J. M. G. Le Clézio

An evocative take on the history of ancient Mexico, the conquistadors, and the elimination of a culture. Le Clezio weaves all Amerindians into his vision of mesoamerican folklore, culture and beliefs, how this makes a people and of worlds colliding, tragically-- yet it was foreseen by the Apocalyptic prophecies of the Maya.

This is a rambling history told in seven novella- length essays by a man of literature- Le Clezio won the Nobel prize "as an author of new departures, poetic adventure and sensual ecstasy, explorer of a humanity beyond and below the reigning civilization." Le Clezio, a Frenchman, had a passion for the mesoamerican lands, and has himself a second home in New Mexico.

His writing here is immensely detailed, highly repetitive and long-winded. Beautiful-but just....too much...excess...

We are spared nothing, particularly in the brutality of it all. It's hard to look away from the horrific description and it's deeply saddening on both sides.

The Aztecs were wiped out by the Spanish invasion, and knowing it was coming did not make any of it easier.

Le Clezio forces us to consider the impact- for all Amerindians on the North American continent were ultimately decimated-

Could these two cultures, European and Amerindians, have co-existed otherwise? he wonders.

It's quite a question.… (more)

Chanson bretonne, suivi de Lénfant de la guerre has the sub title "Two stories" (Deux contes but is seems typical of the work of J M G Le Clezio that this may as well mean autobiography. The first, longer of the two is by far the most interesting, Chanson bretonne. This work describes long summers in Brittany, and all aspects of life near the coast in that part of France, in short fragments, of two or three pages, just a bit too long to be called vignettes. Born in Nice, J M G Le Clezio grew up in Brittany, and the story jumps back and forward between the past and the present, remembering and reminiscing his own youth spent there.… (more)

Le Clezio's world is far from cosy. The words 'void' and 'abyss' occur with frequency and violence is never far away. It's ostensibly a tale of a life at intermittent stages between birth and death but encompasses all sentient life at it's most essential level as in the best existential lit. It's pretty hopeless in tone but the description of life in all its variety and abundance does at least afford it a positive. Le Clezio was ambitious around this time and this one especially seems like he was making a kind of ultimate statement on existence. Man and the swarms of ants (a recurring image) ultimately share the same fate though. It's an impressive work and I'll very likely re-read and probably soon.… (more)

The prologue to this book is heavily descriptive which is one of Le Clezio's strengths but I wasn't too sure if it was verbosity for its own sake or something more meaningful. The story then introduces us to Francois Besson and his drifting life. I found it quite intriguing as it alternated with more descriptive passages including an account of the titular flood which acts as an existential metaphor. Francois' encounters with a blind man who he compares to Diogenes and a lover known simply as 'the red-headed woman' were entertaining and absurd. I think why the book is not better regarded is due to the prologue being intimidatingly dense as the following story is compelling if meandering and deserves a good reception from readers.… (more)