Sunday, June 11, 2006
Simenon’s L’homme qui regardait passer les trains is basically a crime ridden version of Melville's Bartleby the Scrivener, in the sense that it’s really the story of a guy who has had enough of going along with the flow and decides to do, basically, whatever he wants. Instead of Bartleby’s, “I’d prefer not to,” however, we get Popinga’s, “actually I’d like to fuck that girl, but she’s laughing at me so I guess I’ll kill her, then split to Paris and see what happens - perhaps I can find some people to play a game of chess with.” It’s great! I especially loved the second chapter though, when Popinga first decides he has had enough and refuses to get out of bed and go to work. A very amusing chapter (one I’d perhaps like to realize for myself). Unlike a lot of the French books I’ve been reading lately, this one is recently available in what is sure to be a fine English translation via NYRB - check it out under the title The Man Who Watched Trains Go By. Now that I think about it - the books descent into possible insanity / possibly sanity also reminds me of Bartleby. Originally published in 1938 - in a way, I think this may be the best of the six or so Georges Simenon books I’ve read. They’ve all been good so far though and luckily there are still some 394 or so left to go.
