MY CONTEMPORARIES

by Jean Cocteau ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 19, 1968

The ubiquitous and versatile Jean Cocteau coined the term poesie critique which is essentially what these shorter pieces, along with his drawings, are. They are also, of course, highly impressionistic and individualistic, paradoxical (particularly the one on Chirico), facile. Most of them deal with his friends, (""I have said somewhere that I was better at making friends than at making love""), some of whom he served as accoucheur. Here selected, collected, translated and annotated by the editor--Catulle Mendes, Chaplin, the Empress Eugenie, Apollinaire, Radiguet, Proust, among others. Always there are the small. memorable touches: Maurice Sachs stuffing his pockets with toiletpaper when broke to give himself an illusion of wealth; Picasso, the ""rag and bone man of genius"" picking up everything to be later transmuted. The accompanying Cocteau sketches have not been seen but will no doubt implement the mobility and charm of the text.

Pub Date: Sept. 19, 1968

ISBN: 0720612586

Page Count: -

Publisher: Chilton

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1968

Categories: NONFICTION