Tosh’s Comments (group member since Oct 12, 2007)

Tosh’s comments from the Boris Vian group.

As of this date, I haven't seen the film yet. I'm getting mixed reports about it.

This is not what I am too sure about. But I imagine the Vernon Sullivan books were written to make money through Scorpion Press, who specialize in Noir fiction. "I Spit on Your Graves" was a freak of a novel on many fronts. One he wrote it and pretended it was written by a Black American writer 'Vernon Sullivan.'' But then the book got attention in France and because a huge censorship issue. After he was exposed as being Sullivan, Vian kept the name for three other novels. Two are noir, one is science fiction meets Hardy Boys (To Hell With The Ugly) and the fourth i haven't read yet - but for sure books under the name "Boris Vian" didn't sell well. L'Ecume des jours (Foam of the Daze) which was written in the late 40's didn't become successful till the late 60, way after Vian passed away. So generally when he was alive, his own works under his name didn't do well sales wise.

I think writers like Raymond Roussel, Alfred Jarry, Raymond Queneau (he was friends with Queneau), PG Wodehouse, and my understanding is that he had a thing for the classics. Greek, etc.

And on the Sullivan side, he loved Science fiction novels and of course noir work.

In 2010 I am going to be publishing Boris Vian's (Vernon Sullivan) "To Hell With The Ugly." The TamTam Books' edition will be illustrated with a great introduction by its translator Paul knobloch. But for fun I am putting the book up on my website chapter-by-chapter. Chapter 1 is up now. And will be on my site for about a week. After that I will remove that chapter and relpace it with another chapter. The book reads well as a serial.

The narrative is about a group of teenagers who come upon a mad scientist who is determined to bring in a race of good looking (beautiful) clones. So in a sense this is sort of the Hardy Boys meets James Bond with Porn, but filtered via the talents of Boris Vian. I think it's a masterpiece. And fun as well.

The website is : http://tamtambooks-tosh.blogspot.com/

"The Debris Of Time" is very close to "Foam of the Daze" to me. But "Foam" sounds more poetic and dreamy. "Scumdog Days" no! But again it shows how subjective translations are in literature. Fascinating! Thanks Boris for your thoughts.

Paul and i will be presenting and reading from the latest TamTam Books' release of "THE DEAD ALL HAVE THE SAME SKIN."

There will also be free CD's of Vian related music put together by yours truly for the event. First come first serve. And of course limited to a few.

The playlist will be posted on my blog at
http://tamtambooks-tosh.blogspot.com/ in the very near future.


So the reading and signing will take place at:

Book Soup

8818 West Sunset Blvd

West Hollywood, CA 90069

310-659-3110

On June 23 at 7:00 P.M.

*Paul Knobloch* and *Tosh Berman* presents and sign *The Dead All Have the Same Skin*

Translator Knobloch and publisher Berman are proud to present the newest translatio nof Vian's classic. Written one year after the controversial (putting it mildly) "I Spit on Your Graves," you think Vian would have known better. But no, he decided to do another violent shocker that is ripped out of today's (or was it all in my head?) headlines. This surreal masterpiece of 'dark' writing is about Daniel Parker who is a bouncer in a drink hell bar hole somewhere in New York City (Vian, a French man never been to the States) who is blackmailed by his long lost brother who is black and threatens him to tell the truth about his brother's racial blood.
Parker is not going to take that. His life, by that admission,
becomes a tipsy topsey one-way ticket to hell.

"I'll be seeing you."


Ciao,

Tosh

Oh you should Pamela, because Translations as a subject matter is very interesting to me (and i imagine others as well). Are there other translations of Poe in French?

And Vian translated Chandler's 'The Lady in the Lake" that is still in print in French. In fact it maybe the only French translation of this title.

And if I may add a footnote Pamela, my edition of Foam of the Daze and Autumn in Peking have endnotes describing the Vian world. It can be read after reading the main text.

And you are also correct about Vian being inspired by Huysmans. What would be really interesting and helpful if those who can speak or read bi-lingual list their favorite translations as well as what they think is really terrible.

And final question, does the Baudelaire translation of Poe read well in French?

I was disappointed with the last Houellebecq as well. And he actually made a film (yes he directed it) of this novel!

You can get my Vian books at City Lights Bookstore, which is North Beach/Chinatown area of San Francisco. And if you haven't been to City Lights - it's worth the trip to visit that bookstore. Fantastic store!

San Diego is an area I don't know too much about. A lot of independent bookstores have my titles - and for sure Amazon, etc. And Book Soup in West Hollywood.

It is rather too complex to bring up my personal take of Vian in such a format like Goodreads. But lets say that Vian hit me on various levels. One, the stories I was writing were in a sense Vian like, but before I read or heard of Vian, and two he's a much better writer then me.

Also the fact that Vian died at such a young age, knowing that he would die young - he just went for the throat with respect to his work - the writing, the music, etc. And that reminds me of my Dad as well...

But yes Cal, there are two sides of Vian. One is the Foam/Autumn and I Spit/Dead all.. are different , yet clearly the same writer - but the attitude and I think goals are different. So I am interested in hearing your opinion.

Pamela "Et on tuera tous les affreux" will be the next Boris Vian release from my press. Hopefully the book will be out in January. The English translation will be "To Hell With The Ugly."

The translation by Paul Knobloch is finished, but now working on the design of the book. Unlike the other Vian releases this novel will have illustrations/art by the great artist Jessica Minckley. We're very excited about this book as well as THE DEAD ALL HAVE THE SAME SKIN.

A very rare Vian foortage in a film ...that deals with The Mona Lisa.

If you go to my blog you can see the film plus the translated script or commentary by Vian in English.

http://tamtambooks-tosh.blogspot.com/

Xio you can read it here:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/...

It's a very good book on the relationship between Sartre and Simone - and the first book in English that gives credit to Vian with respect to their 'world.' Vian's first wife ran off with Sartre, but I believe after their relationship ended - although I think they were still married.

THE DEAD ALL HAVE THE SAME SKIN will be soon for sale at all the regular venues and bookstores very shortly. The distributor have copies in their warehouse and are now filling the orders.

Meanwhile Book Soup will have some copies for sale on their website; www.booksoup.com

But yes, I want to start up a conversation or chit-chat about this particular book because it's an interesting novel in many fronts. We will do that shortly!

Ciao,
Tosh

Boris Vian's THE DEAD ALL HAVE THE SAME SKIN will be out on April 1st. A holiday special?

Not sure who wrote the biography, but i think it was written in France and translated into English.

Also I got the impression that Celine was a total racist, but not a nationalist at all. I guess it depends how one defines 'fascist.' For instance did he believe in a French state or a country just for the French (whatever that means)?

It seems to me that he loathe everything. Yet he was a Doctor to the poor -so go figure!

There is a biography on Celine that looks interesting. I should pick it up, read it, and think about it. What a fascinating character. I heard the story that Ginsberg went up to his house sometime in the early 60's (?) but wasn't too.... nice.

Jason, thanks for the post! I only know Ralph Manheim's translations and never ever seen the Marks translations. If I come across it I will buy it -just for collection sake.

Who was the bad translator of Celine's work? I have heard rumors that the British edition of Death on an Installment Plan is slightly different. Well, the British title is "Death on Credit, ' or something like that.

And speaking of the devil it is often that the same translation of a work may have two separate English titles. The decision is usually made by the British or American publisher.