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賮氐丕卅賱 丕賱賮囟丕亍丕鬲
賰賷賮 賷賲賰賳 賱賮囟丕亍 丕賱賰鬲丕亘丞 兀賳 賷爻鬲賵毓亘 賰鬲丕亘丞 丕賱賮囟丕亍責 賮囟丕亍 丕賱賰鬲丕亘丞 賱賷爻 亘兀賯賱 鬲賳賵賷毓丕 賵鬲睾丕賷乇丕 賵鬲毓丕賱賯丕 鬲丨丕亘賰 賲賳 丕賱賮囟丕亍 丕賱賲毓賷卮 丕噩鬲賲丕毓賷丕 賵兀爻胤賵乇賷丕 .賰鬲丕亘丞 毓賱賶 丕賱胤亘賷毓丞 賵毓賱賶 噩爻丿 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳 賵毓賯賱賴 貙賰賲丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘丞 賮囟丕亍 賷賰鬲爻亘 賵噩賵丿賴 賲賳 鬲賮囟賷鬲賴 賵丕賳鬲馗丕賲丕鬲賴.丕賱廿賳爻丕賳 賮賷 賵噩賵丿賴 丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺賷 賷賰鬲亘 賮囟丕亍賴 丕賱丨賷賵賷貙 賲孬賱賲丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘丞 毓賱賶 丕賱賮乇丕睾 丕賱兀亘賷囟 賱賱氐賮丨丞 鬲賰鬲亘 賮囟丕亍賴丕 丕賱乇賲夭賷貙賮賰賷賮 賱丕 鬲賰賵賳 丕賱氐賮丨丞 丕賱賲賰鬲賵亘丞 賮囟丕亍 賰賲丕 丕賱賮囟丕亍 氐賮丨丞 賲賰鬲賵亘丞責廿賳 丨賱 丨乇賮 賷禺丿卮 丕賱賮囟丕亍 賮賷禺賱賯賴 賲睾賷乇丕 廿賷賴貙 賮鬲鬲賰丕孬乇 丕賱丨乇賵賮 賵鬲賳鬲馗賲貙賰賲丕 鬲鬲毓丿丿 丕賱賮囟丕亍丕鬲 賵鬲鬲賴賳丿賲 賵鬲鬲賴賳丿爻貙 禺丕賱賯丞 賮氐賷賱丕鬲 賵兀賳賵丕毓丕 賵賮囟丕卅賱 賵兀噩賳丕爻丕. 噩賵乇噩 賷賷乇賷賰 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賷乇爻賲 丿賵丕卅乇 丕賱賮囟丕亍丕鬲 丕賱賲賳丿丕丨丞 毓賳 丕賱氐賮丨丞 丕賱亘賷囟丕亍 賮賷賲丕 賴賵 賷丨丕賵賱 廿亘丿丕毓 賳氐 賲鬲賮乇丿 賷鬲兀亘賶 毓賱賶 丕賱鬲氐賳賷賮.
103 pages
First published January 1, 1974
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7,560 people want to read
About the author
Georges Perec
138听books1,570听followersGeorges Perec was a highly-regarded French novelist, filmmaker, and essayist. He was a member of the Oulipo group. Many of his novels and essays abound with experimental wordplay, lists, and attempts at classification, and they are usually tinged with melancholy.
Born in a working-class district of Paris, Perec was the only son of Icek Judko and Cyrla (Schulewicz) Peretz, Polish Jews who had emigrated to France in the 1920s. He was a distant relative of the Yiddish writer Isaac Leib Peretz.
Perec's first novel, Les Choses (Things: A Story of the Sixties) was awarded the Prix Renaudot in 1965.
In 1978, Perec won the prix M茅dicis for Life: A User's Manual (French title, La Vie mode d'emploi), possibly his best-known work. The 99 chapters of this 600 page piece move like a knight's tour of a chessboard around the room plan of a Paris apartment building, describing the rooms and stairwell and telling the stories of the inhabitants.
Cantatrix Sopranica L. is a spoof scientific paper detailing experiments on the "yelling reaction" provoked in sopranos by pelting them with rotten tomatoes. All the references in the paper are multi-lingual puns and jokes, e.g. "(Karybb et Scyla, 1973)".
Perec is also noted for his constrained writing: his 300-page novel La disparition (1969) is a lipogram, written without ever using the letter "e". It has been translated into English by Gilbert Adair under the title A Void (1994). The silent disappearance of the letter might be considered a metaphor for the Jewish experience during the Second World War. Since the name 'Georges Perec' is full of 'e's, the disappearance of the letter also ensures the author's own 'disappearance'.
His novella Les revenentes (1972) is a complementary univocalic piece in which the letter "e" is the only vowel used. This constraint affects even the title, which would conventionally be spelt Revenantes. An English translation by Ian Monk was published in 1996 as The Exeter Text: Jewels, Secrets, Sex in the collection Three.
It has been remarked by Jacques Roubaud that these two novels draw words from two disjoint sets of the French language, and that a third novel would be possible, made from the words not used so far (those containing both "e" and a vowel other than "e").
W ou le souvenir d'enfance, (W, or, the Memory of Childhood, 1975) is a semi-autobiographical work which is hard to classify. Two alternating narratives make up the volume: one, a fictional outline of a totalitarian island country called "W", patterned partly on life in a concentration camp; and the second, descriptions of childhood. Both merge towards the end when the common theme of the Holocaust is explained.
Perec was a heavy smoker throughout his life, and was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1981. He died the following year in Ivry-sur-Seine at only forty-five-years old. His ashes are held at the columbarium of the P猫re Lachaise Cemetery.
David Bellos wrote an extensive biography of Perec: Georges Perec: A Life in Words, which won the Acad茅mie Goncourt's bourse for biography in 1994.
Born in a working-class district of Paris, Perec was the only son of Icek Judko and Cyrla (Schulewicz) Peretz, Polish Jews who had emigrated to France in the 1920s. He was a distant relative of the Yiddish writer Isaac Leib Peretz.
Perec's first novel, Les Choses (Things: A Story of the Sixties) was awarded the Prix Renaudot in 1965.
In 1978, Perec won the prix M茅dicis for Life: A User's Manual (French title, La Vie mode d'emploi), possibly his best-known work. The 99 chapters of this 600 page piece move like a knight's tour of a chessboard around the room plan of a Paris apartment building, describing the rooms and stairwell and telling the stories of the inhabitants.
Cantatrix Sopranica L. is a spoof scientific paper detailing experiments on the "yelling reaction" provoked in sopranos by pelting them with rotten tomatoes. All the references in the paper are multi-lingual puns and jokes, e.g. "(Karybb et Scyla, 1973)".
Perec is also noted for his constrained writing: his 300-page novel La disparition (1969) is a lipogram, written without ever using the letter "e". It has been translated into English by Gilbert Adair under the title A Void (1994). The silent disappearance of the letter might be considered a metaphor for the Jewish experience during the Second World War. Since the name 'Georges Perec' is full of 'e's, the disappearance of the letter also ensures the author's own 'disappearance'.
His novella Les revenentes (1972) is a complementary univocalic piece in which the letter "e" is the only vowel used. This constraint affects even the title, which would conventionally be spelt Revenantes. An English translation by Ian Monk was published in 1996 as The Exeter Text: Jewels, Secrets, Sex in the collection Three.
It has been remarked by Jacques Roubaud that these two novels draw words from two disjoint sets of the French language, and that a third novel would be possible, made from the words not used so far (those containing both "e" and a vowel other than "e").
W ou le souvenir d'enfance, (W, or, the Memory of Childhood, 1975) is a semi-autobiographical work which is hard to classify. Two alternating narratives make up the volume: one, a fictional outline of a totalitarian island country called "W", patterned partly on life in a concentration camp; and the second, descriptions of childhood. Both merge towards the end when the common theme of the Holocaust is explained.
Perec was a heavy smoker throughout his life, and was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1981. He died the following year in Ivry-sur-Seine at only forty-five-years old. His ashes are held at the columbarium of the P猫re Lachaise Cemetery.
David Bellos wrote an extensive biography of Perec: Georges Perec: A Life in Words, which won the Acad茅mie Goncourt's bourse for biography in 1994.
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May 5, 2020
Georges Perec (1936-1982) - 鈥淲hat a marvelous invention man is! He can blow on his hands to warm them up, and blow on his soup to cool it down.鈥�
Georges Perec, age 45, told an interviewer how books by authors he loved when he was in his 20s were like pieces of a puzzle but there were still spaces between the pieces and those were the spaces where he could write. He went on to say how he would like to write everything in every way possible, including children鈥檚 books, science fiction, detective novels, cartoons, comedy, drama and film scripts. He also said that at the end of his life he would like to have used all the words in the dictionary and create some of his own words.
One can only imagine the many books Georges Perec would have written if he lived to be 86 instead of dying of lung cancer at 46.
Ah, Georges, language as celebration; language as game; language as play. As a way of reviewing this marvelous collection, I will cite a few quotes and offer brief comments on one essay, a 95 pager, where Perec writes about spaces moving from the micro to the macro, starting with The Page, The Bed, The Bedroom, The Apartment, The Apartment Building, The Street.
The Page
鈥淭his is how space begins, with words only, signs traced on the blank page. To describe space: to name it, to trace it, like those portolano-makers who saturated the coastlines with the names of harbors, the names of capes, the names of inlets, until in the end the land was only separated from the sea by a continuous ribbon of texts. Is the aleph, that place in Borges from which the entire world is visible simultaneously, anything other than the alphabet?鈥�---------- Amazing. To view the Borgesian aleph, that all-seeing sphere, as the alphabet from which all words are created. And once words are created, is there any object or space, concept or material reality, large or small, gross or subtle, that cannot be labeled, marked, identified, described or categorized by words?
The Bed
鈥淲e generally utilize the page in the larger of its two dimensions. The same goes for the bed. The bed (or, if you prefer, the page) is a rectangular space, longer than it is wide, in which, or on which, we normally lie longways.鈥� ---------- Oh my goodness, to see the similarities between the page one writes on (or reads from) and the bed one sleeps on.
The Bedroom
鈥淭he resurrected space of the bedroom is enough to bring back to life, to recall, to revive memories, the most fleeting and anodyne along with the most essential.鈥� ---------- This is certainly true for me: I can鈥檛 visualize the large upstairs attic bedroom of my youth without recalling emotions and feeling I had when a child: the fear of the shadows cast on the walls at night, the sense of wonder when the sun streamed through the windows in the morning, the unsettling feelings when looking at all those odd ceiling angles.
The Apartment
鈥淚t takes a little more imagination no doubt to picture an apartment whose layout was based on the functioning of the senses. We can imagine well enough what a gustatorium might be, or an auditory, but one might wonder what a seeery might look like, or a smellery or a feelery.鈥� ---------- Whimsy, fancy, vision, caprice, dream.
The Street
鈥淥bserve the street, from time to time, with some concern, for system perhaps. Apply yourself. Take your time. . . . Note down what you can see. Anything worthy of note going on. Do you know how to see what鈥檚 worthy of note? Is there anything that strikes you? Nothing strikes you. You don鈥檛 know how to see. You must set about it more slowly, almost stupidly. Force yourself to write down what is of no interest, what is most obvious, most common, most colourless.鈥� --------- One could take the author鈥檚 words here as a mini-course in creative writing and creative seeing and living. As Georges Perec said in his interview, the empty spaces he leaves after his death are an invitation for others to continue the play and game of language and writing.
And in this essay he keeps on expanding: The Neighborhood, The Town, The Countryside, The Country, Europe, The World, Space. ---------- Go for it. There鈥檚 plenty of space for everyone.
UPDATE - May, 2020
George Perec's 1976 essay on reading is included in this Penguin edition. Exact title: Reading: A Socio-physiological Outline.
Here's a bit of the bizarre:
Some years back British author Simon Morris published his own exploration of the subjects covered in this Georges Perec essay on reading while retaining all other essays in Species of Spaces and Other Pieces exactly as they appeared in the Penguin.
Playing off of Georges Perec's metaphor for the manner in which the eye sweeps across the page while reading - "like a pigeon pecking at the ground in search of breadcrumbs" - the Simon Morris book is entitled Pigeon Reader.
In the next week or so I'll be posting my review of Pigeon Reader. Fun fact: to date there have been exactly zero 欧宝娱乐 reviews of Simon Morris' Pigeon Reader.
September 19, 2018
This is one of those books where you feel the world around you expand, it's an enlightening and stimulating experience, dynamic, inspirational even, it will open your mind to architecture, furniture, and space dynamics. It will have you thinking deeply of your dining table, your home, your garden, your street, your town, and beyond. Perec was simply one of kind. My personal view is that we were robbed of one of one the geniuses of our time. Had he been around for longer, I am sure his work would have got better and better. Not that there was anything wrong with it in the first place. Perec pays close attention (when I say close attention, I REALLY mean close attention) to everything around him, zooming out from the page he writes on the the whole of the space and it's nature, along the way he observes things as simple as a man locking his car to go to the store, the number and types of places he has slept in, and what happens to the picture and the wall its hung on, all in an inviting, welcoming voice. He feels like a friend, not just a writer. You don't want to leave his company. Part of this inviting friendliness comes from him inviting you to do the same as him. Simply Observe everything around you. Not just observation exercises, it goes deeper than that. In Species, Perec with a warm handshake entices you to look around your own city without boring you with actual full examples of exhaustive lists, making this work an enjoyable read rather than a trite and boring one. It's an eye-opener, and reading Perec certainly makes you feel truly alive, he will drag you out of a slumber, and give you a shot of Espresso with this book. He peels layers off the world around us like casually picking away at a piece of fruit. The bonus - a short story 'The Winter's Journey is also included, which is pretty darn good as well!
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August 14, 2018Genius.. 魏伪喂 魏伪蠄喂伪蟻喂魏慰!
May 22, 2019
螚 蟺蟻蠋蟿畏 渭慰蠀 蔚蟺伪蠁萎 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 Perec 萎蟿伪谓 渭蔚 蟿畏谓 螜未喂蠅蟿喂魏萎 螤喂谓伪魏慰胃萎魏畏 畏 慰蟺慰委伪 未蠀蟽蟿蠀蠂蠋蟼 未蔚谓 渭慰蠀 蟿伪委蟻喂伪尉蔚 魏伪胃蠈位慰蠀. 惟蟽蟿蠈蟽慰, 渭慰蠀 维蠁畏蟽蔚 蟿畏谓 伪委蟽胃畏蟽畏 蠈蟿喂 慰 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 萎蟿伪谓 苇谓伪蟼 纬蟻委蠁慰蟼 蟺慰蠀 萎胃蔚位伪 蟺蟻伪纬渭伪蟿喂魏维 谓伪 位蠉蟽蠅. 螆蟿蟽喂 伪蟺慰蠁维蟽喂蟽伪, 谓伪 蟺喂维蟽蠅 蟿喂蟼 围慰蟻蔚委蔚蟼 蠂蠋蟻蠅谓.
