Robert Musil Livres

" Ce livre étincelant, qui maintient de la façon la plus exquise le difficile équilibre entre l'essai et la comédie épique, n'est plus, Dieu soit loué, un " roman " au sens habituel du terme" : il ne l'est plus parce que, comme l'a dit Goethe, " tout ce qui est parfait dans son genre transcende ce genre pour devenir quelque chose d'autre, d'incomparable ". Son ironie, son intelligence, sa spiritualité relèvent du domaine le plus religieux, le plus enfantin, celui de la poésie ". Thomas Mann, Journal, 1932 Traduit de l'allemand par Philippe Jaccottet

"Musil belongs in the company of Joyce, Proust, Kafka, and Svevo. . . . (This translation) is a literay and intellectual event of singular importance."--New Republic.

One of the great short novels of the early twentieth century. It is a novel of youth; a novel of growing up; and it casts an unflinching look at the world.

Set in a boarding school in a remote area of the Habsburg Empire at the turn of the last century, The Confusions of Young Torless is an intense study of an adolescent's psychological development as he struggles to come to terms with his conflicting emotions. Through his relationship with two other boys Torless is led into sadistic and sexual encounters with a third pupil which both repel and fascinate him. Estranged from everyday life, Torless gradually learns to accept his experiences and describe them with analytical precision.

A stunning collection of Musil's vivid and enticing stories, looking at love, desire and the heart of humanity.

Robert Musil, primarily recognized for his modernist novel, also made significant contributions as a playwright and drama critic during 1921-1929. His theatrical works and critical essays are deeply intertwined with his broader literary endeavors and reflect his dedication to art as a vital social and cultural force. These plays and writings are not merely supplementary; they are essential to understanding his artistic vision and serve as a foundation for his renowned unfinished novel.