Customer Reviews

Surreal Lives: The Surrealists 1917-1945

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An interesting but not overly amazing look at one of the most misunderstood art movements of the 20th century. Brandon's work functions mainly as a collection of biograpical sketches of the major players of the movement. Forerunners like Tzara, Duchamp, Ducasse are given a fair ammount of time, as are Breton (of course) and Soupault. Other important players are quickly glossed over, like Eluard, Desnos and Peret. Far too much time is given to Dali; although a talented man, he spent very little time with the group.

Brandon's conclusions and insights are few; the one of most interest is that of Breton continually searching for the ultimate anti-artist he found and lost in his friend Vache and could never fulfill himself. This book would be a nice introduction to someone not too familiar with the movement and could act as a good jumping platform towards studying the specific artists that interest the reader most. The writing is clear, and what is explained is done well. More knowledgable readers, however, should move on to other things.

I've never read such a sloppy account of the Surrealists... Ruth Brandon's book is littered with errors and omissions of all sorts. Surreal Lives also suffers from any sense of strong narrative. Brandon leaves out so much that was important to the movement, esp. in the so called 'Heroic Period,' the early days of the movement. She attributes quotes to the wrong people... To name just one thing...

The most unforgivable sin is even though it's supopsed to be about everyone in the movement, it's Breton heavy and doesn't at all write about the striking discoveries being produced and imagined by others at the same time. To me this is a cheap, bloated, cut and paste attempt at history. And shameful because she seemingly dismisses so many important people in the movement (Benjamin Peret, to name just one) with almost no mention at all.

Oddly enough, Mark Polizzotti's biography of Bretion, Revolution of the Mind: The Life of Andre Breton - is THE best, most COMPLETE and COMPELLING history of the WHOLE movement. Please, don't waste your money on the Brandon book - buy the Polizzotti. He makes you feel as if you were there with all those people, while Brandon's tome feels like she sat at a huge desk, littered with books (incl. the Polizzotti one, which she cannibalizes - along with tons of other sources) and made a collage, which just doesn't work at all. Through and through a totally boring account - which was in life so exciting. She made me feel absolutely nothing about people I've revered since my teens. It's cold and totally passionless. Ironic - since those are two qualities the Surrealists themselves abhorred.

This book is awful, riddled with errors and totally boring. I just wanted this review to be a warning. This IS NOT a complete or even good account of the Surrealists! Please - don't wate your money. Buy the Polizzotti - then you'll be dazzled and amazed and completely enlightened and entertained.

I can't believe the bad things that have been said about this book here. John Banville described it as "Wonderful" and it is. It grips from beginning to end and ia always engaging and insightful. It gives generous coverage to some of the surrealists at the expense of others but as some evidently had lives that were more outwardly dramatic than others this is excusable. It may not be definitive but it could well be the most entertaining book written on the subject.

Perhaps the author got a little bored with covering the details of the artist's lives. It couldn't have been all action-action-action, they had to write, paint, create sometime. It's when she starts to dive into the murky waters of their disagreements and breaks over the minutae of esoteric intelli-quibbles that the reading drags. Decent in parts, and a worthy education, but a little like taking medicene in parts.

If the author could be more careful with facts, I for one would welcome a second edition, because I enjoyed the first one so much, despite the howlers.