螖蔚谓 渭蟺慰蟻蠋 谓伪 蟽伪蟼 蟺蠅 蟺慰位位维 纬喂伪 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 纬喂伪蟿委 蔚委谓伪喂 伪蟺慰 蟿喂蟼 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺蟿蠋蟽蔚喂蟼 蟺慰蠀 蟺蟻苇蟺蔚喂 谓伪 蟿慰 未喂伪尾维蟽蔚喂蟼 纬喂伪 谓伪 魏伪蟿伪位维尾蔚喂蟼 纬喂伪 蟿慰 蟿委 伪魏蟻喂尾蠋蟼 蟺蟻蠈魏蔚喂蟿伪喂. 螠蔚 蟺慰位蠉 伪蟺位维 位蠈纬喂伪, 慰 Perec 渭伪蟼 渭喂位维蔚喂 纬喂伪 蟿蠅谓 蠂蠋蟻慰 伪蟺蠈 魏维胃蔚 蟺喂胃伪谓萎 慰蟺蟿喂魏萎 魏伪喂 魏位委渭伪魏伪. 螒蠀蟿蠈 蠈渭蠅蟼 蟺慰蠀 位苇蠅 伪未喂魏蔚委 蟿蠈蟽慰 蟺慰位蠉 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 纬喂伪蟿喂 蔚委谓伪喂 蟺蟻伪纬渭伪蟿喂魏维 伪蟺慰位伪蠀蟽蟿喂魏蠈. 螖喂维尾伪味伪 位委纬蔚蟼 位委纬蔚蟼 蟽蔚位委未蔚蟼 蟺畏纬伪委谓慰谓蟿伪蟼 蟽蠀谓蔚蠂蠋蟼 渭蟺蟻慰蟼-蟺委蟽蠅 纬喂伪 谓伪 尉伪谓伪未喂伪尾维蟽蠅 伪蟺慰蟽蟺维蟽渭伪蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 萎胃蔚位伪 谓伪 渭蔚委谓慰蠀谓 蠂伪蟻伪纬渭苇谓伪 蟽蟿畏谓 渭谓萎渭畏 渭慰蠀.
螣 Perec 蔚蟺喂蟿蠀纬蠂维谓蔚喂 渭委伪 渭慰谓伪未喂魏萎 蔚谓伪位位伪纬萎 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟽蟿畏谓 魏伪蟿伪纬蟻伪蠁萎 伪蟺位蠋谓, 魏伪胃畏渭蔚蟻喂谓蠋谓 蟺蟻伪纬渭维蟿蠅谓 蟺慰蠀 蟿喂蟼 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻蔚蟼 蠁慰蟻苇蟼 蟺蔚蟻谓维谓蔚 伪蟺伪蟻伪蟿萎蟻畏蟿伪 魏伪喂 蟽蟿畏谓 蟺慰喂畏蟿喂魏萎 渭伪蟿喂维 蟺慰蠀 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 未蠋蟽蔚喂 渭蔚 渭委伪-未蠉慰 渭蠈谓慰 位苇尉蔚喂蟼.
螒谓 魏蟻伪蟿慰蠉蟽伪 苇谓伪 蟺蟻维纬渭伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 蟺苇蟻伪 蟿畏蟼 渭慰谓伪未喂魏萎蟼 蔚蠀蠁蠀委伪蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪 蔚委谓伪喂 伪蠀蟿萎 蟿慰蠀 畏 蔚蟻蠋蟿畏蟽畏:
鈥溛Ｎ肺嘉滴壪兾� 慰, 蟿喂 伪尉喂慰蟽畏渭蔚委蠅蟿慰 蟽蠀渭尾伪委谓蔚喂. 螢苇蟻蔚喂蟼 谓伪 未喂伪魏蟻委谓蔚喂蟼 蟿伪 伪尉喂慰蟽畏渭蔚委蠅蟿伪;鈥�
螚 伪蟺维谓蟿畏蟽畏 蔚委谓伪喂 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻慰 蟺慰位蠉蟺位慰魏畏 伪蟺鈥� 蠈蟿喂 谓蠈渭喂味伪 魏伪喂 蟺慰位蠉 蟺喂慰 蟺蟻慰蟽蠅蟺喂魏萎 伪蟺鈥� 蠈蟿喂 胃伪 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽伪 谓伪 渭慰喂蟻伪蟽蟿蠋 渭伪味委 蟽伪蟼.
螖蔚谓 苇蠂蔚喂 蟽畏渭伪蟽委伪, 蠈渭蠅蟼.
危畏渭伪蟽委伪 苇蠂蔚喂 蠈蟿喂 苇纬喂谓蔚 畏 蔚蟻蠋蟿畏蟽畏.
螖蔚谓 渭蟺慰蟻蠋 谓伪 蟽伪蟼 蟺蠅 蟺慰位位维 纬喂伪 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 纬喂伪蟿委 蔚委谓伪喂 伪蟺慰 蟿喂蟼 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺蟿蠋蟽蔚喂蟼 蟺慰蠀 蟺蟻苇蟺蔚喂 谓伪 蟿慰 未喂伪尾维蟽蔚喂蟼 纬喂伪 谓伪 魏伪蟿伪位维尾蔚喂蟼 纬喂伪 蟿慰 蟿委 伪魏蟻喂尾蠋蟼 蟺蟻蠈魏蔚喂蟿伪喂. 螠蔚 蟺慰位蠉 伪蟺位维 位蠈纬喂伪, 慰 Perec 渭伪蟼 渭喂位维蔚喂 纬喂伪 蟿蠅谓 蠂蠋蟻慰 伪蟺蠈 魏维胃蔚 蟺喂胃伪谓萎 慰蟺蟿喂魏萎 魏伪喂 魏位委渭伪魏伪. 螒蠀蟿蠈 蠈渭蠅蟼 蟺慰蠀 位苇蠅 伪未喂魏蔚委 蟿蠈蟽慰 蟺慰位蠉 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 纬喂伪蟿喂 蔚委谓伪喂 蟺蟻伪纬渭伪蟿喂魏维 伪蟺慰位伪蠀蟽蟿喂魏蠈. 螖喂维尾伪味伪 位委纬蔚蟼 位委纬蔚蟼 蟽蔚位委未蔚蟼 蟺畏纬伪委谓慰谓蟿伪蟼 蟽蠀谓蔚蠂蠋蟼 渭蟺蟻慰蟼-蟺委蟽蠅 纬喂伪 谓伪 尉伪谓伪未喂伪尾维蟽蠅 伪蟺慰蟽蟺维蟽渭伪蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 萎胃蔚位伪 谓伪 渭蔚委谓慰蠀谓 蠂伪蟻伪纬渭苇谓伪 蟽蟿畏谓 渭谓萎渭畏 渭慰蠀.
螣 Perec 蔚蟺喂蟿蠀纬蠂维谓蔚喂 渭委伪 渭慰谓伪未喂魏萎 蔚谓伪位位伪纬萎 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟽蟿畏谓 魏伪蟿伪纬蟻伪蠁萎 伪蟺位蠋谓, 魏伪胃畏渭蔚蟻喂谓蠋谓 蟺蟻伪纬渭维蟿蠅谓 蟺慰蠀 蟿喂蟼 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻蔚蟼 蠁慰蟻苇蟼 蟺蔚蟻谓维谓蔚 伪蟺伪蟻伪蟿萎蟻畏蟿伪 魏伪喂 蟽蟿畏谓 蟺慰喂畏蟿喂魏萎 渭伪蟿喂维 蟺慰蠀 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 未蠋蟽蔚喂 渭蔚 渭委伪-未蠉慰 渭蠈谓慰 位苇尉蔚喂蟼.
螒谓 魏蟻伪蟿慰蠉蟽伪 苇谓伪 蟺蟻维纬渭伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 蟺苇蟻伪 蟿畏蟼 渭慰谓伪未喂魏萎蟼 蔚蠀蠁蠀委伪蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪 蔚委谓伪喂 伪蠀蟿萎 蟿慰蠀 畏 蔚蟻蠋蟿畏蟽畏:
鈥溛Ｎ肺嘉滴壪兾� 慰, 蟿喂 伪尉喂慰蟽畏渭蔚委蠅蟿慰 蟽蠀渭尾伪委谓蔚喂. 螢苇蟻蔚喂蟼 谓伪 未喂伪魏蟻委谓蔚喂蟼 蟿伪 伪尉喂慰蟽畏渭蔚委蠅蟿伪;鈥�
螚 伪蟺维谓蟿畏蟽畏 蔚委谓伪喂 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻慰 蟺慰位蠉蟺位慰魏畏 伪蟺鈥� 蠈蟿喂 谓蠈渭喂味伪 魏伪喂 蟺慰位蠉 蟺喂慰 蟺蟻慰蟽蠅蟺喂魏萎 伪蟺鈥� 蠈蟿喂 胃伪 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽伪 谓伪 渭慰喂蟻伪蟽蟿蠋 渭伪味委 蟽伪蟼.
螖蔚谓 苇蠂蔚喂 蟽畏渭伪蟽委伪, 蠈渭蠅蟼.
危畏渭伪蟽委伪 苇蠂蔚喂 蠈蟿喂 苇纬喂谓蔚 畏 蔚蟻蠋蟿畏蟽畏.
October 22, 2018
First time reading Perec. It felt strange, real, dreamy and at times, too honest. I liked it. And i believe, the more time passes, the more i am into the book. Great stuff.
October 26, 2016
I think, in order to properly review Species of Spaces you have to be as genius as Perec was and I'm not. I don't think there's any point in talking about this little book. Just read it and let it make its way inside you the way it's meant to. It must also be quite an experience to read it under the influence of hallucinogenics, although, it can act like one by itself. Great stuff!
July 11, 2018
螤蟻蠋蟿畏 蠁慰蟻维 未喂伪尾维味蠅 螤蔚蟻苇魏 魏伪喂 慰喂 蔚谓蟿蠀蟺蠋蟽蔚喂蟼 蟺慰蠀 渭慰蠀 维蠁畏蟽蔚 蔚委谓伪喂 蟺慰位蠉 魏伪位苇蟼. 螖蔚谓 尉苇蟻蠅 蟺蠈蟽慰喂 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁蔚委蟼 苇蠂慰蠀谓 蟿畏谓 喂魏伪谓蠈蟿畏蟿伪 谓伪 蟽蠀位位慰纬委味慰谓蟿伪喂, 谓伪 蠁伪谓蟿维味慰谓蟿伪喂 魏伪喂 谓伪 未畏渭喂慰蠀蟻纬慰蠉谓 苇蟻纬慰, 伪蟺蠈 伪蟺位维, 尾伪蟻蔚蟿维 魏伪喂 委蟽蠅蟼 蠁伪喂谓慰渭蔚谓喂魏维 伪谓慰蠉蟽喂伪 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿伪 蟿蠅谓 蠈蟽蠅谓 渭伪蟼 蟺蔚蟻喂尾维位位慰蠀谓 -蟽蟿畏谓 蟺蟻伪纬渭伪蟿喂魏蠈蟿畏蟿伪 蟿慰 蟽魏畏谓喂魏蠈 蟺慰蠀 蟽蟿萎谓蔚蟿伪喂 蠈位畏 渭伪蟼 畏 味蠅萎: 慰喂 未蟻蠈渭慰喂, 蟿伪 蟽蟺委蟿喂伪, 慰喂 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰喂 蟺慰蠀 蟽蠀谓伪谓蟿维渭蔚 魏伪胃畏渭蔚蟻喂谓维...
March 30, 2013
Species of Spaces 5/5:
Something about Perec鈥檚 originality just really gets me. His attention to detail, his ability to notice the everyday, but more so his taking the time to pay attention, to notice the everyday is some combination of the words 鈥渂reathtaking鈥� and 鈥渢ouching鈥� that I can鈥檛 pin down. It鈥檚 like he embodies those hackneyed saying 鈥測ou鈥檝e got to stop to smell the roses鈥� or 鈥淟ife move鈥檚 pretty fast. If you don鈥檛 stop and look around, you might miss it鈥� (thanks Ferris). Of course, Perec does it without the 鈥渉ackney.鈥� He explains how to see something intimately familiar for the first time: 鈥淢ake an effort to exhaust the subject, even if that seems grotesque, or pointless, or stupid. You still haven鈥檛 looked at anything, you鈥檝e merely picked out what you鈥檝e long ago picked out鈥� (50).
I鈥檓 not sure that makes much sense, so I鈥檒l say that one other thing that I love about Perec is that he really does challenge me to think differently. It actually took me a while to wrap my head around the concept of 鈥渟pace.鈥� Space is the nothingness, the void all around us, right? How could one write a book about that? After all, it鈥檚 impossible to think about or write about nothing, since, in doing so one would inherently be thinking about or writing about something. (Perec considers this type of space when he 鈥渢ried to think of an apartment in which there would be a useless room, absolutely and intentionally useless鈥but] language itself, seemingly, proved unsuited to describing this nothing, this void, as if we could only speak of what is full, useful, functional鈥� [33].) So what 鈥渟pace鈥� then? Well, first, it鈥檚 not 鈥渟pace鈥� but 鈥渟paces.鈥� That makes all the difference. Perec writes of the various spaces in which we live. It still took my mind sometime to come to terms with this use of 鈥渟paces鈥�: why not 鈥減laces,鈥� 鈥渓ocations,鈥� even 鈥渂orders鈥� since it really is the borders that define a space. However, 鈥渟paces鈥� is the perfect term, for not all are places or locations, and the very ethereal and mutable nature of boarders makes that term inappropriate. So 鈥渟paces鈥� it is. But how can they be divided into 鈥渟pecies鈥�?
1) The Book
Filled with nothing but idiosyncratic arrangements in horizontal lines of twenty-six phonetic symbols, ten numbers, and maybe eight punctuation marks, all in black. However, 鈥渇illed鈥� is inaccurate鈥攖here鈥檚 a lot of white 鈥渟pace鈥� on each page. In the margins. Both left and right. Top and bottom. Small white gaps in-between words. Larger ones in-between paragraphs.
"鈥� Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.7 x 7.8 inches
鈥� Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces"
Yet in the limited space of a book, one could count himself the king of infinite space. I read. I travel to Paris. I travel to cafes and apartments and streets and metros and countrysides.
