B.S. Johnson's 'The Unfortunates' Gets French Edition

French publisher Quidam has released B.S. Johnson's experimental novel 'The Unfortunates' (1969) in a box set format, continuing its commitment to reviving the British author's work. Johnson (1933-1973), who remains largely unknown in France despite being a major 20th-century writer, is known for his formal innovations and rejection of traditional narrative. 'The Unfortunates' consists of 27 separately stapled sections of varying thickness, meant to be read in any order except the first and last chapters. The box includes an instruction manual, a match summary, two quotes, and a bookmark. The novel follows a narrator reporting on a football match in a Midlands town, triggering memories of his deceased friend Tony. Johnson's work, which he insisted be based only on his own experiences, explores themes of memory, mortality, and the chaos of the world. Quidam has been publishing Johnson since 2003, releasing 'Albert Angelo' (1964/2009), 'Trawl' (1966/2007), 'House Mother Normal' (1971/2003), and 'Christie Malry's Own Double-Entry' (1973/2004), with two more novels forthcoming. A biography by Jonathan Coe, who also prefaces 'The Unfortunates', is being published simultaneously.