Breton's papers.

As far as pure information about Breton goes, this book is an absolute must have, and I immediately bought it myself. But I personally feel that Mark Polizzotti is far too prejudiced in the negative direction as regards Andre Breton, and every admirer of his should keep this in mind. He is an excellent translator and an undeniably well informed scholar with respect to Dada and Surrealism, but if he was so determined to bash Breton and take shots at him left and right, maybe he should have written another book called "I'm Pissy and Cynical:Why I Hate Andre Breton". Yes, it is true that Breton had contradictions in his character and attitudes, but all great men do. Breton's relentless campaign against all forms of coercion and institutional authority (indeed, authority of any kind) more than makes up for the flaws that he had, the flaws which we all have in one way or another. (A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, Mark.) And let's keep in mind, not to be mean, who is writing the biography and who is getting the biography written about them. Polizzotti makes sure to magnify Breton's admittedly dubious and perhaps even downright hypocritical stance on homosexuality to the point where you would think that Surrealism was about gay bashing. Without Andre Breton Surrealism would never have even gotten off it's feet. His so called 'ex communications' were botched but at the same time basically well intentioned attempts to keep the surrealist rebellion genuine and authentic, and his supposed 'dictatorial personality' was simply his passionate nature translated into action. Like all great leaders he wanted to adhere to the principles he had set for himself and the friends who accompanied him on the great spiritual adventure of poetry and 'the marvelous' that was Surrealism. Hate him or love him, what Breton himself said of Rimbaud's drinking buddy Germain Noveau can be said of the arch surrealist himself:"Absolute non conformism ruled his life from beginning to end."

This book is entertaining as well as informative. I noticed one review on this site with the subtext of 'I prefer baguettes to burgers/Americans are bad' so I thought I'd weigh in. Also the critic in question cannot even READ in Breton's language then lambasts Americans in general for not appreciating his chosen magus.

I'll try and do better and focus on the book.

The book's intellectual/social millieu is well described. You can drop in on almost any page and be immersed in what the times were about and who the major figures were.

True, Polizotti really gives it to Breton. However-most of the 'bad' stuff is given to us in quotes or writings OF Breton or his contemporaries. Can we really fault an author for telling us things we may not WANT to know about a public figure?

Also, the book has a comic aspect. Everytime Breton pulls some tomfoolery or a writer for instance snipes at how controlling this figure in bright green suits was, you can't help but laugh at the pretentiousness involved. IN this sense, Breton is a great comic. He courts Freud, Freud prefers Dali. He courts some woman, she prefers another man. He wants to lecture to the Americans, they put Dali on the cover of Time Magazine. He raises some fuss somewhere and Eluard-yet, again-gets beaten up like a child on a playground. The clothing, that arch-high language, the situations-he is extremely funny. Not fake funny like Jerry Lewis, but bust a gut, deflate the persona funny. Not unlike old movie farces where the joke is on a dowager or banker.

I gave the book an extra star for making me laugh several times. It's really a four star book in other ways.

k

Andre Breton was actually Barnes' contemporary, a little younger, but lived an entirely different life. Born in the suburbs of Paris, his conventional family wanted him to be a doctor, but Breton was inspired by Rimbaud early on. He met a few influential figures early on, like Paul Valery and Jacques Vaché. Throwing off the restraints of Catholicism, Breton discovered Freud, Marx, and Apollonaire. Most of the Surrealists never fought in the war but were affected by it. They romanticized it. Eluard, Breton, and Soupault wanted to have the impact of Dada or Futurism. Breton early on figured that having an art Mafia was a good idea. He was the undisputed Pope who paid homage to the liberated men of all time: De Sade, Rimbaud, Lautreamont, etc. Breton figured that spiritual revolution was to include world revolution, so Breton always had a soft spot for Lenin. Surrealism would be at the service of world communism. The reds weren't interested. Breton did work at Gallimard, acted as everyone's art dealer, met Trotsky and Frida in Mexico, and had contact with many writers. Breton's liberation oddly included absolute devotion to one woman. Very Un-Sadian and very moral. Every time that someone calls for a revolution of the self or youth movement or talking about situationism they usually have a source in Surrealism. Although Surrealism got eaten up by the post-war Resistance politically engaged, Breton and company have influenced all media and fashion.

Is this the best on Breton? Last summer while vacationing in the South of France I discovered a goldmine of Breton biographies in a quaint, if not somewhat musty, used bookstore. Most were in French, and since I don't speak French, I had them translated. Guess what, they opened my eyes to the Breton most silly Americans don't see, and for that matter, I hope they never see. Breton is simply not meant to be understood by Americans. Thank God I moved to France shortly after this review.