I travel back in time.
I travel, with limitless potential, through my own mind. This travel affects the book. Suddenly the white of the margins is overrun by 鈥渉aha鈥漵 or 鈥渋nteresting thought鈥漵 or 鈥滐亰鈥漵 or 鈥� 鈥渟.
The book will find its place on a shelf, alphabetized (of course). But it may lie horizontally atop the other Perecs due to lack of space on the shelf.
2) The Couch
Where I finished reading the book. Although most of it was read in the bed, Perec does a chapter on the bed. Also, the couch has 鈥渆xtra鈥� pillows on it, just as the bed does. So, the couch. The first thing that this space now makes me painfully aware of is my woefully limited vocabulary when it comes to colors. Green-ish is the best I can do. Three cushions. One white thread sticking out (note: will have to turn that one over, unless there is already a stain hiding on its reverse). Cloth type? Again woefully uninstructed. Soft-ish. Relatively clean, until one looks beneath or between the cushions. Then dog hair and various debris (pebbles?!) are plainly viewed. And one of those little Cadbury mini-eggs. I was eating those earlier鈥攖hey are freakin鈥� delicious.
Speaking of eating, the couch is a space of much potential: eating, sleeping, sitting, resting, reclining (feet up on the couch or sliding off onto the floor鈥攐r even a footstool!), watching television, playing Playstation 3, thinking, drifting, snacking, screwing, talking, jumping (oh, when we were young), hiding money or other booty (not in this couch, but in 25th Hour Ed Norton鈥檚 character hid his drugs and/or money in the couch and when the FBI guy came to arrest him, he sat on the couch and commented how the cushions felt because he already knew the money and/or drugs were in the cushions because someone had tipped him off), and reading.
This couch has been in two houses. It was once in my parents鈥� living room or possibly dining room. It was not there to be sat upon; rather, it was there to wait for the impending move into my house. We bought this couch at Bob鈥檚 Discount Furniture, from 鈥淭he Pit鈥� of course. I say 鈥渙f course鈥� because I am extremely frugal and love a good deal鈥攁nd I鈥檒l be damned if I care if the couch has a scratch on the back if it鈥檒l save me $250 dollars. Because of this, though, this couch necessitated many trips to 鈥淭he Pit.鈥� Because of the hit-or-miss inventory of said 鈥淧it,鈥� it is nearly impossible to find a full living room set in one trip. Thus, the matching chaise lounge was acquired later. Now the couch and chaise serve as the primary spaces on which one can sit (or lie etc.) in my living room.
Scout is allowed on the couch. That explains the dog hair beneath and in-between the cushions. I am in charge of vacuuming, which also explains the dog hair beneath and in-between the cushions of the couch.
I spend a lot of time on the couch. Probably more than in any other space except the bed. (Sad, what a sedentary life!) I am even on the couch this very moment at 5:39 PM on Saturday March 23, 2013. This makes me realize that I forgot one (and probably many more) more thing one can do on the couch: use a Dell netbook.
3) The Living Room
Here鈥檚 where it鈥檚 still occasionally hard for me to think of 鈥渟paces鈥� without liming myself to 鈥渂oundaries鈥� or 鈥渂orders.鈥� For example, a good portion of the living room is penned off. Quite literally. There is a large, plastic, interconnected set of grey gates, which we affectionately refer to as 鈥淭he Cage.鈥� This is where we store our one year old son. (Even I just became aware of my then unconscious shift from first person singular to first person plural, as if I am trying to adulterate my own culpability.) 鈥淭he Cage鈥� is filled with鈥ell too many toys, knickknacks, games, books, stuffed animals, whatsits, and other baubles, thingamajigs, and miscellany.
It鈥檚 funny to think of the name 鈥渓iving room,鈥� as if that is the only room in which one actually lives, or perhaps the room in which one is most alive. Because televisions are common staples of living rooms, I would argue that it is quite the opposite: the living room may be the room where one is least alive鈥攂ecoming a mindless 鈥渂oob鈥� watching his tube. That said, there is a 47鈥� flat panel Samsung HD television residing atop the mantle of my living, as if it is the centerpiece, perhaps of the entire room. Relegated to the periphery are the bookshelves. One tall and wide (A-M), one short and wide (M-R), and one tall and thin (R-Z). These are each placed in one of the five corners of the room. Yes, I actually just counted five. The walls are yellow (a color I know!), in fact, I might even say light-yellow. This, I feel, brightens the room, enlivening it so that it lives up to its name. Artificial light beams in through one window that is actually in the living room and from two that are outside of this space. There are no doors, but there are, I suppose, what should be called 鈥渄oorways.鈥� I like an open floor plan, especially in a small house. There are three lamps from a set鈥攈ousewarming gifts from, I believe, my sister. There is one lamp with a mosaic of tiles depicting Testudo, The University of Maryland鈥檚 noble mascot. (Testudo鈥攁 stuffed version鈥攁lso stands gracefully atop the tall and wide bookshelf (A-M) along with other novelties: a Rubix cube with an all white face facing roomwise since that is the only side complete, a green visor that says 鈥淟as Vegas鈥� on it in white lettering, a small globe, a stuffed Quinnipiac University mascot [Bobcat], a certificate affirming that Erin and I 鈥渞ose above鈥� by venturing in a hot air balloon above San Diego. In addition to books, there are also other items on the shelves, most of which are there so that, when freed of his cage, the one year old does not mangle them: glasses, a pocketwatch, numerous pens and bookmarks, flashcards鈥攔emnants from 2008鈥檚 GRE cramming, a camera, a utilities bill, dust.)
Other items in the living room: stray coupons, pictures (of our wedding, our son, our niece, us at a wedding, us in a hot air balloon, a caricature of us at the San Diego Zoo, 鈥減aintings鈥� purchased at Kohl鈥檚 of Venetian canals), baby powder, diapers, a fake fireplace, candles, a coffee table with coasters and lamps and pictures on top and a whole heap of 鈥渕iscellaneous鈥� books beneath, un-put-away clothes, my work briefcase/bag, a cell phone charger, a pillow on the floor (Scout鈥檚), an i-pod touch, a basket of dog toys, and, at this very moment, a dog right up in my grill as I, also in the living room, sit on the couch typing.
In retrospect, I see that the description of this space was largely an inventory of items populating the space; however, how easily one can glean all sorts of things about life (my life) from that inventory. A living room, indeed. Sort of a collection of living, now in this room.
4) The House
5) The Neighborhood
6) The Town
7) The State
8) The Region
9) The Country
10) The World
AND THAT IS HOW THIS BOOK GOT ME >THINKING! If my wife, son, and dog didn鈥檛 suddenly invade my space on the couch in the living room with my book, I might like to continue this activity. But, time is the enemy of space, and it has won this round.
and Other Pieces 5/5:
I initially planned to review each piece separately, but there are like 25 of them. Some better than others, but all worth reading for Perec fans.
A Favorite Quotation
-"Literature is indissolubly bound up with life, it is the necessary prolongation, the obvious culmination, the indispensable complement of experience. All experience opens on to literature and all literature on to experience, and the path that leads from one to the other, whether it be literary creation or reading, establishes this relationship between the fragmentary and the whole, this passage from the anecdotal to the historical, this interplay between the general and the particular, between what is felt and what is understood, which form the very tissue of our consciousness." (254)
Something about Perec鈥檚 originality just really gets me. His attention to detail, his ability to notice the everyday, but more so his taking the time to pay attention, to notice the everyday is some combination of the words 鈥渂reathtaking鈥� and 鈥渢ouching鈥� that I can鈥檛 pin down. It鈥檚 like he embodies those hackneyed saying 鈥測ou鈥檝e got to stop to smell the roses鈥� or 鈥淟ife move鈥檚 pretty fast. If you don鈥檛 stop and look around, you might miss it鈥� (thanks Ferris). Of course, Perec does it without the 鈥渉ackney.鈥� He explains how to see something intimately familiar for the first time: 鈥淢ake an effort to exhaust the subject, even if that seems grotesque, or pointless, or stupid. You still haven鈥檛 looked at anything, you鈥檝e merely picked out what you鈥檝e long ago picked out鈥� (50).
I鈥檓 not sure that makes much sense, so I鈥檒l say that one other thing that I love about Perec is that he really does challenge me to think differently. It actually took me a while to wrap my head around the concept of 鈥渟pace.鈥� Space is the nothingness, the void all around us, right? How could one write a book about that? After all, it鈥檚 impossible to think about or write about nothing, since, in doing so one would inherently be thinking about or writing about something. (Perec considers this type of space when he 鈥渢ried to think of an apartment in which there would be a useless room, absolutely and intentionally useless鈥but] language itself, seemingly, proved unsuited to describing this nothing, this void, as if we could only speak of what is full, useful, functional鈥� [33].) So what 鈥渟pace鈥� then? Well, first, it鈥檚 not 鈥渟pace鈥� but 鈥渟paces.鈥� That makes all the difference. Perec writes of the various spaces in which we live. It still took my mind sometime to come to terms with this use of 鈥渟paces鈥�: why not 鈥減laces,鈥� 鈥渓ocations,鈥� even 鈥渂orders鈥� since it really is the borders that define a space. However, 鈥渟paces鈥� is the perfect term, for not all are places or locations, and the very ethereal and mutable nature of boarders makes that term inappropriate. So 鈥渟paces鈥� it is. But how can they be divided into 鈥渟pecies鈥�?
1) The Book
Filled with nothing but idiosyncratic arrangements in horizontal lines of twenty-six phonetic symbols, ten numbers, and maybe eight punctuation marks, all in black. However, 鈥渇illed鈥� is inaccurate鈥攖here鈥檚 a lot of white 鈥渟pace鈥� on each page. In the margins. Both left and right. Top and bottom. Small white gaps in-between words. Larger ones in-between paragraphs.
"鈥� Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.7 x 7.8 inches
鈥� Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces"
Yet in the limited space of a book, one could count himself the king of infinite space. I read. I travel to Paris. I travel to cafes and apartments and streets and metros and countrysides.
I travel back in time.
I travel, with limitless potential, through my own mind. This travel affects the book. Suddenly the white of the margins is overrun by 鈥渉aha鈥漵 or 鈥渋nteresting thought鈥漵 or 鈥滐亰鈥漵 or 鈥� 鈥渟.
The book will find its place on a shelf, alphabetized (of course). But it may lie horizontally atop the other Perecs due to lack of space on the shelf.
2) The Couch
Where I finished reading the book. Although most of it was read in the bed, Perec does a chapter on the bed. Also, the couch has 鈥渆xtra鈥� pillows on it, just as the bed does. So, the couch. The first thing that this space now makes me painfully aware of is my woefully limited vocabulary when it comes to colors. Green-ish is the best I can do. Three cushions. One white thread sticking out (note: will have to turn that one over, unless there is already a stain hiding on its reverse). Cloth type? Again woefully uninstructed. Soft-ish. Relatively clean, until one looks beneath or between the cushions. Then dog hair and various debris (pebbles?!) are plainly viewed. And one of those little Cadbury mini-eggs. I was eating those earlier鈥攖hey are freakin鈥� delicious.
Speaking of eating, the couch is a space of much potential: eating, sleeping, sitting, resting, reclining (feet up on the couch or sliding off onto the floor鈥攐r even a footstool!), watching television, playing Playstation 3, thinking, drifting, snacking, screwing, talking, jumping (oh, when we were young), hiding money or other booty (not in this couch, but in 25th Hour Ed Norton鈥檚 character hid his drugs and/or money in the couch and when the FBI guy came to arrest him, he sat on the couch and commented how the cushions felt because he already knew the money and/or drugs were in the cushions because someone had tipped him off), and reading.
This couch has been in two houses. It was once in my parents鈥� living room or possibly dining room. It was not there to be sat upon; rather, it was there to wait for the impending move into my house. We bought this couch at Bob鈥檚 Discount Furniture, from 鈥淭he Pit鈥� of course. I say 鈥渙f course鈥� because I am extremely frugal and love a good deal鈥攁nd I鈥檒l be damned if I care if the couch has a scratch on the back if it鈥檒l save me $250 dollars. Because of this, though, this couch necessitated many trips to 鈥淭he Pit.鈥� Because of the hit-or-miss inventory of said 鈥淧it,鈥� it is nearly impossible to find a full living room set in one trip. Thus, the matching chaise lounge was acquired later. Now the couch and chaise serve as the primary spaces on which one can sit (or lie etc.) in my living room.
Scout is allowed on the couch. That explains the dog hair beneath and in-between the cushions. I am in charge of vacuuming, which also explains the dog hair beneath and in-between the cushions of the couch.
I spend a lot of time on the couch. Probably more than in any other space except the bed. (Sad, what a sedentary life!) I am even on the couch this very moment at 5:39 PM on Saturday March 23, 2013. This makes me realize that I forgot one (and probably many more) more thing one can do on the couch: use a Dell netbook.
3) The Living Room
Here鈥檚 where it鈥檚 still occasionally hard for me to think of 鈥渟paces鈥� without liming myself to 鈥渂oundaries鈥� or 鈥渂orders.鈥� For example, a good portion of the living room is penned off. Quite literally. There is a large, plastic, interconnected set of grey gates, which we affectionately refer to as 鈥淭he Cage.鈥� This is where we store our one year old son. (Even I just became aware of my then unconscious shift from first person singular to first person plural, as if I am trying to adulterate my own culpability.) 鈥淭he Cage鈥� is filled with鈥ell too many toys, knickknacks, games, books, stuffed animals, whatsits, and other baubles, thingamajigs, and miscellany.
It鈥檚 funny to think of the name 鈥渓iving room,鈥� as if that is the only room in which one actually lives, or perhaps the room in which one is most alive. Because televisions are common staples of living rooms, I would argue that it is quite the opposite: the living room may be the room where one is least alive鈥攂ecoming a mindless 鈥渂oob鈥� watching his tube. That said, there is a 47鈥� flat panel Samsung HD television residing atop the mantle of my living, as if it is the centerpiece, perhaps of the entire room. Relegated to the periphery are the bookshelves. One tall and wide (A-M), one short and wide (M-R), and one tall and thin (R-Z). These are each placed in one of the five corners of the room. Yes, I actually just counted five. The walls are yellow (a color I know!), in fact, I might even say light-yellow. This, I feel, brightens the room, enlivening it so that it lives up to its name. Artificial light beams in through one window that is actually in the living room and from two that are outside of this space. There are no doors, but there are, I suppose, what should be called 鈥渄oorways.鈥� I like an open floor plan, especially in a small house. There are three lamps from a set鈥攈ousewarming gifts from, I believe, my sister. There is one lamp with a mosaic of tiles depicting Testudo, The University of Maryland鈥檚 noble mascot. (Testudo鈥攁 stuffed version鈥攁lso stands gracefully atop the tall and wide bookshelf (A-M) along with other novelties: a Rubix cube with an all white face facing roomwise since that is the only side complete, a green visor that says 鈥淟as Vegas鈥� on it in white lettering, a small globe, a stuffed Quinnipiac University mascot [Bobcat], a certificate affirming that Erin and I 鈥渞ose above鈥� by venturing in a hot air balloon above San Diego. In addition to books, there are also other items on the shelves, most of which are there so that, when freed of his cage, the one year old does not mangle them: glasses, a pocketwatch, numerous pens and bookmarks, flashcards鈥攔emnants from 2008鈥檚 GRE cramming, a camera, a utilities bill, dust.)
