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I fiori blu by Raymond Queneau
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I fiori blu (original 1965; edition 2004)

by Raymond Queneau

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
7611229,221 (3.88)7
The Blue Flowers follows two unlikely characters: Cidrolin, who alternates between drinking and napping on a barge parked along the Seine in the 1960s, and the Duke d'Auge as he rages through history--about 700 years of it--refusing to crusade, clobbering his king with a cannon, and dabbling in alchemy. But is it just a coincidence that the Duke appears only when Cidrolin is dozing? And vice versa? As Raymond Queneau explains: "There is an old Chinese saying: 'I dream that I am a butterfly and praythere is a butterfly dreaming he is me.' The same can be said of the characters in this novel--those who live in the past dream of those who live in the modern era--and those who live in the modern era dream of those who live in the past." Channeling Villon and Céline, Queneau attempts to bring the language of the French streets into common literary usage, and his mad wordplays, puns, bawdy jokes, and anachronistic wackiness have been kept amazingly and glitteringly intact by the incomparable translator Barbara Wright.… (more)
Member:Giangi
Title:I fiori blu
Authors:Raymond Queneau
Info:
Collections:Read but unowned
Rating:***1/2
Tags:Narrativa francese

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The Blue Flowers by Raymond Queneau (1965)

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» See also 7 mentions

English (5)  Italian (4)  French (3)  All languages (12)
Showing 5 of 5
Apparently (from the little article at the end), this is one of Queneau's favorites of his own work. I found it a little bland compared to his other stuff. However, it was quite funny with lots of wordplay (as usual), though I think I might have missed a lot of the puns and jokes due to translation. Probably much more entertaining in French (the title, for example, is some idiom in France). Nevertheless, this is probably a good introduction to Queneau, and is quite entertaining. ( )
  invisiblecityzen | Mar 13, 2022 |
Apparently (from the little article at the end), this is one of Queneau's favorites of his own work. I found it a little bland compared to his other stuff. However, it was quite funny with lots of wordplay (as usual), though I think I might have missed a lot of the puns and jokes due to translation. Probably much more entertaining in French (the title, for example, is some idiom in France). Nevertheless, this is probably a good introduction to Queneau, and is quite entertaining. ( )
  invisiblecityzen | Mar 13, 2022 |
On connaît le célèbre apologue chinois : Tchouang-tseu rêve qu'il est un papillon, mais n'est-ce point le papillon qui rêve qu'il est Tchouang-tseu ? De même dans ce roman, est-ce le duc d'Auge qui rêve qu'il est Cidrolin ou Cidrolin qui rêve qu'il est le duc d'Auge ?
  PierreYvesMERCIER | Feb 19, 2012 |
Totally hilarious romp into the past the present the future dreams and wordplay! (not to mention ourselves...)

I found it very Calvinoesque, but not sure whether that's because the original is Calvinoesque or because Calvino put a lot of himself into the translation, or both. ( )
  donato | Apr 29, 2011 |
unfinished
  Adammmmm | Sep 10, 2019 |
Showing 5 of 5
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» Add other authors (3 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Raymond Queneauprimary authorall editionscalculated
Calvino, ItaloTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Helmlé, EugenTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Wright, BarbaraTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Le vingt-cinq septembre douze cent soixante-quatre, au petit jour, le duc d'Auge se pointa sur le sommet du donjon de son château pour y considérer, un tantinet soit peu, la situation historique.
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The Blue Flowers follows two unlikely characters: Cidrolin, who alternates between drinking and napping on a barge parked along the Seine in the 1960s, and the Duke d'Auge as he rages through history--about 700 years of it--refusing to crusade, clobbering his king with a cannon, and dabbling in alchemy. But is it just a coincidence that the Duke appears only when Cidrolin is dozing? And vice versa? As Raymond Queneau explains: "There is an old Chinese saying: 'I dream that I am a butterfly and praythere is a butterfly dreaming he is me.' The same can be said of the characters in this novel--those who live in the past dream of those who live in the modern era--and those who live in the modern era dream of those who live in the past." Channeling Villon and Céline, Queneau attempts to bring the language of the French streets into common literary usage, and his mad wordplays, puns, bawdy jokes, and anachronistic wackiness have been kept amazingly and glitteringly intact by the incomparable translator Barbara Wright.

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