Tuesday, August 10, 2010

1954: Bonjour Tristesse to Les Mandarins.


Chronology of World, British and American Literature

Francois Sagan. French. 1954. Novel. Bonjour Tristesse. Teenager’s jealous rage. Tragic plot to prevent her father’s remarriage.

Thomas Mann. German. 1954. Novel. Confessions of Felix Krull: Confidence Man. (Unfinished.) Amoral artist. Picaresque. Series of erotic and criminal escapades. Artist, actor, charlatan.

William Faulkner. American; 1954. Novel. A Fable. WWI. Allegory on death of Jesus. Personifications of abstractions. Modern versions of biblical people.

Kingsley Amis. British. 1954. Novel. Lucky Jim. Ironic title. Comic misfortunes of lower middle class instructor at an English university. Satirizes academic “racket” and cultural pretension.

Simone de Beauvoir. French. 1954. Novel. Les Mandarins. Existentialists during WWII. Philosophy vs. the need to act.

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