Tropisms (Paperback)

by Nathalie Sarraute (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Sensitive vignettes of minutely observed persons and things, with the human psychology implied so insistently and vividly that a page or two of the vignette reverberates in the reader's mind. -- The New York Times Book Review

About the Author
Considered one of the major French writers of our century, Nathalie Sarraute is the author of several novels, plays, and essays, as well as of Childhood, her autobiography. A pioneer of the nouveau roman (or "new novel"), a literary movement that sought to free the novel from the confines of plot, characterization, and time, she was recently honored by the presentation of her complete works in the prestigious Pliade series (other authors in the series include Honor de Balzac, Ernest Hemingway, and Franz Kafka). George Braziller is delighted to have been publishing all of Sarraute's work in America since 1958.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1 pages
• Publisher: George Braziller (June 1967)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807604127
• ISBN-13: 978-0807604120
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,222,063 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tropisms-- the ingredients of character, December 16, 1999

By	Julia Gordon-Bramer (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews

A fascinating book for any writer or student of language. Tropisms doesn't tell a story so much as paint a scene and/or communicate feeling. Sarraute's language --originally written in the late 1930's-- for the most part still feels modern and fresh, in part due to her unconventional and brave writing style. Tropisms is a thin book I carry with me in my daytime planner and read over and over again. Sarraute's ability to clearly describe the most mundane actions and feelings is an excellent training ground for writers. I learn something new about words, language, and humanity every time I open this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The start of greater things, December 7, 2000

By	T. Enst - See all my reviews

Tropisms are, as the author says, movements of the mind... movements most of us are not aware of, even though they are insepperable from human existance. This book is an attempt to express on paper what these tropisms look like, in short episodes of no more that two or three pages.

For people interested in new forms of expression or thinking about writing, this may be a place to start. For those who want to read something unlike most of the stories they encounter from day to day, this will be it.

5.0 out of 5 stars her best book, February 19, 2009

By	Charles Haddox (El Paso, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

For anyone who loves language and literature, this book is a must. In Tropisms, Sarraute succeeded in creating a work that is inspiring, heartbreaking, and so full of life that it still seems fresh and new. A must for any would-be writer--this is what great use of language is all about.