Comments on: Jacques Poulin: Spring Tides

By: Trevor

Trevor — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:07:03 +0000

John, I have now read The Invention of Morel (review will be posted early next week). I see where ~~you could get the idea that there are similarities~~ * between it and Spring Tides, but I don't think there is a strong relationship. At some parts while reading The Invention of Morel I felt similar feelings as I did while reading Spring Tides, and there are some similarities when looking at the island, the strange presence of tennis, and the man and woman + loneliness element; however, to me those relationships were coincidence and served different ends in each of the novels. By the way, I completely enjoyed The Invention of Morel. * I edited the above when I reread your comment and realized you weren't suggesting the similarities were anything more than coincidences of setting. Sorry for misrepresenting your comment, John!

By: Trevor

Trevor — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:46:37 +0000

Which ones did you get, Randy? I have The Twin, Mourior, and Tranquility still to look forward to. As for Myst, I'm very interested in The Invention of Morel now. I remember playing the first of those games. Knowing that about The Invention of Morel, I'm very curious whether John has spotted a real connection here. We'll see! I have not read Jakob Von Gunten. In fact, The Tanners has been my first Walser. The writing is fantastic. Very very worth it. The story, however, has been ellusive. I think it has just started to make more sense to me.

By: Randy

Randy — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:17:58 +0000

I have jumped on board Archipelago Books after you brought them to light. The books they have sent me are really well laid out and as you mentioned, unique. On a side note, I was (one of the few) at WLF that did not take to Invention of the Morel (maybe I was too familiar with the Myst series 80′s pc games which are all based on the similar conciet, plot as the Island of Dr. Moreau). Robert Walser’s ‘Tanners’ I must get. Have you read ‘Jakob Von Gunten’? I found it a tough nut to crack…

By: Trevor

Trevor — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:13:52 +0000

The strange thing, John, is that when someone buys a book on my word, I certainly feel a sense of responsibility, as if I did sell it to you and hope that my word is warrant enough!

But I certainly took your comment in the right light — just added a bit of my own due to its proximity to my review policy :) .

By: John Self

John Self — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:08:48 +0000

Yes I know you weren’t trying to ‘sell’ it, Trevor. I just meant the word in a casual sense, as in you’ve sold it to me, intentionally or otherwise…

By: Trevor

Trevor — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:01:00 +0000

Good luck with it, John! Though my intent was not to sell it, but just to give you the opportunity to choose for yourself . . . remember my review policy! I'm excited to see what you think about Archipelago's craftsmanship as well as Poulin's. Incidentally, one of Archipelago's most touted publications of the past year is Tranquility, which looks fascinating, should you be looking for more of their stuff. I brought it with me on holiday, so soon my opinion of it will be out there. By the way, I bought The Invention of Morel a couple of weeks ago and brought it with me on holiday too. I plan on reading it next, after I finish Robert Walser's "new" The Tanners. Kevin, if you choose to read something by Poulin, I recommend this one as a way to break into him. As my review indicates, I started with Translation Is a Love Affair and found it lacking on the first read. I think I would have found it lacking on the second read too if it weren't for this book. Now I see it as an excellent companion piece, though Spring Tides stands alone very well.

By: John Self

John Self — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:58:18 +0000

I can see I’m going to have to invest in some Archipelago before long.

Sooner than that: have just ordered Spring Tides from the Book Depository.

By: John Self

John Self — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:55:08 +0000

Very interesting, Trevor. You sell this book very well, and I can see I'm going to have to invest in some Archipelago before long. Have you read The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares? Published by NYRB. Not similar, but has a tangential connection in the setting, or set-up, by the sound of things. (It was also the inspiration for the movie Last Year at Marienbad.)

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:25:04 +0000

I’m chagrined to admit that I haven’t read Poulin, especially since this one has been around for a while. It is interesting how some Quebecois literature gets translated into the Canadian market; others, like this one, get targeted internationally. (Sheila Fischman, incidentally, is known as the best translator of French literature originally published in Quebec.)