Coetzee's 'Summer Time' Fragments the Self Through Multiple Voices

J.M. Coetzee's autobiographical third volume, 'Summer Time' ('L'été de la vie'), published by Éditions du Seuil, covers 1972 to 1980, from his return to South Africa to a breakup with Sophie. Unlike the first two volumes, which used third person, this book adopts a fragmented, external perspective: Coetzee is depicted as dead in Australia, and a biographer interviews five people from his past—Julia, a lover; Margot, his cousin; Adriana, a Brazilian dance teacher; Martin, a colleague; and Sophie, a French lover. Each interview is rendered differently: Julia portrays him as cold and clumsy, yet admits he was a good friend; Margot's account is rewritten by the biographer and she pushes back; Adriana expresses near-hatred, suspecting him of pedophilia and finding him unmanly; Martin notes his broad but shallow knowledge and emotional reserve; Sophie is more indulgent, discussing his apolitical idealism and philosophy of body, music, and dance. The book is framed by excerpts from Coetzee's notebooks. The structure allows multiple, fallible perspectives to create an unflattering self-portrait while also giving life to the interviewees.