Stefan Themerson’s Followers (34)

Stefan Themerson

Born

in Płock, Poland

January 25, 1910

Died

September 06, 1988

Website

http://www.themersonarchive.com

Genre

Literature & Fiction, Philosophy, Poetry

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Stefan Themerson was a Polish, later British poet, novelist, film-maker, composer and philosopher.

Stefan Themerson was born in Plock (Poland) in 1910, the son of a doctor. He studied physics at the University of Warsaw and architecture at the Warsaw Polytechnic. In his twenties, Stefan became well-known in Poland as an author of children’s books.

Stefan got married in 1931 to Franciszka. Between 1931 and 1937, the Themersons made several experimental films and Stefan invented new techniques for photograms. 'Adventures of a Good Citizen' (1937) was the fifth and the last of their pre-war films and the only one that has survived.

The Themersons played a major role in the history of independent, experimental and pre-war cinema in Poland, their s Stefan Themerson was a Polish, later British poet, novelist, film-maker, composer and philosopher.

Stefan Themerson was born in Plock (Poland) in 1910, the son of a doctor. He studied physics at the University of Warsaw and architecture at the Warsaw Polytechnic. In his twenties, Stefan became well-known in Poland as an author of children’s books.

Stefan got married in 1931 to Franciszka. Between 1931 and 1937, the Themersons made several experimental films and Stefan invented new techniques for photograms. 'Adventures of a Good Citizen' (1937) was the fifth and the last of their pre-war films and the only one that has survived.

The Themersons played a major role in the history of independent, experimental and pre-war cinema in Poland, their significance for the development of the Polish avant-garde film is enormous.

The Themersons moved to Paris in 1937, to be at the heart of the art world. Two days after the start of the Second World War Stefan and Franciszka volunteered for the Polish army. In 1940 Franciszka escaped by moving to London. Stefan served in the Polish army in France, ending up in a Polish Red Cross hostel in Voiron, 1940-42.

At this time Stefan wrote his first novel, Professor Mmaa’s Lecture. After two years of separation Stefan and Franciszka were reunited in London in 1942. They made two more films, 1942-44.

In 1948 the Themersons founded a publishing house: the Gaberbocchus Press. In 31 years they published over sixty titles, including works by Alfred Jarry, Kurt Schwitters and Bertrand Russell.

In 1953 Stefan’s Professor Mmaa’s Lecture was first published. It is still a classic in Poland.

Through the 60s and 70s, Stefan’s books were published by Gaberbocchus Press, for example philosophical novels, children’s books, poetry, essays and a libretto and music for an opera.

His books have been translated in eight languages.

He invented 'semantic poetry' which first appeared in his novel Bayamus (1949). It is a sort of poetry that prefers the matter-of-fact meanings of words in dictionary definitions to the romantic euphemism of poetic conventions.

Ethics, language, freedom, human dignity and the importance of good manners are the topics Stefan wrote about most.

His novels range from elaborate allegories to satirical thrillers. The humanitarian philosophy that underpins them all was crystallised in The Chair of Decency, a talk given as the Huizinga lecture in Leyden in 1981. It contrasted the innate sense of good with which man is born, with the impassioned pursuit of belief and causes by which he is subsequently deluded. ...more

Combine Editions
Stefan Themerson’s books

Average rating: 4.09 · 1,206 ratings · 127 reviews · 52 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Mystery of the Sardine 3.83 avg rating — 252 ratings — published 1986 — 16 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Professor Mmaa's Lecture by Stefan Themerson, Bertrand Russell (Introduction) 4.18 avg rating — 131 ratings — published 1953 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Hobson's Island by Stefan Themerson, Barbara Wright (Preface) 3.97 avg rating — 72 ratings — published 1988 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Table That Ran Away to the Woods by Stefan Themerson, Franciszka Themerson (Illustrator) 3.72 avg rating — 65 ratings — published 2012 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Przygody Pędrka Wyrzutka 4.24 avg rating — 49 ratings — published 1950 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Bayamus & Cardinal Pölätüo by Stefan Themerson, Keith Waldrop (Introduction) 4.19 avg rating — 48 ratings — published 1997 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Tom Harris 3.86 avg rating — 43 ratings — published 1967 — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Wooff Wooff or Who Killed Richard Wagner? 4.15 avg rating — 34 ratings — published 1951 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Mr Rouse Builds His House by Stefan Themerson, Franciszka Themerson (Illustrations), Barbara Wright (Translator) 4.34 avg rating — 32 ratings — published 1950 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Kardynał Pölätüo. Generał Piesc 4.10 avg rating — 20 ratings — published 2013 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Quotes by Stefan Themerson (?)

“İçinde bir parça kahkaha olmayan bir ciddiyet hakikaten hakiki olamaz.”
― Stefan Themerson, The Mystery of the Sardine

tags: hakiki-ciddiyet

1 likes

“A page of a book is like a human face. Look at a page by Hemingway and compare it with Sterne and Marcel Proust. They are different typographical beings. But force upon them those ragged edges, and the influence of the author’s style on the physical aspect of the page, their typographical physiognomy will disappear. No, unjustified setting is a sort of gleichschaltung [enforced conformity] through diversity, a very phoney diversity. Produced methodically by chance. For the comfort of the keyboard, and not for the comfort of the eye.”
― Stefan Themerson

tags: literature, typography

0 likes

“Kazanmak bir insanın güçlü olduğunu değil terbiyeden yoksun olduğunu gösteriyordu.”
― Stefan Themerson, The Mystery of the Sardine

tags: tespit

0 likes

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