Anne Farrer's Debut Novel 'Des berceuses' Blends Jazz, Media, and Philosophy
Anne Farrer's first novel, 'Des berceuses,' published by Gallimard – L'Arpenteur, opens with quotes from Racine and Debord, setting up a reversal of fictional situations. The book weaves banal, everyday information—images and sounds—into a general representation, with characters like a Princess, Praxitèle, Mel Gibson, and Chet Baker appearing alongside references to the 8 PM news and the French Riviera. Short chapters create a fragmented yet compact narrative, described as 'strange lullabies' or minimalist music akin to James Blood Ulmer mixed with Webern. The author interrogates absence and the noise of the era, producing a voice that is both original and haunting. Patrick Amine reviewed the work.
Key facts
- Anne Farrer's debut novel 'Des berceuses' was published by Gallimard – L'Arpenteur.
- The book opens with quotes from Racine and Debord.
- Characters include a Princess, Praxitèle, Mel Gibson, and Chet Baker.
- References include the 8 PM news and the French Riviera.
- The narrative is described as fragmented yet compact.
- The style is compared to James Blood Ulmer and Webern.
- The author interrogates absence and the noise of the era.
- Patrick Amine wrote a review of the book.
Entities
Artists
- Anne Farrer
- Chet Baker
- James Blood Ulmer
- Anton Webern
- Patrick Amine
Institutions
- Gallimard – L'Arpenteur
Locations
- French Riviera
Sources
- artpress —