Other items in the living room: stray coupons, pictures (of our wedding, our son, our niece, us at a wedding, us in a hot air balloon, a caricature of us at the San Diego Zoo, 鈥減aintings鈥� purchased at Kohl鈥檚 of Venetian canals), baby powder, diapers, a fake fireplace, candles, a coffee table with coasters and lamps and pictures on top and a whole heap of 鈥渕iscellaneous鈥� books beneath, un-put-away clothes, my work briefcase/bag, a cell phone charger, a pillow on the floor (Scout鈥檚), an i-pod touch, a basket of dog toys, and, at this very moment, a dog right up in my grill as I, also in the living room, sit on the couch typing.
In retrospect, I see that the description of this space was largely an inventory of items populating the space; however, how easily one can glean all sorts of things about life (my life) from that inventory. A living room, indeed. Sort of a collection of living, now in this room.
4) The House
5) The Neighborhood
6) The Town
7) The State
8) The Region
9) The Country
10) The World
AND THAT IS HOW THIS BOOK GOT ME >THINKING! If my wife, son, and dog didn鈥檛 suddenly invade my space on the couch in the living room with my book, I might like to continue this activity. But, time is the enemy of space, and it has won this round.
and Other Pieces 5/5:
I initially planned to review each piece separately, but there are like 25 of them. Some better than others, but all worth reading for Perec fans.
A Favorite Quotation
-"Literature is indissolubly bound up with life, it is the necessary prolongation, the obvious culmination, the indispensable complement of experience. All experience opens on to literature and all literature on to experience, and the path that leads from one to the other, whether it be literary creation or reading, establishes this relationship between the fragmentary and the whole, this passage from the anecdotal to the historical, this interplay between the general and the particular, between what is felt and what is understood, which form the very tissue of our consciousness." (254)
May 3, 2020
陌莽inde bulundu臒umuz ortamda var olan ancak dikkatimizi vermedi臒imiz ya da 眉st眉nde durup d眉艧眉nmedi臒imiz e艧yalar, hareketler veya ortam谋n/mekan谋n bizzat kendisi hakk谋nda yaz谋yor Perec. Keskin zekas谋n谋, zengin kelime haznesi ve g枚zlem yetene臒iyle birle艧tiriyor. Bazen a莽maza s眉r眉kl眉yor insan谋, 枚rne臒in; kullan谋lamaz olan ve kullan谋lmayan mekan谋n de臒il, yarars谋z olan mekan谋n pe艧inde ko艧uyor, tatmin edici bir neticeye asla varam谋yor, yarars谋z olan mekan yok 莽眉nk眉.
Bakma ve g枚rme 眉zerine al谋艧t谋rmalar谋 sunuyor, bo艧 bir sayfadan ba艧lay谋p 莽emberi b眉y眉terek yatak, oda, ev, sokak, 艧ehir, 眉lke derken uzaya kadar uzan谋yor. Sadece sayfiye tarifi bildi臒im tarife uymuyor, banliy枚y眉 sayfiye olarak tan谋ml谋yor Perec, ben ise sayfiye denilince deniz k谋y谋s谋na en az谋ndan geni艧 bir suya yak谋n yerleri anl谋yorum.
Edebiyat ile ili艧kisini okurluktan yazarl谋臒a y枚nlendirmek isteyenler i莽in 莽ok yararl谋 okuma sa臒layacak bir Perec klasi臒i.
Kitab谋n ilk b枚l眉m眉 150 sayfa, geriye kalan 100 sayfa ise 鈥渟on s枚z鈥� olarak edit枚r Cem 陌leri鈥檔in kaleme ald谋臒谋 Perec uslubu ve tarz谋 ile yaz谋lm谋艧 ilgin莽 bir 莽al谋艧mas谋 var, ad谋 鈥淵arars谋z Bir Mekana Dair鈥�. Bu yaz谋s谋nda Cem 陌leri, 鈥淢ekan, Fe艧mekan鈥澞眓 Perec鈥檌n yaz谋 hayat谋n谋 ikiye b枚lerek tam ortas谋nda yer ald谋臒谋n谋, hem 枚nceki yap谋tlar谋n谋n bir a莽谋l谋m谋n谋 yapt谋臒谋n谋 hem de sonradan yazaca臒谋 bir莽ok 枚nemli eserinin ipu莽lar谋n谋 verdi臒ini, onlar谋n habercisi oldu臒unu 枚rneklerle anlat谋yor. En az Perec鈥檌n yazd谋klar谋 kadar ilgi 莽ekici buldum. 脟ok emek vererek yaz谋lm谋艧 bir yaz谋, 枚ns枚z olarak okunsa daha m谋 iyi olurdu acaba ?
G. Perec鈥檌 daha iyi tan谋mak isteyenlere 枚neririm.
Bakma ve g枚rme 眉zerine al谋艧t谋rmalar谋 sunuyor, bo艧 bir sayfadan ba艧lay谋p 莽emberi b眉y眉terek yatak, oda, ev, sokak, 艧ehir, 眉lke derken uzaya kadar uzan谋yor. Sadece sayfiye tarifi bildi臒im tarife uymuyor, banliy枚y眉 sayfiye olarak tan谋ml谋yor Perec, ben ise sayfiye denilince deniz k谋y谋s谋na en az谋ndan geni艧 bir suya yak谋n yerleri anl谋yorum.
Edebiyat ile ili艧kisini okurluktan yazarl谋臒a y枚nlendirmek isteyenler i莽in 莽ok yararl谋 okuma sa臒layacak bir Perec klasi臒i.
Kitab谋n ilk b枚l眉m眉 150 sayfa, geriye kalan 100 sayfa ise 鈥渟on s枚z鈥� olarak edit枚r Cem 陌leri鈥檔in kaleme ald谋臒谋 Perec uslubu ve tarz谋 ile yaz谋lm谋艧 ilgin莽 bir 莽al谋艧mas谋 var, ad谋 鈥淵arars谋z Bir Mekana Dair鈥�. Bu yaz谋s谋nda Cem 陌leri, 鈥淢ekan, Fe艧mekan鈥澞眓 Perec鈥檌n yaz谋 hayat谋n谋 ikiye b枚lerek tam ortas谋nda yer ald谋臒谋n谋, hem 枚nceki yap谋tlar谋n谋n bir a莽谋l谋m谋n谋 yapt谋臒谋n谋 hem de sonradan yazaca臒谋 bir莽ok 枚nemli eserinin ipu莽lar谋n谋 verdi臒ini, onlar谋n habercisi oldu臒unu 枚rneklerle anlat谋yor. En az Perec鈥檌n yazd谋klar谋 kadar ilgi 莽ekici buldum. 脟ok emek vererek yaz谋lm谋艧 bir yaz谋, 枚ns枚z olarak okunsa daha m谋 iyi olurdu acaba ?
G. Perec鈥檌 daha iyi tan谋mak isteyenlere 枚neririm.
September 12, 2019
螣 蠂蠋蟻慰蟼, 畏 蠂蠋蟻伪, 畏 蔚尉慰蠂萎, 畏 蟺蠈位畏, 慰 未蟻蠈渭慰蟼, 蟿慰 蟽蟺委蟿喂, 蟿慰 未蠅渭维蟿喂慰, 蟿慰 魏蟻蔚尾维蟿喂 魏伪喂 蟺维位喂 慰 蠂蠋蟻慰蟼.
螣 蠂蠋蟻慰蟼, 伪谓 魏伪喂 蟺喂慰 蟽蠀纬魏蔚魏蟻喂渭苇谓慰蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 蠂蟻蠈谓慰, 位喂蠋谓蔚喂 蟽伪谓 维渭渭慰蟼 蟺慰蠀 魏蠀位维 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟽蟿伪 未维蠂蟿蠀位伪, 魏 慰 螤蔚蟻蔚魏 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺伪胃蔚委 谓伪 蟿慰谓 蟿伪纬魏伪蟻蔚喂 渭蔚 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委蔚蟼 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏苇蟼, 渭蔚 蟺慰位位伪蟺位苇蟼 慰蟺蟿喂魏苇蟼, 渭蔚 蔚谓伪位位伪蟽蟽蠈渭蔚谓蔚蟼 蟺蟻慰慰蟺蟿喂魏苇蟼.
韦蔚位喂魏维 慰 魏伪胃苇谓伪蟼 渭伪蟼 慰蟻委味蔚喂 蟿慰 蠂蠋蟻慰 魏 蠈蠂喂 蟿慰 伪谓蟿委蟽蟿蟻慰蠁慰
螣 蠂蠋蟻慰蟼, 伪谓 魏伪喂 蟺喂慰 蟽蠀纬魏蔚魏蟻喂渭苇谓慰蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 蠂蟻蠈谓慰, 位喂蠋谓蔚喂 蟽伪谓 维渭渭慰蟼 蟺慰蠀 魏蠀位维 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟽蟿伪 未维蠂蟿蠀位伪, 魏 慰 螤蔚蟻蔚魏 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺伪胃蔚委 谓伪 蟿慰谓 蟿伪纬魏伪蟻蔚喂 渭蔚 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委蔚蟼 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏苇蟼, 渭蔚 蟺慰位位伪蟺位苇蟼 慰蟺蟿喂魏苇蟼, 渭蔚 蔚谓伪位位伪蟽蟽蠈渭蔚谓蔚蟼 蟺蟻慰慰蟺蟿喂魏苇蟼.
韦蔚位喂魏维 慰 魏伪胃苇谓伪蟼 渭伪蟼 慰蟻委味蔚喂 蟿慰 蠂蠋蟻慰 魏 蠈蠂喂 蟿慰 伪谓蟿委蟽蟿蟻慰蠁慰
January 14, 2024
Jeux de pistes
Une collection d'observations pouss茅es sur les espaces fr茅quent茅s par leur auteur : pages, chambres, appartements, lieux publics, pays 茅trangers... Ces points de vue sont la base de jeux formels qui invitent 脿 d茅laisser la fausse 茅vidence du lieu donn茅 comme tel, pour lui-m锚me. Enfin, on attaque la cr茅ation imaginaire et m茅morielle des espaces. L'espace d'une lecture, on oublie ces cat茅gories mentales qui fondent les espaces comme espaces !
J'ai franchement aim茅 la port茅e des r茅flexions ludiques de P茅rec, ce franc-tireur g茅nial qui a toujours un m茅canisme litt茅raire 脿 d茅monter et remonter, un catalogue loufoque 脿 茅tablir, un puzzle gigantesque 脿 concevoir. Si je tire d'Esp猫ces d'espaces une impression g茅n茅rale de fouillis qui m'a un peu refroidi la lecture termin茅e, je m'aper莽ois au bout du compte que j'aurais bien appr茅ci茅 davantage de mati猫re sur chaque sujet, mais enfin la forme est un brin infl茅chie par l'objet d'茅tude, qui cherche 脿 se d茅rober au regard comme une 茅vidence. Finalement, c'est souvent par le jeu et le regard neuf qu'il offre qu'on touche au fond des choses.
----------------------
Extraits :
'Noter ce que l'on voit. Ce qui se passe de notable. [...]
Se forcer 脿 茅puiser le sujet, m锚me si 莽a a l'air grotesque, ou futile, ou stupide. On n'a encore rien regard茅, on n'a fait que rep茅rer ce que l'on avait depuis longtemps rep茅r茅. [...]
Continuer
Jusqu'脿 ce que le lieu devienne improbable
jusqu'脿 ressentir, pendant un tr猫s bref instant, l'impression d'锚tre dans une ville 茅trang猫re, ou mieux encore, jusqu鈥櫭� ne plus comprendre ce qui se passe ou ce qui ne se passe pas, que le lieu tout entier devienne 茅tranger, que l鈥檕n ne sache m锚me plus que 莽a s鈥檃ppelle une ville, une rue, des immeubles, des trottoirs鈥�'
'脡tonnement et d茅ception des voyages. Illusion d'avoir vaincu la distance, d'avoir effac茅 le temps. 脢tre loin. Ou plut么t, d茅couvrir ce que l'on a jamais vu, ce qu'on attendait pas, ce qu'on imaginait pas. Ce n'est pas ce qui a 茅t茅 au fil du temps, recens茅 dans l'茅ventail des surprises ou des merveilles de ce monde ; ce n'est ni le grandiose, ni l鈥檌mpressionnant ; ce n'est pas forc茅ment l'茅tranger : ce serait plut么t, au contraire, le familier retrouv茅, l'espace fraternel...'
'Le monde, non plus comme un parcours sans cesse 脿 refaire, non pas comme une course sans fin, un d茅fi sans cesse 脿 relever, non pas comme le seul pr茅texte d'une accumulation d茅sesp茅rante, ni comme l'illusion d'une conqu锚te, mais comme la retrouvaille d'un sens, perception d'une 茅criture terrestre, d'une g茅ographie dont nous avons oubli茅 que nous sommes les auteurs.'
'J鈥檃imerais qu鈥檌l existe des lieux stables, immobiles, intangibles, intouch茅s et presque intouchables, immuables, enracin茅s鈥�; des lieux qui seraient des r茅f茅rences, des points de d茅part, des sources鈥塠...]
De tels lieux n'existent pas, et c'est parce qu'ils n'existent pas que l'espace devient question, cesse d'锚tre 茅vidence, cesse d'锚tre incorpor茅, cesse d'锚tre appropri茅. L'espace est un doute : il me faut sans cesse le marquer, le d茅signer [...].
脡crire : essayer m茅ticuleusement de retenir quelque chose : arracher quelques bribes pr茅cises au vide qui se creuse, laisser, quelque part, un sillon, une trace, une marque ou quelques signes.'
