John Hawkes Livres

« Voilà le genre d’aventurier qu’il était ? doux, optimiste, inventif, jamais brutal. C’était un artiste de la vie d’aventure. » Après le krach de 1929, l’Oncle Jack, sorte de capitaine Achab déguisé en John Wayne des glaces, quitte le Connecticut et débarque en Alaska avec sa femme Sissy et leur fille Sunny. Avide de grandes aventures, il devient découvreur d’or et éleveur de renards bleus, affronte la nature indomptée du Grand Nord, lutte contre les bêtes sauvages, à la poursuite d’un rêve : retrouver le totem indien représentant Abraham Lincoln, abandonné sur une île sacrée.

The narrative follows Skipper, an ex-World War II naval Lieutenant, as he navigates his tumultuous past filled with tragic losses—suicides, murder, and violence—while caring for his granddaughter on a remote island. He reflects on his "naked history," blending memories with his present life as an artificial inseminator of cows, seeking to reclaim lost innocence. The author skillfully juxtaposes stark suffering with moments of beauty, creating a rich tapestry of experiences that transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, often with surreal elements.

But it would be unfair to the reader to reveal what happens when a gang of professional crooks gets wind of the scheme and moves to muscle in on this bettors' dream of a long-odds situation. Worked out with all the meticulous detail, terror, and suspense of a nightmare, the tale is, on one level, comparable to a Graham Greene thriller; on another, it explores a group of people, their relationships fears, and loves. For as Leslie A. Fiedler says in his introduction, "John Hawkes.. . makes terror rather than love the center of his work, knowing all the while, of course, that there can be no terror without the hope for love and love's defeat . . . ."

The Cannibal was John Hawkes's first novel, published in 1949.

With a rich background in writing, the author brings a wealth of experience to this new work, showcasing their talent across various genres. The narrative weaves together compelling characters and intricate plots, inviting readers to explore deep themes and emotional journeys. Through a blend of creativity and insight, the author continues to captivate audiences, making this latest addition a must-read for fans and newcomers alike.

"Need I insist that the only enemy of the mature marriage is monogamy? That anything less than sexual multiplicity . . . is naive? That our sexual selves are merely idylers in a vast wood?" Thus the central theme of John Hawkes's widely acclaimed novel The Blood Oranges is boldly asserted by its narrator, Cyril, the archetypal multisexualist. Likening himself to a white bull on Love's tapestry, he pursues his romantic vision in a primitive Mediterranean landscape. There two couples--Cyril and Fiona, Hugh and Catherine--mingle their loves in an "lllyria" that brings to mind the equally timeless countryside of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

After years of underground existence, this brilliant novel is emerging as a classic of visionary writing and still remains Hawkes's only work devoted solely to American life.

Sunny Deauville's duties as proprietor of the best brothel in Alaska and her lusty, guilt-free life are counterbalanced by her obsession with finding her father, lost years before in the backcountry wilds

Set against the backdrop of the south of France, the narrative follows a privileged man racing toward a fatal crash with his daughter and best friend. Through a continuous monologue, he explores the notion that deliberate destruction embodies the pinnacle of poetic imagination. Engaging with themes of sex, myth, and the absurd, this work is marked by its striking irony and a blend of eroticism and comic terror, making it a notable piece of twentieth-century literature.

A classic of dark eroticism from one of the great American writers of the twentieth century.