Astonished Man

Description

THE ASTONISHED MAN is the extraordinary and much-requested first volume of Cendrars's autobiography. After chronicling the author's exploits in the Foreign Legion (including the loss of his arm), the narrative sets off across continents. From Africa to South America, Cendrars encounters everyone from Gallic gipsies to Piquita, the Mexican millionairess. And to all his encounters he brings the vitality, savage humour and vivid observation that characterize his dazzling writing.

BLAISE CENDRARS was born Frederic Sauser in 1887 of mixed Swiss-Scottish descent. A 'legendary adventurer', his life in Moscow, Peking, New York and Paris inspired his brilliant, action-packed narratives. The author of more than twenty books, his works have been translated into eleven languages (including Braille). A founder of the modern movement in literature, he inspired poets from John Dos Passos to Patti Smith. He died in Paris in 1961.

'Highly styled, cruel, rude, splendid stuff.' - SUNDAY TIMES 'Exuberant, bizarre, picaresque... the only great modern writer to get his arm blown off in the Foreign Legion.' - GRANTA 'What a writer learns from Cendrars is to follow his nose, to obey life's commands, to worship no other god but life.' - HENRY MILLER 'That astonishing fireball of an author.' - DAILY TELEGRAPH 'An extraordinary man who also happened to be an extraordinary writer.' - IRISH TIMES