-----------------
Voir aussi :
--------
Une collection d'observations pouss茅es sur les espaces fr茅quent茅s par leur auteur : pages, chambres, appartements, lieux publics, pays 茅trangers... Ces points de vue sont la base de jeux formels qui invitent 脿 d茅laisser la fausse 茅vidence du lieu donn茅 comme tel, pour lui-m锚me. Enfin, on attaque la cr茅ation imaginaire et m茅morielle des espaces. L'espace d'une lecture, on oublie ces cat茅gories mentales qui fondent les espaces comme espaces !
J'ai franchement aim茅 la port茅e des r茅flexions ludiques de P茅rec, ce franc-tireur g茅nial qui a toujours un m茅canisme litt茅raire 脿 d茅monter et remonter, un catalogue loufoque 脿 茅tablir, un puzzle gigantesque 脿 concevoir. Si je tire d'Esp猫ces d'espaces une impression g茅n茅rale de fouillis qui m'a un peu refroidi la lecture termin茅e, je m'aper莽ois au bout du compte que j'aurais bien appr茅ci茅 davantage de mati猫re sur chaque sujet, mais enfin la forme est un brin infl茅chie par l'objet d'茅tude, qui cherche 脿 se d茅rober au regard comme une 茅vidence. Finalement, c'est souvent par le jeu et le regard neuf qu'il offre qu'on touche au fond des choses.
----------------------
Extraits :
'Noter ce que l'on voit. Ce qui se passe de notable. [...]
Se forcer 脿 茅puiser le sujet, m锚me si 莽a a l'air grotesque, ou futile, ou stupide. On n'a encore rien regard茅, on n'a fait que rep茅rer ce que l'on avait depuis longtemps rep茅r茅. [...]
Continuer
Jusqu'脿 ce que le lieu devienne improbable
jusqu'脿 ressentir, pendant un tr猫s bref instant, l'impression d'锚tre dans une ville 茅trang猫re, ou mieux encore, jusqu鈥櫭� ne plus comprendre ce qui se passe ou ce qui ne se passe pas, que le lieu tout entier devienne 茅tranger, que l鈥檕n ne sache m锚me plus que 莽a s鈥檃ppelle une ville, une rue, des immeubles, des trottoirs鈥�'
'脡tonnement et d茅ception des voyages. Illusion d'avoir vaincu la distance, d'avoir effac茅 le temps. 脢tre loin. Ou plut么t, d茅couvrir ce que l'on a jamais vu, ce qu'on attendait pas, ce qu'on imaginait pas. Ce n'est pas ce qui a 茅t茅 au fil du temps, recens茅 dans l'茅ventail des surprises ou des merveilles de ce monde ; ce n'est ni le grandiose, ni l鈥檌mpressionnant ; ce n'est pas forc茅ment l'茅tranger : ce serait plut么t, au contraire, le familier retrouv茅, l'espace fraternel...'
'Le monde, non plus comme un parcours sans cesse 脿 refaire, non pas comme une course sans fin, un d茅fi sans cesse 脿 relever, non pas comme le seul pr茅texte d'une accumulation d茅sesp茅rante, ni comme l'illusion d'une conqu锚te, mais comme la retrouvaille d'un sens, perception d'une 茅criture terrestre, d'une g茅ographie dont nous avons oubli茅 que nous sommes les auteurs.'
'J鈥檃imerais qu鈥檌l existe des lieux stables, immobiles, intangibles, intouch茅s et presque intouchables, immuables, enracin茅s鈥�; des lieux qui seraient des r茅f茅rences, des points de d茅part, des sources鈥塠...]
De tels lieux n'existent pas, et c'est parce qu'ils n'existent pas que l'espace devient question, cesse d'锚tre 茅vidence, cesse d'锚tre incorpor茅, cesse d'锚tre appropri茅. L'espace est un doute : il me faut sans cesse le marquer, le d茅signer [...].
脡crire : essayer m茅ticuleusement de retenir quelque chose : arracher quelques bribes pr茅cises au vide qui se creuse, laisser, quelque part, un sillon, une trace, une marque ou quelques signes.'
-----------------
Voir aussi :
--------
January 7, 2022
Observations, observations, observations鈥攈ow thronged with wit and value they are in this work! Perec, the Oulipian genius; Perec, the master of play and fiddling with linguistic and worldly observations and perceptions (Pereceptions?) to a terribly extensive degree until every inch of an observation that slips into his observant mind is observed from a brilliant Perecquian locality and every dart of electric profundity in his profoundant mind is profounded with a great deal of inventiveness. Even in his cleverness and mathematical and listing approach, his adages and outlooks and bearings of philosophy often have the poignancy and emotional engagement that still flourish as in some sort of Perecquian poetry. Loved it so much.
Update: I鈥檝e been thinking about this often since reading. Perhaps one of the most quietly influential works I鈥檝e read in recent times.
Update: I鈥檝e been thinking about this often since reading. Perhaps one of the most quietly influential works I鈥檝e read in recent times.
Read
February 22, 2011If you want a plot, or if you want a cohesive argument, then Perec isn't for you. If you want beautifully rendered belles-lettres about everything and nothing, then he should be right up your alley. In this slender volume of spatial meditations, lists, word games, and other odd ends, Perec as a person shines forth. In his novels, he seemed to exist more as a method, a way of writing. Even in the autobiographical, W or the Memory of Childhood, the childhood reminiscences didn't give us a terribly good idea of Perec-the-adult. But in Esp猫ces d'Espace, it really feels like he's chatting with the reader. OK, not chatting, but smoking a blunt and monologuing about all his clever takes on the world today. Normally, I don't like it when folks do that. But I like it when Georges Perec does.
August 22, 2020
I read a good deal of non-fiction by way of research, thus for leisure purposes, I tend to read fiction. Hence, I've read all of Perec's fiction, much of it more than once, but had only read one of his non-fiction pieces (I've read about Perec, though, in Bellos's comprehensive biography).
As I was reading this charming book, I thought to myself, Ah, I recognise the structure of this book - it's that exaggeration of your address that you sometimes wrote as a child! And sure enough, on page 84, Perec reveals the address he used to write on his diaries:
Georges Perec
18, Rue de l'Assomption
Staircase A
Third Floor
Right-hand door
Paris 16e
Seine
France
Europe
The World
The Universe
And so Perec proceeds, from the blank piece of paper he is writing on while sitting on his bed, to a consideration of apartments, to apartment buildings then streets and so on. And in doing so he indulges a particularly Perecquian concern - how we should be more mindful of and sensitised to our everyday surroundings, to the different spaces we inhabit. It allows the writer to meditate on all manner of things. Here he is on the idiocy of frontiers:
Frontiers are lines. Millions of men are dead because of these lines.
And on crossing frontiers:
It's the same air, the same earth, but the road is no longer quite the same, the writing on the road signs changes, the baker's shops no longer look altogether like the thing we were calling a baker's shop a short while earlier, the loaves are no longer the same shape, there are no longer the same cigarette packets lying around on the ground.
Doesn't that capture beautifully the essence of such transitions?
A fascinating aspect of this work is that the author addresses his works-in-progress. Writing in 1974, we find that the essential conceit behind Life a User's Manual was already in place, some four years before it was published and two years after he'd begun work on it (though long after he'd first started thinking about it). Perec also discusses the influences on this conceit. And he writes about his "time capsule" project, Lieux (Places), describing annually twelve places in Paris across a period of twelve years. This remained unfinished.
Lurking in the background, as so often in Perec, is the space left behind by an absence, that perpetual sense of loss. With characteristic melancholy, Perec returns at the end to his piece of paper:
To write, to try meticulously to retain something, to cause something to survive; to wrest a few precise scraps from the void as it grows, to leave somewhere a furrow, a trace, a mark or a few signs.
The Other Pieces are from a variety of posthumously-published sources. I shall ignore the extracts from Thoughts of Sorts as I intend to write about that separately. Among the highlights for me was Scene of a Flight in which the narrative of a boy running away from home (Perec himself, presumably) is scrambled into the order in which such an escapade might be recalled by the adult mind. The Rue Vilin, surely drawn from the abandoned Lieux/Places project, is a brilliant year-on-year depiction of the gradual dereliction of a Parisian street, which just happens to be the one in which the infant Perec lived and where his mother's hairdresser's shop was located. He talks to a woman in the street. 'She didn't stay very long,' the woman remarks, chillingly. Perec's mother was, of course, murdered by the Nazis. The Winter Journey is a splendid short story in typical Perecquian mode, concerning forgery and art (poetry in this case). Other pieces are clever but less engaging.
I'm giving this collection five stars overall for the title piece and the strongest of the other pieces.
As I was reading this charming book, I thought to myself, Ah, I recognise the structure of this book - it's that exaggeration of your address that you sometimes wrote as a child! And sure enough, on page 84, Perec reveals the address he used to write on his diaries:
Georges Perec
18, Rue de l'Assomption
Staircase A
Third Floor
Right-hand door
Paris 16e
Seine
France
Europe
The World
The Universe
And so Perec proceeds, from the blank piece of paper he is writing on while sitting on his bed, to a consideration of apartments, to apartment buildings then streets and so on. And in doing so he indulges a particularly Perecquian concern - how we should be more mindful of and sensitised to our everyday surroundings, to the different spaces we inhabit. It allows the writer to meditate on all manner of things. Here he is on the idiocy of frontiers:
Frontiers are lines. Millions of men are dead because of these lines.
And on crossing frontiers:
It's the same air, the same earth, but the road is no longer quite the same, the writing on the road signs changes, the baker's shops no longer look altogether like the thing we were calling a baker's shop a short while earlier, the loaves are no longer the same shape, there are no longer the same cigarette packets lying around on the ground.
Doesn't that capture beautifully the essence of such transitions?
A fascinating aspect of this work is that the author addresses his works-in-progress. Writing in 1974, we find that the essential conceit behind Life a User's Manual was already in place, some four years before it was published and two years after he'd begun work on it (though long after he'd first started thinking about it). Perec also discusses the influences on this conceit. And he writes about his "time capsule" project, Lieux (Places), describing annually twelve places in Paris across a period of twelve years. This remained unfinished.
Lurking in the background, as so often in Perec, is the space left behind by an absence, that perpetual sense of loss. With characteristic melancholy, Perec returns at the end to his piece of paper:
To write, to try meticulously to retain something, to cause something to survive; to wrest a few precise scraps from the void as it grows, to leave somewhere a furrow, a trace, a mark or a few signs.
The Other Pieces are from a variety of posthumously-published sources. I shall ignore the extracts from Thoughts of Sorts as I intend to write about that separately. Among the highlights for me was Scene of a Flight in which the narrative of a boy running away from home (Perec himself, presumably) is scrambled into the order in which such an escapade might be recalled by the adult mind. The Rue Vilin, surely drawn from the abandoned Lieux/Places project, is a brilliant year-on-year depiction of the gradual dereliction of a Parisian street, which just happens to be the one in which the infant Perec lived and where his mother's hairdresser's shop was located. He talks to a woman in the street. 'She didn't stay very long,' the woman remarks, chillingly. Perec's mother was, of course, murdered by the Nazis. The Winter Journey is a splendid short story in typical Perecquian mode, concerning forgery and art (poetry in this case). Other pieces are clever but less engaging.
I'm giving this collection five stars overall for the title piece and the strongest of the other pieces.
October 18, 2017
With these, the sense of the world鈥檚 concreteness, irreducible, immediate, tangible, of something clear and closer to us: of the world, no longer as a journey having constantly to be remade, not as a race without end, a challenge having constantly to be met, not as the one pretext for a despairing acquisitiveness, nor as the illusion of a conquest, but as the rediscovery of a meaning, the perceiving that the earth is a form of writing, a geography of which we had forgotten that we ourselves are the authors.I have confessed my love for Perec many times in many venues (example: here), but allow me to do so again. I love Perec so freakin鈥� much. And yet, there are still a handful of his books that I have not read. And I鈥檓 not really in any hurry to close that gap, as once I鈥檓 done then that鈥檚 it, there really isn鈥檛 any more. I鈥檒l still re-read him 鈥� W, Life, and A Void are all due a re-read soon 鈥� but you only get that first read one time, and I鈥檓 just going to keep spacing those reads out.
This here collects a lot of Perec鈥檚 non-fiction writing. I don鈥檛 believe it is meant to be exhaustive; I wasn鈥檛 exactly clear from the introduction 鈥� thankfully it does include short essay (Approaches To What), which I highly recommend you just go ahead and pop over and read if you haven鈥檛 before, as it is excellent. Outside of his semi-autobiographical fiction, I鈥檝e read very little of Perec鈥檚 strictly non-fiction writings. Not surprisingly, Perec is still very much Perec even outside of the confines and restrictions of fiction. The titular piece (Species of Spaces) is a roughly 100 page rumination on the spaces one inhabits, how one can define and capture those spaces, and a general taxonomy of spaces. Which sounds a lot like much of Perec鈥檚 fiction 鈥� because it is 鈥� and in some small way provides a greater level of insight into the way Perec thought and how that thought directly acted on his writing.
What鈥檚 fascinating is that the rest of the book 鈥� gathered together from various sources and time periods 鈥� could be said to explore the same theory of space and its occupation. It鈥檚 easy to think of Perec within the restriction and confines of the OuLiPo group, but I think a strong argument could be made that Perec鈥檚 mind was already defined by these confines and limitations, and that his structural approach to writing just happened to coincide with the OuLiPo group, as opposed to being influenced by it. Almost everything he writes is with precise mapping and structure in mind.
And yet, even with a view towards that precise mapping and structure 鈥� and even considering that Perec did not deviate from his self-imposed structures 鈥� there is always an overwhelming sense of Perec鈥檚 humanity that is unmistakable in his writing. This is probably why I love Perec to the extent that I do 鈥� he presents a precision of structure and execution while still infusing the text with an overall 鈥渓ightness鈥� (to quote the introduction to this work). And I mean that as both an expression of weight and an expression of luminosity. [I will partially exclude W from this 鈥� it is by far his most achingly human work, but I would never describe it as 鈥渓ight鈥�. It is 鈥� even over Life 鈥� my favorite of Perec鈥檚 books]
So, to conclude, you should read this. You should read anything and everything Perec. He is a true joy to read.
At this level, language and signs become decipherable once again. The world is no longer that chaos which words void of meaning despair of describing. It is a living, difficult reality that the power of words gradually overcomes. This is how literature begins, when, in and through language, the transformation begins - which is far from self-evident and far from immediate - that enables an individual to become aware, by expressing the world and by addressing others.
August 12, 2023
'We have difficulty changing, even if it's only the position of our furniture'.
