Thomas Bernhard's Collected Writings Published in French

Two new French volumes collect Thomas Bernhard's public writings and early stories. 'Sur les traces de la vérité' gathers articles, speeches, and interviews, some previously published in 1986 as 'Ténèbres' by Maurice Nadeau. 'Goethe se mheurt' brings together four short narratives never before collected, contemporary with 'Wittgenstein's Nephew' and 'The Loser'. The books highlight Bernhard's notorious hostility toward Austria and its government, including an incident where a Culture Minister stormed out of a prize ceremony. His works faced legal seizures and public attacks, culminating in a testament banning any performance or printing of his works in Austria after his death. The volumes also explore Bernhard's stylistic rigor, influenced by Wittgenstein, and his insistence on themes of illness and death. His correspondence with publisher Siegfried Unseld, which caused a sensation in Germany in 2009, is expected to be translated soon.