THE LAST OF THE REDSKINS

by Jean Dutourd ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 28, 1965

Satires for adults in the guise of fables for children have never been a flourishing activity among writers- certainly not modern ones. In the past, we think of Oscar Wilde's fanciful tales, some of the early German romantics, and perhaps La Fontaine. Jean Dutourd has clearly been influenced by all these examples; artistically he equals none of them, and intellectually speaking, he's rather vulgar. But his thirty-six little yarns are nevertheless quite attractive, gay in the Gallic boulevard manner, refreshingly, if mildly, cynical. His gimmick is to turn all our childhood bromides on their collective ends; the title of the first story, for instance, is typical: ""Poverty Does Not Make Happiness."" Or take ""Prince Charming."" Here a young man, incredibly handsome, with ""all the virtues: good, obliging, diligent, loyal, and philosophical,"" finds life hell: nothing works, everyone resents him. He goes to a plastic surgeon: ""...turn me into a beast, so that I will be able at last to enjoy the pleasures of this world."" Ugly as sin, he now makes a fortune, possesses castles, yachts, women. ""From time to time, however, he could not help showing his intelligence; but he had become so nasty that he was admired for his shrewdness."" The best of these sketches close with a similarly funny, bleak click.

Pub Date: May 28, 1965

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1965

Categories: FICTION