J. K. Huysmans - 'Against Nature'

'Against Nature' is a bizarre book. Des Esseintes retires from his hectic social life in Paris, settling in a quiet suburb. But he has too much time on his hands, and money seems never to be an issue, and so he fills his days with a wild descent into depravity and decadence.
A strange read, but highly recommended.
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[@jeremytarling5164]

I'm so pleased you says it's hard work. I'm usually a fairly speedy reader but I'm 40 pages short of finishing and it feels like it's taken me weeks! I'm strongly tempted to re-read it when I've finished as I think my brain's switched off a bit and I've missed some of the better parts.

[@MisterWondrous]

I read this when I learned that it launched an entire art movement, Symbolism, which I find to be quite appealing. I love how the main character has given the proverbial birdfinger to the normal drudges of life, and has opted to create a world to his liking, right where he is. The details are also finely drawn. A life-changing book. Thanks for the review.

[@May-uh3mi]

Thanks for the review ! Going to purchase it ! :))

[@CloselyObservedLiterature]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@jonslaughter3369]

Great review. I just heard Terence McKenna recommend it today.

[@thomasmolitor8656]

Huymans (wees-mahns)

[@PAUL-ge1kl]

Highsman like Cynthia Bucket

[@stendhal0007]

Well I must say I did appreciate your, certainly succinct, but honest 'review' of this book that I just discovered earlier today while listening to a 2019 Desert Island Discs with John Cooper Clark as guest (another very unique entity, we could say). He selected this as his personal choice of book to accompany him on the island! He didn't go into any detail, e.g. about the fonny 'English pub in Paris' chapter (and I can vouch for the fact that there are quite a number - and even more Irish-styled - that I have discovered during the almost 40 years I have been living in Paris - and now a quiet suburb!)I discovered it comprises only 192 pages, so I was surprised when JCC said it was hard going and he took much time to digest, exhausting him after only 3 pages at a time - and another commentator not yet having finished it after having started it in 1984!So, I was pleased to find an audio version on TH-cam, (we are spoiled these days) that takes over 9 hours to read! Hard to believe for such a short book - I presume it will be an actor, or professional reader !And as far as the pronunciation of the author's name is concerned your first attempt (in English) is correct, phonetically sounding like 'Wheessmans', though the French would Never, ever, pronounce the final S - something that bugged me with all my French students for years as a English language trainer here, as they would never remember to actually pronounce an S at the end of any English word !!!

[@67Parsifal]

I began reading this in 1984.....and I still haven’t finished it!

[@CloselyObservedLiterature]

Incredible! And yet I completely understand 😂

[@Jake106]

Immediately had to like after “It’s French, maybe I just need to mumble it a little bit more”😂

[@Gabrielledestrey]

Hi Jeremy - weessmans and dayzaysaints - the 't'' is pronunced - Hope it helps

[@CloselyObservedLiterature]

It helps enormously 😁👍

[@spinespindle9872]

jorie(s)-karl-(who)ees'mon

[@GreenTeaViewer]

This is a hilarious book at times...you picked what I thought was one of the funniest moments - when he goes to the English pub in Paris at the start of his journey to England, then decides he's had enough Englishness and may as well pack it in.

[@CloselyObservedLiterature]

I think a lot of us can sympathise!

[@kilgoretrout413]

It’s pronounced Huysmans 🫡

[@chazmena]

ooESmann

[@sterlingwalter5971]

Heavens knows why this book was assigned by a prof of mine in 1983. Early days of the transgender thingy I fear, the book left me unimpressed.

[@stephenmascari950]

That is the worst review of a a book I have ever come across....do some homework.

[@CloselyObservedLiterature]

Care to tell me why?

[@adonisantinouskee7595]

I loved the review why do you say such horrendous things?

[@robertloader9826]

@@CloselyObservedLiterature A two minute review of any book isn't going to tell anybody anything! Especially a complex, transgressive and experimental 19th-century French novel! You said nothing of style, context, background, author, antecedents, influences...just a brief anecdotal precis of one incident in the novel without any relation to or illustration of the character involved or plot as a whole. Sorry, I have to agree with the chap above; this review is a complete waste of time.

[@HakuYuki001]

@@adonisantinouskee7595 I couldn’t possibly imagine how you would describe something truly horrendous.

[@abooswalehmosafeer173]

Thanks.
I shall read it.