Great Reading: Guignol’s Band by Louis-Ferdinand Céline

I can’t help saying that when I die I’d like to be left on the pavement as is, just like that, all alone in front of The London… let everyone go away… you wouldn’t see anything happening… I think I’d be carried off gently… That’s my notion… faith in the gloom… It hasn’t any basis, of course… Ah! Good thing I’m aware of it… I’m joking, it’s just an impression… brief futility… an idle thought… Boy!

Just finally finishing read this novel a little while ago! Right, so having another go at writing something about a book so here goes, OK? That italic bit just above is the end of page 78 of my Alma Classic edition I have, most likely not the best thing to quote in my blog if I what you or anyone to check it out but it’s a great one, really it is! That’s how the whole thing is written, three dots after a few words. When I did started it, I said to myself that’s how I’m writing my blog from now on but didn’t in the end. I totally love it, great novel but then it started this writing style did piss me off a little but I then got into the swing of it. The author himself in the little intro did say critics hated this and him because of it but just goes on to say pretty much get over it, really it’s pretty perfect writing style for all the insanely in this book!

This was written and first published in 1944 in France and then the English translation was in 1954. That’s just WWII and the whole thing is set in London wartime WWI. Oh, it’s a novel, fiction book too and nothing to do with some music/band. Sorry about that, if I didn’t make that clear yet. There is a piano player in it who keeps getting ask to play Merry Window Waltz so here it is now, as the song for this post!

I can’t remember how I found it but will after posting this post? Some reason I got it into my head to get it but then couldn’t find it at all, anywhere. It’s a totally underrated novel and you to should read it but I’m most likely doing a shit job of PR, today? I don’t why I do this, blog about books. It’s a bit déjà vu because now I remember why I don’t blog about books, I gibber on and on about nothing to do with the book itself.

So the main character name is Ferdinand who a French army war disabled ex-soldier which you don’t find out his full injures until page 199 of 244. He’s homeless in London too, falls in with a pimp, whores, then pawn-broker, piano player, even a midget etc. All sorts of chaos happens in World War One London but it seems only one main police office is there to try and stop it but he’s just a bad as everyone else, maybe even worst. All this crazy shit leads to, what a Hollywood movie or TV series would call a big huge cliffhanger and his next novel called London Bridge which god knows what happens in that? Because how is it going to top all this madness?

Louis-Ferdinand Céline most well known novels are Journey To The End Of The Night and Death On Credit which I think I will be reading too but London Bridge is first. Five full stars out of five rating for me too!

guignols-band — This is what my copy’s front cover looks like, you know?

Over here blogger highwayqueens started up her own book club a couple of months back, I was thinking about joining her book club but I would be total hopeless member. I know I wouldn’t most likely read what I should be reading because I pick things at almost random and just read plus a few books are always on the go too! Maybe someone seeing this post might want to join her? If their is such as a thing of an A1000Mistakes book club? NOT! Should that just be here are some links to what total rubbish I typed after reading these:

So that’s seven books I’ve pretty much forgotten I blogged about. Adding number eight today. Maybe, I might write some more blog posts about books so this is the very first one this year. OK, how about I will try for the next six months to do one book per month. I might throw in some of my all-time faves too and if anyone wants to join in? Please do so below in the comments bit! I did re-join that GoodReads website but I can’t review a book to save my life, can’t put this shuff on that but off course, can on my own blog! If you’ve read Guignol’s Band too, please do let me know? Maybe you could write something a little more helpful than what I have above?

Cheers 🙂