The easiest way of explaining this book is to break the title down by definitions:
Species - a kind or sort.
Space - an area which is free, available, or听unoccupied.
Ironically, there's limited space to condense into a review that'll do its quality justice.
Perec's book, first published in 1974, is a unique account of space. Not in the planetary sense - in the explicit everyday spaces that we inhabit.
'We live in space, in these spaces, these towns, this countryside, these corridors, these parks'.
Perec ruminates:
The power of space: How space can evoke vivid memories - a particular room in the house, a building, or town.
The freedom of space: The space of a sheet of paper, its measurements, margins and lines, and the possibilities of a blank or page.
The universality of space: 'Every apartment consists of a variable, but finite, number of rooms, each room has a particular function'.
The effectuality of space: 'A cat owner will rightly tell you that cats inhabit houses much better than people do.
Spaces within space: How we divide our houses or apartments and how this relates to time and routine. No particular space in a house is also any more important than another in a functional sense.
While seemingly trivial, Perec's ideals on space can be applied to the mind. The mind is a space, and how we fill that space is instrumental in the quality of our lives. Particularly as modern living becomes more intense, more externally overwhelming - we can use Perec's writing for meditative purposes, to increase presence and clarity in our lives.
For example, there are various exercises Perec sets for us:
'Observe the street from time to time...Note down the place...note down what you can see. Is there anything that strikes you?'.
Because, as Perec poignantly illustrates:
Our spaces, like our lives, are impermanent:
'My spaces are fragile: time is going to wear them away, to destroy them. Nothing will any longer resemble what was, my memories will betray me, oblivion will infiltrate my memory...'
One of the best books I've read this year. Highly recommend.
The easiest way of explaining this book is to break the title down by definitions:
Species - a kind or sort.
Space - an area which is free, available, or听unoccupied.
Ironically, there's limited space to condense into a review that'll do its quality justice.
Perec's book, first published in 1974, is a unique account of space. Not in the planetary sense - in the explicit everyday spaces that we inhabit.
'We live in space, in these spaces, these towns, this countryside, these corridors, these parks'.
Perec ruminates:
The power of space: How space can evoke vivid memories - a particular room in the house, a building, or town.
The freedom of space: The space of a sheet of paper, its measurements, margins and lines, and the possibilities of a blank or page.
The universality of space: 'Every apartment consists of a variable, but finite, number of rooms, each room has a particular function'.
The effectuality of space: 'A cat owner will rightly tell you that cats inhabit houses much better than people do.
Spaces within space: How we divide our houses or apartments and how this relates to time and routine. No particular space in a house is also any more important than another in a functional sense.
While seemingly trivial, Perec's ideals on space can be applied to the mind. The mind is a space, and how we fill that space is instrumental in the quality of our lives. Particularly as modern living becomes more intense, more externally overwhelming - we can use Perec's writing for meditative purposes, to increase presence and clarity in our lives.
For example, there are various exercises Perec sets for us:
'Observe the street from time to time...Note down the place...note down what you can see. Is there anything that strikes you?'.
Because, as Perec poignantly illustrates:
Our spaces, like our lives, are impermanent:
'My spaces are fragile: time is going to wear them away, to destroy them. Nothing will any longer resemble what was, my memories will betray me, oblivion will infiltrate my memory...'
One of the best books I've read this year. Highly recommend.
February 3, 2019
To live is to pass from one space to another, while doing your very best not to bump yourself.
Perec takes space apart item by item, list by list, observation by observation: his bed, his room, his apartment, his building, his neighbourhood, his city, his country, Europe, the World, Space. Then he reassembles it for you on the page. Whilst most authors tend of want to escape the confines of the page, and take the reader into the imagined realms beyond, I had the feeling that Perec was attempting the opposite: to confine space within the page. And he succeeds.
Perec's work feels ordered, mathematical, though clearly creative (he also liked to send word puzzles for his friends), which is unsurprising as he was a member of the Oulipo group that explored constrained writing techniques. And in that sense, Perec's forays into the species of space complement the distinctly lyrical and philosophical forays of Gaston Bachelard in his .
Space melts like sand running through one鈥檚 fingers. Time bears it away and leaves me only shapeless shreds:
To write: to try meticulously to retain something, to cause something to survive; to wrest a few precise scraps from the void as it grows, to leave somewhere a furrow, a trace, a mark or a few signs.
Perec enhances your perception of details. You might even fancy writing a few of them down.
(Perec's most famous standalone piece, also included in this collection, is . Its Borgesian quality is appropriately haunting and cooky.)
December 4, 2021
La pagina
" Lo spazio comincia cos矛, solo con delle parole, segni tracciati sulla pagina bianca."
Il letto
" Il letto 猫 dunque lo spazio individuale per eccellenza "
La camera
" Lo spazio risuscitato della camera basta a ravvivare, a far rivivere, a riportare a galla i ricordi pi霉 fuggevoli e pi霉 insignificanti cos矛 come i pi霉 essenziali."
E poi appartamento, porte, scale, muri, palazzi, la citt脿, la campagna, il paese etc.
Partendo dalla connotazione di una pagina bianca Perec si interroga e stila un elenco di spazi; l'intento diventa il disquisire sul fatto se abitare uno spazio possa significare viverlo, appropriarsene o capire quando, come e se uno spazio diventa veramente nostro.
" Il nostro sguardo percorre lo spazio e ci d脿 l'illusione del rilievo e della distanza. 脠 proprio cos矛 che costruiamo lo spazio: con un alto e un basso, una sinistra e una destra, un davanti e un dietro, un vicino e un lontano."
Lettura proposta nel Gdl, opera che ho trovato riflessiva e per certi versi didascalica.
Confermo per貌 le perplessit脿 iniziali: non sono riuscita a entrare in feeling con il tema, evidentemente lontano dalle mie preferenze.
" Lo spazio comincia cos矛, solo con delle parole, segni tracciati sulla pagina bianca."
Il letto
" Il letto 猫 dunque lo spazio individuale per eccellenza "
La camera
" Lo spazio risuscitato della camera basta a ravvivare, a far rivivere, a riportare a galla i ricordi pi霉 fuggevoli e pi霉 insignificanti cos矛 come i pi霉 essenziali."
E poi appartamento, porte, scale, muri, palazzi, la citt脿, la campagna, il paese etc.
Partendo dalla connotazione di una pagina bianca Perec si interroga e stila un elenco di spazi; l'intento diventa il disquisire sul fatto se abitare uno spazio possa significare viverlo, appropriarsene o capire quando, come e se uno spazio diventa veramente nostro.
" Il nostro sguardo percorre lo spazio e ci d脿 l'illusione del rilievo e della distanza. 脠 proprio cos矛 che costruiamo lo spazio: con un alto e un basso, una sinistra e una destra, un davanti e un dietro, un vicino e un lontano."
Lettura proposta nel Gdl, opera che ho trovato riflessiva e per certi versi didascalica.
Confermo per貌 le perplessit脿 iniziali: non sono riuscita a entrare in feeling con il tema, evidentemente lontano dalle mie preferenze.
April 18, 2020
Me pregunto qu茅 voy a hacer cuando haya le铆do todo lo que escribi贸 Perec. Releerlo, supongo. Aunque cada vez que llego por primera vez a uno de sus textos, como a este Especies de espacios, no puedo evitar maldecir muy fuerte porque Perec muriera tan pronto y no le diera tiempo a escribir m谩s.
Este libro gustar谩 a quienes ya conocen la obra de Georges Perec y la aprecian, y no les dir谩 seguramente nada a quienes ya salieron escaldados de alg煤n otro libro suyo, ya que es Perec en estado puro: est谩 su afici贸n a las enumeraciones, su gusto por registrar lo que recuerda o ve como un notario travieso al que le gustan los juegos de palabras (los juegos, en general), o su car谩cter enigm谩tico incluso cuando habla de s铆 mismo.
Y quien lea a Perec por primera vez gracias a este libro tendr谩 la oportunidad de recibir una raci贸n de degustaci贸n de este autor. Al fin y al cabo son 146 paginillas (menos, si se salta uno el pr贸logo de Jes煤s Camarero, que es lo que yo he hecho), una extensi贸n que no lleva apenas nada de tiempo recorrer.
Este libro gustar谩 a quienes ya conocen la obra de Georges Perec y la aprecian, y no les dir谩 seguramente nada a quienes ya salieron escaldados de alg煤n otro libro suyo, ya que es Perec en estado puro: est谩 su afici贸n a las enumeraciones, su gusto por registrar lo que recuerda o ve como un notario travieso al que le gustan los juegos de palabras (los juegos, en general), o su car谩cter enigm谩tico incluso cuando habla de s铆 mismo.
Y quien lea a Perec por primera vez gracias a este libro tendr谩 la oportunidad de recibir una raci贸n de degustaci贸n de este autor. Al fin y al cabo son 146 paginillas (menos, si se salta uno el pr贸logo de Jes煤s Camarero, que es lo que yo he hecho), una extensi贸n que no lleva apenas nada de tiempo recorrer.
January 24, 2021
螡慰渭委味蠅 维蟻纬畏蟽伪 谓伪 伪蟽蠂慰位畏胃蠋 蟽蟿伪 蟽慰尾伪蟻维 渭伪味委 蟿慰蠀. 螣喂 蠂慰蟻蔚喂蔚蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 苇谓伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 魏伪位蠉蟿蔚蟻伪 尾喂尾位委伪 蟺慰蠀 未喂维尾伪蟽伪 蟿慰谓 蟿蔚位蔚蠀蟿伪委慰 魏伪喂蟻蠈. 螤蟻伪纬渭伪蟿喂魏维 未蔚谓 萎胃蔚位伪 谓伪 蟿蔚位蔚喂蠋蟽蔚喂. 螝维胃蔚 蟺伪蟻伪蟿萎蟻畏蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 魏维胃蔚 蟺蟻慰蟿蟻慰蟺萎 蟽蔚 尾维味蔚喂 蟽蔚 苇谓伪 蟺伪喂蠂谓委未喂 渭蔚 蟿喂蟼 委未喂蔚蟼 蟿喂蟼 伪谓伪渭谓萎蟽蔚喂蟼 蟽慰蠀, 苇谓蠅 蟽蔚 蠁蟿维谓蔚喂 蟽蔚 蟽畏渭蔚委慰 谓伪 伪谓伪蟻蠅蟿喂苇蟿伪喂 魏伪谓蔚委蟼 伪谓 苇蠂蔚喂 未蔚喂, 蟿蔚位喂魏维, 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟺慰蠀 尾位苇蟺蔚喂.
5/5 魏喂 伪谓 伪蠀蟿蠈 蔚委谓伪喂 蟿慰 蟽魏慰蟻 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰, 伪谓蠀蟺慰渭慰谓蠋 谓伪 未蠅 蟿喂蟼 慰未畏纬委蔚蟼 蠂蟻萎蟽蔚蠅蟼.
5/5 魏喂 伪谓 伪蠀蟿蠈 蔚委谓伪喂 蟿慰 蟽魏慰蟻 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰, 伪谓蠀蟺慰渭慰谓蠋 谓伪 未蠅 蟿喂蟼 慰未畏纬委蔚蟼 蠂蟻萎蟽蔚蠅蟼.
April 17, 2015
This was my first book by Perec, and even though I was intrigued by some of the reviews, I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. I was expecting something difficult to read, but the only part that went over my head were the word games at the end of the book, (kudos to anyone who knew the answers to these) and I still loved reading about them. He was quite the wordsmith.
The short pieces that make up Species of Spaces are eclectic, varying in style. I loved this approach to writing and if you're looking for inspiration, this is an excellent book. I've set myself a challenge to write a review for everything I read, to help me overcome some of the anxiety I feel when I'm trying to put my words onto a page. Thanks to how easily Perec made it seem to spill letters all over the blank space, I am happy to give this book my first review.
With all that style there is plenty of substance. Along with a new perspective on the written word, I am left looking at the space and objects surrounding me a little differently. If only I could thank him with a bottle of rum taken from a shipwreck at the bottom of an ocean.
Some of my favorites: The Page, Some of the Things I Really Must Do Before I Die, Ellis Island: Description of a Project, Brief Notes on the Art and Manner of Arranging One's Books, Think/Classify and Robert Antelme or the Truth of Literature.
The short pieces that make up Species of Spaces are eclectic, varying in style. I loved this approach to writing and if you're looking for inspiration, this is an excellent book. I've set myself a challenge to write a review for everything I read, to help me overcome some of the anxiety I feel when I'm trying to put my words onto a page. Thanks to how easily Perec made it seem to spill letters all over the blank space, I am happy to give this book my first review.
With all that style there is plenty of substance. Along with a new perspective on the written word, I am left looking at the space and objects surrounding me a little differently. If only I could thank him with a bottle of rum taken from a shipwreck at the bottom of an ocean.
Some of my favorites: The Page, Some of the Things I Really Must Do Before I Die, Ellis Island: Description of a Project, Brief Notes on the Art and Manner of Arranging One's Books, Think/Classify and Robert Antelme or the Truth of Literature.
January 17, 2023
L'espace semble 锚tre, ou plus apprivois茅, ou plus inoffensif, que le temps : on rencontre partout des gens qui ont des montres, et tr猫s rarement des gens qui ont des boussoles. On a toujours besoin de savoir l'heure (et qui sait encore la d茅duire de la position du soleil?) mais on ne se demande jamais o霉 l'on est. On croit le savoir : on est chez soi, on est 脿 son bureau, on est dans le m茅tro, on est dans la rue.
Dit is Perec op zijn best. In Esp猫ces d鈥檈spaces neemt hij je mee door verschillende ruimtes uit ieders leven - je bed, de straat, de stad... - en doet je op zijn immer vrolijke en fantasierijke manier stilstaan bij details waar je nog nooit over hebt nagedacht.
Na elk boek van Perec ben ik ervan overtuigd dat ik niet n贸g verliefder kan worden op zijn werk, maar hij bewijst me keer op keer het tegendeel.
Dit is Perec op zijn best. In Esp猫ces d鈥檈spaces neemt hij je mee door verschillende ruimtes uit ieders leven - je bed, de straat, de stad... - en doet je op zijn immer vrolijke en fantasierijke manier stilstaan bij details waar je nog nooit over hebt nagedacht.
Na elk boek van Perec ben ik ervan overtuigd dat ik niet n贸g verliefder kan worden op zijn werk, maar hij bewijst me keer op keer het tegendeel.
