Story of Love in Solitude, by Roger Lewinter. Translated from the French by Rachel Careau. Chequebook 8vo, [2] 5[1] pages, colophon, Published by Philip Booth at Oblique Books, Printed by Matt McKenzie at the Paekakariki Press, August 2024.
Set in Garamond face type and printed in black with the title-page printed in light plum and black. Copies 1-18 on Japon vellum (priced at £75, but please check availability), copies 19-100 on Ingres paper. Loose-leaved in the French manner with cream covers printed as the title page (exepting a pattern of dates on the rear cover). Folded into a glassine wrapper. New. £28
Roger Lewinter's Story of Love in Solitude, first published in French as Histoire d'amour dans la solitude, is the first book to be published by Oblique Books. The translation by Rachel Careau was originally published by New Directions, New York, in 2016. This Oblique Book marks the first publication of Roger Lewinter in the United Kingdom.
‘Story of Love in Solitude’ is a love story, but it is also an unclassifiable book. It’s a murder story, a web of intrigue, and then it’s a comedy, and then it’s a tragedy too, or just maybe it doesn’t make any sense at all and it’s an attack of hiccoughs that unexpectedly stops. And that is only from the point of view of a spider eating, living, making love. For a human being, it is the most carapace-chilling thriller ever written. Be thankful that André Breton gave us the word and that at Sims, Reed they have the money to celebrate the centenary. As well as Collinge & Clark, copies of SOLIS are available at Tindley & Everett, 4 Cecil Court, and Shakespeare and Company, 37 Rue de la Bûcherie.
Oblique Books is a London-based imprint founded in 2023. It focuses on publishing concise works of literature. Roger Lewinter will form part of this programme, especially the outstanding translations of his work by Careau and the author's own translations of Rainer Maria Rilke. Alongside this, Oblike Books seeks to publish compositions by emerging writers and artists - using letterpress and analogue techniques only. With a predilection for works in translation, a feeling for continental book production and design, the publisher will also be looking to print books outside of the U.K. in the desire to broaden literary and visual communications.
