Javier Cercas's 'À la vitesse de la lumière' Explores Fiction, War, and Friendship

In 'À la vitesse de la lumière' (Actes Sud), Javier Cercas presents a narrator leading a 'false life.' The plot centers on a young novelist relocating to the U.S., only to find himself ensnared in a Midwestern university. There, he encounters Rodney, an older enthusiast of Hemingway and Catalan poetry, whose insights significantly influence the narrator's writing journey. Rodney imparts the lesson that a writer should remain unaware of their novel's meaning beforehand, prioritizing voice over narrative structure. The tale delves into autofiction and addresses the Vietnam War, reminiscent of Cercas's previous work, 'Soldiers of Salamis.' In the end, the narrator chooses to publish Rodney's tale under a pseudonym, underscoring the importance of deception in representing truth.