Memoirs of a Book Thief
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- $17.99
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- $17.99
Publisher Description
Daniel Brodin – bibliophile, book thief, self-proclaimed poet – enters the heated atmosphere of the Café Serbier, home of the Parisian literati. A poetry night is taking place and, when one luminary suggests giving the floor to an unknown, Daniel impulsively puts himself forward. Under pressure, he recites not one of his own surrealist poems but an obscure piece of Italian verse he’s certain no one will know. It’s plagiarism – but it’s a triumph.
At last, success. Daniel’s recital marks his entrance into the Parisian avant-garde: a band of cultured rogues and pseudo-revolutionaries for whom life is a playground for art, whether plotting a novel or planning a heist. In such a milieu, the company is as intoxicating as the wine – but will success lose its dazzle if it is built on theft?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This psychologically astute comic perfectly captures the posturing, desperation, and nonsense of the highbrow poetry scene of Paris in the 1950s. Daniel Brodin is a law student, an aspiring writer, and a thief. In an effort to impress a girl, he recites a poem from a book he's stolen in front of a crowd of literary elite. His plagiarism is hailed as newly discovered genius. The same day, his shoplifting lands him literally at the feet (after being chased by a shop owner) of a group of disaffected criminal youth, led by Gilles, a charismatic anarchist, and Jean-Michel, a bisexual thug. They call themselves artists but spend the majority of their time smoking, drinking, and loudly decrying the capitalist drudgery of day jobs. Together, they crash a Paul Val ry Society event, and soon Daniel gets swept up into the goofy group's high-flying robbery plans, heedless of the inevitable crash. Van Hove's scratchy linework is full of character and detail; the shopfronts, cafes, and back alleys of Paris are lovingly rendered. Tota's dialogue is crisp and pointed, equally a mockery of and an ode to the squabbles and obsessions of the era. Behind the narrative of Daniel's hapless descent looms larger questions about art, value, and authenticity. This is a delightful graphic novel for artists seriously questioning themselves and anyone questioning "serious" art.