December 27, 2021
Vorrei che esistessero luoghi stabili, immobili, intangibili, mai toccati e quasi intoccabili, immutabili, radicati: luoghi che sarebbero punti di riferimento e di partenza, delle fonti: il mio paese natale, la culla della mia famiglia, la casa dove sarei nato, l'albero che avrei visto crescere (che mio padre avrebbe piantato il giorno della mia nascita), la soffitta della mia infanzia gremita di ricordi intatti...Tali luoghi non esistono, ed 猫 perch猫 non esistono che lo spazio diventa problematico, cessa di essere evidenza, cessa di essere incorporato, cessa di essere appropriato. Lo spazio 猫 un dubbio: devo continuamente individuarlo, designarlo. Non 猫 mai mio, mai mi viene dato, devo conquistarlo. I miei spazi sono fragili: il tempo li consumer脿, li distrugger脿: niente somiglier脿 pi霉 a quel che era, miei ricordi mi tradiranno, I'oblio s'infiltrer脿 nella mia memoria, guarder貌 senza riconoscerle alcune foto ingiallite dal bordo tutto strappato.
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July 22, 2015
Riflessioni sullo spazio dal piccolo al grande, dal nostro letto all鈥檜niverso infinito. Perec le focalizza su casa, condominio e citt脿. Alcuni spunti sono interessanti, con una buon indice di apertura mentale. Complessivamente un po鈥� ozioso, ugualmente leggibile perch茅 formato da capitoli brevissimi. Facile da interrompere, digeribile, si pu貌 leggere in autobus, al parco, in fila alle poste.
July 1, 2022
丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 鬲乇噩賲賴 卮丿賴 鬲賵爻胤 丌賯丕蹖 倬蹖賲丕賳 毓卮賯蹖 賴爻鬲貙 賵 賲丕賳賳丿 乇賲丕賳 趩蹖夭賴丕 蹖讴 丕孬乇 讴丕賲賱丕 噩丿蹖丿 賵 賳賵 賴爻鬲 讴賴 卮亘蹖賴 賴蹖趩 讴鬲丕亘蹖 讴賴 鬲丕 亘賴 丨丕賱 禺賵丕賳丿蹖丿 賳蹖爻鬲 貙丕賱亘鬲賴 卮丕蹖丿 賲毓賲丕乇丕賳 賵 賲賴賳丿爻蹖賳 噩匕亘卮 賳卮賳.
February 23, 2019
"Der Raum ist ein Zweifel: ich muss ihn unaufh枚rlich abstecken, ihn bezeichnen; er geh枚rt niemals mir, er wird mir nie gegeben, ich muss ihn erobern"
"Meine R盲ume sind verg盲nglich: die Zeit wird sie abnutzen, wird sie zerst枚ren: nichts wird mehr dem gleichen, was einmal war...ich werde einige vergilbte Fotos mit geknickten R盲ndern betrachten, ohne sie wiederzuerkennen. "
Wieder ein Meisterwerk von George Perec. 5 stars. Chapeau.
"Meine R盲ume sind verg盲nglich: die Zeit wird sie abnutzen, wird sie zerst枚ren: nichts wird mehr dem gleichen, was einmal war...ich werde einige vergilbte Fotos mit geknickten R盲ndern betrachten, ohne sie wiederzuerkennen. "
Wieder ein Meisterwerk von George Perec. 5 stars. Chapeau.
February 15, 2025
Georges Perec (1936-1982) is vooral bekend vanwege zijn ongelofelijk inventieve meesterwerken "W of de jeugdherinnering" en "Het leven een gebruiksaanwijzing". Maar naast deze (en andere) prachtromans schreef hij ook "Ruimten rondom". Een beschouwing over bebouwde ruimtes en abstracte ruimte. Na Perecs dood kreeg dit 鈥渄agboek van een ruimtegebruiker鈥� 鈥� deze unieke, grootse en lyrische sociologie van het minuscule en onopgemerkte- dan ook een mythische status. En daaraan wordt mooi recht gedaan in deze herziene heruitgave van de uitstekende vertaling van Rokus Hofstede, uit 1998, waaraan nu facsimile鈥檚 en vertalingen van niet eerder gepubliceerde fragmenten zijn toegevoegd. Plus een nieuw verhelderend nawoord van Perec- kenner Manet van Montfrans.
E茅n van de belangrijkste drijfveren voor dit boek lijkt mij Perecs existenti毛le ontworteldheid. Dat verwoordt hij prachtig: 鈥淚k zou willen dat er plekken bestonden die blijvend waren, onbeweeglijk, onaantastbaar, onaangeraakt en geworteld; plekken die konden dienen als referentie, als vertrekpunt, als bron. Mijn geboorteland, mijn bakermat, het huis waar ik geboren was, de boom die ik had zien groeien (die door mijn vader op de dag van mijn geboorte was geplant), de zolder van mijn kinderjaren vol ongeschonden souvenirs鈥� Zulke plekken bestaan niet en omdat ze niet bestaan, wordt de ruimte een vraag, is de ruimte niet langer vanzelfsprekend, niet langer eigen. De ruimte is een twijfel: iets wat ik aan 茅茅n stuk door moet afbakenen en aanwijzen; iets wat nooit van mij is, wat voor mij nooit een gegevenheid is, wat ik moet veroveren. Mijn ruimten zijn fragiel: de tijd zal ze afkalven, zal ze vernietigen: niets zal meer lijken op wat het was, mijn herinneringen zullen me in de steek laten, vergetelheid zal mijn geheugen binnensijpelen, zonder ze te herkennen zal ik kijken naar een paar vergeelde foto鈥檚 met verkreukelde randen鈥�.
Vooral de tweede geciteerde zin is schrijnend: daarin somt Perec kenmerken op van een kindertijd die hij nooit gehad heeft. Want zijn beide ouders zijn door WO II en de holocaust omgebracht. En al zijn jeugdherinneringen sloegen om in verdrongen jeugdtrauma鈥檚. Nooit was hij in enige ruimte echt thuis, en nooit was een ruimte voor hem een onaantastbare plek. En dat is de ruimte ook niet voor ons, al hebben de meesten van ons een zonniger jeugd gehad. Want ook wij zijn niet pijnvrij, en ook onze leventjes zijn eindig. Dus onze leefruimtes zijn eveneens fragiel, en niet zo vanzelfsprekend als ze lijken. Dat doorvoelen we als we iets van Perecs ontworteldheid tot ons door laten dringen, en het vanzelfsprekende niet meer als vanzelfsprekend ervaren.
Bovendien riep Perec ons op om veel meer aandacht te hebben voor het 鈥榦ndergewone鈥�: voor alle fenomenen die zo vertrouwd of zelfs banaal lijken dat we niet eens meer opmerken. 鈥淲ant wat wij alledaagsheid noemen is niet vanzelfsprekend, maar ondoorzichtig: een vorm van blindheid, een soort verdoving鈥�, zegt Perec. Alle ruimtes die we bewonen of doorlopen zijn oneindig rijk aan kleurrijke en verrassende details, die ons zeer zouden verrijken als we ze zouden opmerken, maar door onze al te routineuze blik op de wereld zijn we daar blind voor.
Dus roept Perec op om alles wat we achteloos bekijken vanaf nu veel geconcentreerder en aandachtiger te gaan bekijken. En om onze routines radicaal te doorbreken. Dat leidt onder meer tot 鈥減raktische oefeningen鈥� als: 鈥淣oteren wat je ziet. Opmerken wat opmerkelijk is. Zijn we in staat te zien wat opmerkelijk is? Is er iets wat ons opvalt? Niets valt ons op. We zijn niet in staat om te zien. We moeten het anders aanpakken, behoedzamer, dommer haast. Onszelf dwingen op te schrijven wat oninteressant is, het allervanzelfsprekendste, het allergewoonste, het alleronbenulligste.鈥� Exact dat is wat Perec doet op vele bladzijden van" Ruimten rondom". Zich overgevend aan een stroom van ogenschijnlijk volkomen betekenisloze flarden en details, die allemaal worden opgesomd en gerubriceerd. Terwijl er tegelijk binnen en buiten hem helemaal niets gebeurt. En ik kreeg bijna de neiging om dit na te doen. Net zo lang tot ook mijn eigen leefruimten mij geheel vreemd zouden worden, zodat ik alle ondergewone aspecten daarvan veel beter zou zien.
Soms werkt Perec ook met lange opsommingen, vol met nauwelijks samenhangende details die wij doorgaans niet opmerken. Bijvoorbeeld opsommingen van herinneringsflarden die bij hem naar boven komen als hij in bed ligt. Of opsommingen van de vele verschillende meubels en prullaria die je in een appartementengebouw zou kunnen aantreffen. Of van alle onbewuste handelingen bij het parkeren van een auto. Ook is er een hilarische, drie bladzijden lange opsomming van diverse werkwoorden en uitdrukkingen die je kunt associ毛ren met 鈥榲erhuizen鈥�. In al deze opsommingen heerst het ondergewone. Elke opsomming is een raadselachtig prozagedicht, een po毛tische lofzang op de onsamenhangende veelvoudigheid die onze ruimten kenmerkt. En op hun zo rijk vertakte ondergewoonheid, die door die opsommingen pas goed tot ons doordringt.
Intrigerend zijn bovendien de nieuwe gewoonten die Perec poogt te ontwikkelen. Bijvoorbeeld door te wandelen in Parijs, zonder doel, 鈥渕aar in een poging om me te laten meevoeren鈥�. Of juist door 鈥渂ijvoorbeeld een traject [te] vinden dat heel Parijs doorkruist en alleen straten zou volgen die beginnen met de letter c鈥�. Een volkomen ongewoon traject dus, dat het 鈥榦ndergewone鈥� in het al te vertrouwde Parijs beter zichtbaar zou maken. Ook noemt hij een buitenissig project, waarin hij elke maand 茅茅n van de twaalf voor hem meest speciale plaatsen in Parijs zo neutraal mogelijk zou beschrijven, door alle details die hem opvielen direct en ter plekke op te tekenen. Herinneringen aan diezelfde plaatsen zou hij apart uitwerken, met dezelfde frequentie. En daar wilde hij twaalf jaar over doen, zodat elke plaats twee keer twaalf maal zou worden beschreven. Als resultaat verwachtte hij 鈥渘iets anders dan het spoor van een drievoudige veroudering: die van de plaatsen zelf, die van mijn herinneringen en die van mijn schrijven鈥�. En dat vind ik een mooi voorbeeld van het onopgemerkte en ondergewone. Hoe merkwaardig het project ook is. En hoe onuitgevoerd het ook bleef. Tegelijk is het ook een mooie "ars memoriae": het bewaren van die voor hem speciale, hoewel ondergewone plaatsen, is ook het bewaren van voor hem speciale gebeurtenissen. Al wordt vooral het spoor van de drievoudige veroudering bewaard, en niet de levende herinnering.
Daarnaast stelt Perec vaak simpele, verwonderde vragen, die als eye opener werken. 鈥淓en kamer bewonen, wat houdt dat in? Een plek bewonen, is dat het je toe- eigenen van die plek? Wat houdt het je toe- eigenen van een plek in? Vanaf welk moment is een plek echt van jou?鈥� Hoe merkwaardig: ik leef al jaren in dezelfde woonkamer, ik werk al jaren aan hetzelfde bureau, en toch had ik nog nooit nagedacht over wat dat nou inhoudt, 鈥榤ijn鈥� woonkamer en 鈥榤ijn鈥� bureau. Bovendien zijn Perecs beschrijvingen vaak verwonderlijk. Bijvoorbeeld: 鈥淛e beschermt je, je verschanst je. Deuren stuiten en scheiden. De deur breekt de ruimte, snijdt die in twee毛n, blokkeert osmose, dwingt beslotenheid af. Aan de ene kant: ik en de plek waar ik thuis ben, het huiselijke, het private (de ruimte die is volgeladen met mijn eigendommen: mijn bed, mijn vloerbedekking, mijn tafel, mijn schrijfmachine, mijn boeken, mijn losse nummers van La Nouvelle Revue Fran莽aise鈥�); aan de andere kant: de anderen, de wereld, het openbare, het politieke鈥�.
Ik zou nooit hebben bedacht dat een deur de osmose tussen mijn thuis-wereld en de buitenwereld blokkeert. Mijn verwondering daarover wordt nog verder gevoed door Perecs latere, betoverend ongrijpbare beschrijvingen van een huis zonder deuren, ontworpen door Frank Lloyd Wright. Daarin is onder meer 鈥渆en helling die heel vaag op een muurtje begon te lijken鈥�, en 鈥渋ets wat leek op een open dak, nauwelijks te onderscheiden van de eromheen welig tierende vegetatie. Maar feitelijk was het al te laat om te weten of je buiten of binnen was鈥�. Zo maakt Perec voelbaar dat je zou kunnen wonen in huizen zonder deuren, die de osmose tussen thuis- wereld en buitenwereld niet blokkeren. In onze verbeelding is dat althans mogelijk, volgens Perec. Als we onze verbeelding tenminste oprekken.
Nog merkwaardiger zijn Perecs denkexperimenten over ruimten die aan onze denkpatronen ontsnappen. Zo stelt hij zich een gigantisch huis voor, waarin alle onvoorstelbaar vele kamers ergens toe dienen, behalve 茅茅n. En die ene kamer zou worden gebruikt voor het beluisteren van een symfonie, of het aflezen van de barometer, of het reinigen van de grote teen van de rechtervoet, of voor helemaal niets鈥�.. Daarnaast droomt hij over de onmogelijke bouwwerken van Escher en Magritte, en een gigantische Skinner- Box met een volkomen zwart interieur. Ook mijmert hij over een novelle van Borges, 鈥渨aarin mensen die zijn verlost van de noodzaak om te leven of te sterven eigenhandig vervallen paleizen en onbruikbare trappenhuizen hebben gebouwd鈥�. Dit lijken gekke gedachtekronkels, maar voor Perec is de ruimte altijd een vraag, een twijfel, een niet- vanzelfsprekendheid. En die niet- vanzelfsprekendheid wordt in deze denkexercities op fraaie wijze ontplooid.
In "Ruimten rondom" evoceert Perec kortom de onvermoede vreemdheid van de vele verschillende ruimten waarin we leven. Soms door extra scherp in te zoomen op het ondergewone. Soms door onze fantasie en verbeeldingskracht op te rekken, of door vragen te stellen over aspecten van de ruimten waarover we nog nooit hadden nagedacht. Daarbij gebruikt hij vele stijlmiddelen: citaten, neutrale plaatsbeschrijvingen, uitgebreide opsommingen of inventarislijsten, vragen, herinneringen, praktische oefeningen, fantasievolle mijmeringen, prozagedichten, typografische spelletjes, en meer. En in al die stijlmiddelen is hij grandioos.
