Mr Rouse Builds His House

Description

This tiny book, originally published in 1950, tells the story of Mr. Rouse, who has decided to build himself a house. Inevitably, the process is much longer and more detailed than Mr. Rouse initially envisions: "Mr. Builder, I'm not a bird, you know; how could I live in a house made of leaves?" This quirky tale from 1950 takes readers through the process of choosing building types and making all kinds of decisions. In a wonderful blend of absurd poetry and pragmatism, Mr. Rouse contends with building materials, transportation, lighting, and plumbing, encountering quarreling stairs and dapper gutters on his way.

Stefan and Franciszka Themerson were Polish avant-garde artists and filmmakers who in the 1940s fled to London, where they worked on a huge range of creative projects. In 1948, they founded the influential Gaberbocchus Press, publishers of Kurt Schwitters, Jankel Adler, and Alfred Jarry, among others. Barbara Wright was a translator and art writer who worked closely with the Themersons and also translated key works of 20th-century French literature into English, including Alfred Jarry's Ubu Roi.