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The Eleven Paperback – Deckle Edge, January 18, 2013

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Pierre Michon (Author)
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Pierre Michon (Author), Elizabeth Deshays (Translator), Jody Gladding (Translator)
2.8 out of 5 stars 4 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Archipelago (January 18, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1935744623
  • ISBN-13: 978-1935744627
  • Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 0.3 x 7.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,719,243 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsart as history
By mykl-s on January 11, 2013
Format: Paperback
The Eleven, was at first hard to understand, then hard to put down, then one of those books I had to read twice. It is a fine novel, almost poetry, disguised as art history, disguised as lecture.
Pierre Michon takes on the French Revolution, art as history, class culture, social mobility, politics, the love of a mother for her son, and the role of chance in life. He covers these and many more topics in 97 pages of beautifuly translated text. This he does by inventing then discussing what his narrator describes as the most famous painting in the world, a large group portrait of eleven figures from the infamous Committee of Public Safety during the tumult of 1794.
Without internet research, this would have been slow going for me, but I think even if I could not have grasped some of the context, the book would have still entranced me by its pure, clean and expansive language.
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3.0 out of 5 starsA deliberate but ultimately rewarding French novel about a famous painting
By Darryl R. Morris on January 8, 2013
Format: Paperback
"The Eleven is not a painting of History, it is History."

More than 200 years after its creation, an unnamed narrator stands alongside his voiceless subject in the Louvre as they study The Eleven, "the world's most famous painting". Created by François-Élie Corentin in 1794, the painting portrays the eleven members of the Committee for Public Safety led by Robespierre, as they stand around a table filled with four-pound loaves of bread and Clamart wine. The French historian Michelet described the painting as a "secular last supper" in his 1852 work History of the French Revolution, and his 12 page description of The Eleven in his book has stood as the definitive interpretation of the masterpiece since then.

The narrator of this novel discusses the painting with his subject, and claims that there is much more to its creation than Michelet's flawed description of it. He briefly describes the life of Corentin, who grew up the river town of Combleux and flourished under the undying devotion of his mother and grandmother; his father, a failed poet; and the reason for the painting's commission during the Reign of Terror which followed the French Revolution. The Terror, which lasted from 1793-94, was a time in which a power struggle between Robespierre, Danton and Hébert led to the execution of tens of thousands of French citizens deemed enemies of the Revolution. The narrator describes the actions and motivations of the eleven members of the Committee for Public Safety, and portrays the difficult position that many supporters of its leading members found themselves in.Read more ›
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2.0 out of 5 starsThe Eleven - poetic view of French Revolution
By KL on January 25, 2013
Format: Kindle Edition
The Eleven by Pierre Michon is a short novel describing historical, social and political background of the creation of the painting presenting eleven leaders of the Committee of Public Safety during the time of the French Revolution. It was very difficult for me to tune into this book due to the amount of events, characters presented at the same time. All of above were painted with very pretentious way, and was difficult to follow constantly appearing new characters unrelated to the previous "thoughts"
that all really prevented me from enjoying the novel in full. I appreciate, however the complexity of the painting description and amount of the geosocial and geopolitical work and effort put into the construction of this novel.

I only read the English translation of the French original, so it is very possible that the book lost a lot of charm, especially due to the translation. Perhaps in the original version it maintains a lot of linguistic and stylistic beauty.
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1.0 out of 5 starsDon't waste your time
By B. Siemens on January 7, 2013
Format: Kindle Edition
No, I couldn't do it. I could not finish this novella. I did read the first chapter four times. I also read the second and third chapters more than twice. I went looking for reviews of the book in its original language; many of the reviewers said that the best part of the book was the lack of length. I know: awkward, right? One reviewer kindly informed me that the French language is one of the characters. Apparently that doesn't translate well. I couldn't find a plot to save my life. The synopsis was great but the book didn't live up to the promise. Don't waste your time.
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