E茅n van de belangrijkste drijfveren voor dit boek lijkt mij Perecs existenti毛le ontworteldheid. Dat verwoordt hij prachtig: 鈥淚k zou willen dat er plekken bestonden die blijvend waren, onbeweeglijk, onaantastbaar, onaangeraakt en geworteld; plekken die konden dienen als referentie, als vertrekpunt, als bron. Mijn geboorteland, mijn bakermat, het huis waar ik geboren was, de boom die ik had zien groeien (die door mijn vader op de dag van mijn geboorte was geplant), de zolder van mijn kinderjaren vol ongeschonden souvenirs鈥� Zulke plekken bestaan niet en omdat ze niet bestaan, wordt de ruimte een vraag, is de ruimte niet langer vanzelfsprekend, niet langer eigen. De ruimte is een twijfel: iets wat ik aan 茅茅n stuk door moet afbakenen en aanwijzen; iets wat nooit van mij is, wat voor mij nooit een gegevenheid is, wat ik moet veroveren. Mijn ruimten zijn fragiel: de tijd zal ze afkalven, zal ze vernietigen: niets zal meer lijken op wat het was, mijn herinneringen zullen me in de steek laten, vergetelheid zal mijn geheugen binnensijpelen, zonder ze te herkennen zal ik kijken naar een paar vergeelde foto鈥檚 met verkreukelde randen鈥�.
Vooral de tweede geciteerde zin is schrijnend: daarin somt Perec kenmerken op van een kindertijd die hij nooit gehad heeft. Want zijn beide ouders zijn door WO II en de holocaust omgebracht. En al zijn jeugdherinneringen sloegen om in verdrongen jeugdtrauma鈥檚. Nooit was hij in enige ruimte echt thuis, en nooit was een ruimte voor hem een onaantastbare plek. En dat is de ruimte ook niet voor ons, al hebben de meesten van ons een zonniger jeugd gehad. Want ook wij zijn niet pijnvrij, en ook onze leventjes zijn eindig. Dus onze leefruimtes zijn eveneens fragiel, en niet zo vanzelfsprekend als ze lijken. Dat doorvoelen we als we iets van Perecs ontworteldheid tot ons door laten dringen, en het vanzelfsprekende niet meer als vanzelfsprekend ervaren.
Bovendien riep Perec ons op om veel meer aandacht te hebben voor het 鈥榦ndergewone鈥�: voor alle fenomenen die zo vertrouwd of zelfs banaal lijken dat we niet eens meer opmerken. 鈥淲ant wat wij alledaagsheid noemen is niet vanzelfsprekend, maar ondoorzichtig: een vorm van blindheid, een soort verdoving鈥�, zegt Perec. Alle ruimtes die we bewonen of doorlopen zijn oneindig rijk aan kleurrijke en verrassende details, die ons zeer zouden verrijken als we ze zouden opmerken, maar door onze al te routineuze blik op de wereld zijn we daar blind voor.
Dus roept Perec op om alles wat we achteloos bekijken vanaf nu veel geconcentreerder en aandachtiger te gaan bekijken. En om onze routines radicaal te doorbreken. Dat leidt onder meer tot 鈥減raktische oefeningen鈥� als: 鈥淣oteren wat je ziet. Opmerken wat opmerkelijk is. Zijn we in staat te zien wat opmerkelijk is? Is er iets wat ons opvalt? Niets valt ons op. We zijn niet in staat om te zien. We moeten het anders aanpakken, behoedzamer, dommer haast. Onszelf dwingen op te schrijven wat oninteressant is, het allervanzelfsprekendste, het allergewoonste, het alleronbenulligste.鈥� Exact dat is wat Perec doet op vele bladzijden van" Ruimten rondom". Zich overgevend aan een stroom van ogenschijnlijk volkomen betekenisloze flarden en details, die allemaal worden opgesomd en gerubriceerd. Terwijl er tegelijk binnen en buiten hem helemaal niets gebeurt. En ik kreeg bijna de neiging om dit na te doen. Net zo lang tot ook mijn eigen leefruimten mij geheel vreemd zouden worden, zodat ik alle ondergewone aspecten daarvan veel beter zou zien.
Soms werkt Perec ook met lange opsommingen, vol met nauwelijks samenhangende details die wij doorgaans niet opmerken. Bijvoorbeeld opsommingen van herinneringsflarden die bij hem naar boven komen als hij in bed ligt. Of opsommingen van de vele verschillende meubels en prullaria die je in een appartementengebouw zou kunnen aantreffen. Of van alle onbewuste handelingen bij het parkeren van een auto. Ook is er een hilarische, drie bladzijden lange opsomming van diverse werkwoorden en uitdrukkingen die je kunt associ毛ren met 鈥榲erhuizen鈥�. In al deze opsommingen heerst het ondergewone. Elke opsomming is een raadselachtig prozagedicht, een po毛tische lofzang op de onsamenhangende veelvoudigheid die onze ruimten kenmerkt. En op hun zo rijk vertakte ondergewoonheid, die door die opsommingen pas goed tot ons doordringt.
Intrigerend zijn bovendien de nieuwe gewoonten die Perec poogt te ontwikkelen. Bijvoorbeeld door te wandelen in Parijs, zonder doel, 鈥渕aar in een poging om me te laten meevoeren鈥�. Of juist door 鈥渂ijvoorbeeld een traject [te] vinden dat heel Parijs doorkruist en alleen straten zou volgen die beginnen met de letter c鈥�. Een volkomen ongewoon traject dus, dat het 鈥榦ndergewone鈥� in het al te vertrouwde Parijs beter zichtbaar zou maken. Ook noemt hij een buitenissig project, waarin hij elke maand 茅茅n van de twaalf voor hem meest speciale plaatsen in Parijs zo neutraal mogelijk zou beschrijven, door alle details die hem opvielen direct en ter plekke op te tekenen. Herinneringen aan diezelfde plaatsen zou hij apart uitwerken, met dezelfde frequentie. En daar wilde hij twaalf jaar over doen, zodat elke plaats twee keer twaalf maal zou worden beschreven. Als resultaat verwachtte hij 鈥渘iets anders dan het spoor van een drievoudige veroudering: die van de plaatsen zelf, die van mijn herinneringen en die van mijn schrijven鈥�. En dat vind ik een mooi voorbeeld van het onopgemerkte en ondergewone. Hoe merkwaardig het project ook is. En hoe onuitgevoerd het ook bleef. Tegelijk is het ook een mooie "ars memoriae": het bewaren van die voor hem speciale, hoewel ondergewone plaatsen, is ook het bewaren van voor hem speciale gebeurtenissen. Al wordt vooral het spoor van de drievoudige veroudering bewaard, en niet de levende herinnering.
Daarnaast stelt Perec vaak simpele, verwonderde vragen, die als eye opener werken. 鈥淓en kamer bewonen, wat houdt dat in? Een plek bewonen, is dat het je toe- eigenen van die plek? Wat houdt het je toe- eigenen van een plek in? Vanaf welk moment is een plek echt van jou?鈥� Hoe merkwaardig: ik leef al jaren in dezelfde woonkamer, ik werk al jaren aan hetzelfde bureau, en toch had ik nog nooit nagedacht over wat dat nou inhoudt, 鈥榤ijn鈥� woonkamer en 鈥榤ijn鈥� bureau. Bovendien zijn Perecs beschrijvingen vaak verwonderlijk. Bijvoorbeeld: 鈥淛e beschermt je, je verschanst je. Deuren stuiten en scheiden. De deur breekt de ruimte, snijdt die in twee毛n, blokkeert osmose, dwingt beslotenheid af. Aan de ene kant: ik en de plek waar ik thuis ben, het huiselijke, het private (de ruimte die is volgeladen met mijn eigendommen: mijn bed, mijn vloerbedekking, mijn tafel, mijn schrijfmachine, mijn boeken, mijn losse nummers van La Nouvelle Revue Fran莽aise鈥�); aan de andere kant: de anderen, de wereld, het openbare, het politieke鈥�.
Ik zou nooit hebben bedacht dat een deur de osmose tussen mijn thuis-wereld en de buitenwereld blokkeert. Mijn verwondering daarover wordt nog verder gevoed door Perecs latere, betoverend ongrijpbare beschrijvingen van een huis zonder deuren, ontworpen door Frank Lloyd Wright. Daarin is onder meer 鈥渆en helling die heel vaag op een muurtje begon te lijken鈥�, en 鈥渋ets wat leek op een open dak, nauwelijks te onderscheiden van de eromheen welig tierende vegetatie. Maar feitelijk was het al te laat om te weten of je buiten of binnen was鈥�. Zo maakt Perec voelbaar dat je zou kunnen wonen in huizen zonder deuren, die de osmose tussen thuis- wereld en buitenwereld niet blokkeren. In onze verbeelding is dat althans mogelijk, volgens Perec. Als we onze verbeelding tenminste oprekken.
Nog merkwaardiger zijn Perecs denkexperimenten over ruimten die aan onze denkpatronen ontsnappen. Zo stelt hij zich een gigantisch huis voor, waarin alle onvoorstelbaar vele kamers ergens toe dienen, behalve 茅茅n. En die ene kamer zou worden gebruikt voor het beluisteren van een symfonie, of het aflezen van de barometer, of het reinigen van de grote teen van de rechtervoet, of voor helemaal niets鈥�.. Daarnaast droomt hij over de onmogelijke bouwwerken van Escher en Magritte, en een gigantische Skinner- Box met een volkomen zwart interieur. Ook mijmert hij over een novelle van Borges, 鈥渨aarin mensen die zijn verlost van de noodzaak om te leven of te sterven eigenhandig vervallen paleizen en onbruikbare trappenhuizen hebben gebouwd鈥�. Dit lijken gekke gedachtekronkels, maar voor Perec is de ruimte altijd een vraag, een twijfel, een niet- vanzelfsprekendheid. En die niet- vanzelfsprekendheid wordt in deze denkexercities op fraaie wijze ontplooid.
In "Ruimten rondom" evoceert Perec kortom de onvermoede vreemdheid van de vele verschillende ruimten waarin we leven. Soms door extra scherp in te zoomen op het ondergewone. Soms door onze fantasie en verbeeldingskracht op te rekken, of door vragen te stellen over aspecten van de ruimten waarover we nog nooit hadden nagedacht. Daarbij gebruikt hij vele stijlmiddelen: citaten, neutrale plaatsbeschrijvingen, uitgebreide opsommingen of inventarislijsten, vragen, herinneringen, praktische oefeningen, fantasievolle mijmeringen, prozagedichten, typografische spelletjes, en meer. En in al die stijlmiddelen is hij grandioos.
May 29, 2022
The master of the mundane, the infraordinary, la quotidienne. Before Seinfeld's show about nothing, there was Perec's work about nothing, the common things we pass by everyday and don't pay attention to, the spaces and "species" we're surrounded by and don't think about. It's a joyous journey to read Perec precisely because he opens your eyes to the trees you pass and treat as being only a forest.
March 3, 2022
丕賱賰鬲丕亘 丕賱匕賷 胤丕乇 廿賱賷賾 賲賳 丕賱乇亘丕胤 乇兀爻賸丕貙 賵氐賱賳賷 亘毓丿賲丕 賷卅爻鬲 鬲賲丕賲賸丕 賲賳 廿賷噩丕丿賴 賵乇賯賷賸丕 兀賵 兀賱賰鬲乇賵賳賷賸丕! 賳毓賲 賴賵 賷爻鬲丨賯 賰賱 匕賱賰 賵兀賰孬乇貙 賴匕賴 丕賱賰鬲丕亘賴 丕賱爻丨乇賷丞 丕賱賳孬乇賷丞 毓賳 丕賱賮囟丕亍丕鬲 丕賱賲丨賷胤丞 亘賳丕 鬲噩毓賱賳丕 賳鬲賵賯賮 亘乇賴丞 賷爻賷乇丞 賱賳鬲兀賲賱 丕賱夭賲丕賳 賵丕賱賲賰丕賳貙 亘賱 賵匕賵丕鬲賳丕 兀賷囟賸丕.
August 27, 2018
賳氐 賰丕賱賴丕賵賷丞貙 毓賳 賰賱 丕賱賲丨賷胤丕鬲 丨賵賱 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳貙 丨賵賱 噩賵乇噩 亘賷乇賰貙 賵丕賱丌禺乇賷賳貙 毓賳 賲毓賳賶 丕賱賮囟丕亍 賵丕賱賲賰丕賳 賵丕賱匕賰乇賷丕鬲 賵丕賱賮賷夭賷丕亍 賵丕賱噩睾乇丕賮賷丕 賵丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺 賵丕賱兀丿亘 賵丕賱兀爻乇丞 賵丕賱賳賵賲 賵丕賱丨賯丕卅亘 丕賱鬲賷 鬲氐賷乇 兀丨賷丕賳丕賸 賵胤賳丕賸 毓賱賶 丨丿 鬲毓亘賷乇 賲馗賮乇 丕賱賳賵丕亘貙 丕賱賰鬲丕亘/ 丕賱賳氐 毓賳 賴匕丕 賰賱賴貙 賲毓丕賳賷 丕賱賲賰丕賳 丕賱毓丕賱賲 賵兀賵乇賵亘丕 賵賮乇賳爻丕 賵亘丕乇賷爻 賵丕賱丨賷 賵丕賱卮丕乇毓 賵丕賱賲賳夭賱 賵丕賱睾乇賮丞 賵丕賱賰賱賲丕鬲 丕賱賲鬲賯丕胤毓丞 賵丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺 丕賱賷賵賲賷 丕賱匕賷 賷氐賷乇 丨丿孬丕賸 卮禺氐賷丕賸 賱丕 賷毓賳賷 丕賱丌禺乇賷賳 亘卮賷亍賺 廿賱丕 賱賰賵賳賴 賳氐丕賸 賷賱丕賲爻賴賲貙 賵賷卮賷乇 毓賱賷賴賲 賵賷兀禺匕賴賲 賳丨賵 賰賱 賲丕 賴賵 賮囟丕亍賹 毓丕賲賹 兀賵 禺丕氐賹 亘匕丕鬲賴貙 丕賱賳氐賵氐 賱賷爻鬲 乇丨賱丞 丕賳鬲賯丕賱 賲賳 丕賱毓丕賲 廿賱賶 丕賱禺丕氐 亘賱 爻賷乇丞 賱賰賱賷賴賲丕貙 爻賷乇丞 賱賱睾乇賮丞 賵丕賱賲賳夭賱 賵賵賵貙 賵丕賱廿賳爻丕賳.
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