Chiendent

I can't begin to explain why this book is so delightful. There are plenty of places to start with Queneau--perhaps the lighter, more accessibly funny Zazie is the best introduction--but this is my favorite. As with all of Queneau, it's a mix of silliness, absurdity, surreality, and philosophicality. He's a former philosophy student in the Hegelian tradition, but by way of the Marx brothers rather than Karl. Like the Marx brothers, Queneau's storylines are trifles usually--but it's hard to care since his books still manage to be so uniquely humorous and thought-provoking. I won't try to explain it, but this book is such a perfect case of Queneau's marvellous ability to mix philosophy and comedy, fairy tales and tragedy, that it's a must read.