Mavis Gallant était une auteure canadienne dont la fiction et les nouvelles se caractérisaient par une observation pointue et un langage précis. Ses œuvres, souvent publiées pour la première fois dans The New Yorker, exploraient les complexités des relations humaines et des dynamiques sociales. Ayant passé une grande partie de sa vie en France, Gallant a entretenu un lien fort avec ses racines canadiennes, ce qui se reflétait dans sa voix littéraire distinctive. Sa capacité à saisir les nuances subtiles de l'expérience humaine lui a assuré une place parmi d'importantes figures littéraires canadiennes.
Featuring fifty-two carefully chosen stories from the author's extensive body of work, this collection showcases her literary evolution and creativity. The preface offers insights into her artistic inspirations, providing readers with a deeper understanding of her storytelling journey.
A collection of fifty-two stories of spare complexity, often pushing the
boundaries of the form in boldly unconventional directions. It ranges from
Paris to Berlin to Switzerland, from the Riviera to the Cote d'Azur, and
features characters who are almost all exiles of one sort or another, as the
author herself was the most of her expatriate life.
This is a collection of short stories from the author of "In Transit, "Overhead in a Balloon" and "Paris Notebook". The first four stories feature the French-Canadian Carette family over three generations, while the other seven stories are set in Paris, where the author lived for many years.
'In this collection, we witness the miracle of a great writer's birth and
brisk maturation, a blossoming incapable of withering, and that remains
masterful and truthful today' Jhumpa Lahiri
Set against the backdrop of New York, this original work explores the intricacies of human relationships and the complexities of urban life. The narrative delves into the characters' emotional struggles and personal growth, highlighting themes of love, loss, and the search for identity. With rich prose and vivid imagery, the book captures the essence of the city while offering profound insights into the human experience. Its unique perspective and engaging storytelling make it a compelling read for those interested in contemporary literature.
The book is part of the NYRB Classics series, known for its curated selection of significant literary works. It features a unique narrative style and explores profound themes, offering readers a fresh perspective on classic literature. The publication aims to revive and celebrate important voices from the past, making them accessible to contemporary audiences. With its distinctive approach, this edition promises to engage both new readers and those familiar with the original text.
A NEW YORK REVIEW BOOKS ORIGINAL Mavis Gallant is a contemporary legend, a
frequent contributor to The New Yorker for close to fifty years who has, in
the words of The New York Times, radically reshaped the short story for decade
after decade. Michael Ondaatje's new selection of Gallant's work gathers some
of the most memorable of her stories set in Europe and Paris, where Gallant
has long lived. Mysterious, funny, insightful, and heartbreaking, these are
tales of expatriates and exiles, wise children and straying saints. Together
they compose a secret history, at once intimate and panoramic, of modern
times.
With a foreword by Brandon Taylor. An elegant, melancholic novella about memory, family and the meaning of home. This is the tale of the fractured family life of Bonnie McCarthy, an American divorcée, and her daughter, Flor. Uprooted and unmoored, mother and daughter lead an itinerant existence - Venice, Canne and Paris as a backdrop - glamorous and dependent. When Flor attempts to flee this untidy life and the oppressive rule of her eccentric mother, she instead succumbs to a gradual decline into insanity. Green Water, Green Sky was Mavis Gallant's debut novel and is a quietly dazzling example of her masterful shifts in narrative perspective and her visceral exploration of displacement and exile. 'A very intense piece of writing, very dark, but light and absurd at the same time . . . [Gallant's] body of work is unique and profound; I don't think there will be another quite like her.' Jhumpa Lahiri
Mavis Gallantová se narodila v Kanadě a žila ve Francii, kde v roce 2014 zemřela ve věku 91 let. Celý svůj život se věnovala téměř výlučně jedinému žánru, povídce, a prvním místem jejich vydání byl takřka výhradně časopis The New Yorker. Ve svých stručných, břitkých prózách autorka skloňuje téma emigrace – vnitřní i vnější. Jelikož sama strávila většinu života mimo rodnou zemi, má pro vykořeněné a osamělé postavy svých povídek hluboké, lidské pochopení. Zároveň ale se smyslem pro zkratku a ostrou ironií prolamuje konvence a ustálené formy žánru. Mistrovské povídky Mavis Gallantové jsou svým významem přirovnávány k dílu Čechova či Henryho Jamese a hluboce ovlivnily celou generaci autorů. Spolu s A. Munroovou je řazena k nejvýznamnějším kanadským spisovatelům 20. století. Výbor Pozdní navrátilec obsahuje třináct novel a povídek v překladu Martina Pokorného a vůbec poprvé představuje tuto významnou autorku českému čtenáři.
Flor McCarthy lleva una existencia que a muchos podría parecerles idílica. Después del traumático divorcio de su madre, que ya no puede soportar seguir viviendo en América, ambas emprenden un largo viaje por distintos países de Europa. Recalan en ciudades como Venecia, Cannes y París, pero el encanto es solo aparente. Abocadas al exilio, madre e hija dependen de la caridad de sus familiares y, oculta tras un velo de falso glamour, aparece frente a ellas la locura de un desarraigo marcado por la dependencia física y emocional. La vida de Flor se va transformando en una pesadilla expuesta ante las miradas de aquellos con quienes se encuentra a lo largo de los años, como su tímido primo George o los amigos ocasionales de su madre. Su búsqueda de protección aflora tras cada encuentro en una clara derivación de su necesidad de contar con un hogar al que regresar. Mavis Gallant despliega todo su talento en este testimonio whartoniano del descenso a los infiernos de dos mujeres unidas por una enfermiza relación maternofilial. El deslumbrante debut novelístico de una de las narradoras canadienses más reconocidas del siglo XX.
Natale è tempo di scelte e divisioni. Prima di discutere su pranzo o cenone, albero o presepe, panettone o pandoro, ci si confronta sulla festa stessa. Per alcuni, è magia e desiderio di bontà; per altri, è solo stress e routine. Si fronteggiano così gli amanti del Natale e i contrari, ma esiste una terra di mezzo ricca di sfumature. Questa raccolta nasce dal desiderio di esplorare questa via, offrendo punti di vista originali a chi è stanco delle opposizioni scontate. Le voci di autori italiani contemporanei e di penne internazionali si alternano per guidarvi in un viaggio inatteso. Pino Cacucci, Gianrico Carofiglio, Piero Colaprico e Antonio Pascale vi porteranno lungo le vie più oscure del male, mentre Maeve Brennan, James Herriot, Roberto Perrone e Nadia Terranova dimostreranno che anche il Natale più classico ha le sue crepe. Andrea Molesini, Luca Ricci e Jean Stafford presenteranno protagonisti insospettabili alle prese con lo spirito natalizio, mentre Morley Callaghan, Mavis Gallant e James Thurber evidenzieranno l'importanza di lasciarsi sorprendere. Le migliori sorprese, infatti, sono quelle che sfidano le aspettative, e il Natale non fa eccezione: ogni Natale ha un suo perché, purché non sembri Natale.