My Contemporaries

by Jean Cocteau

Recollections of Proust, Piaf, Colette, and a host of luminaries from Bohemian Paris




For almost 50 years up until his death in 1963, Jean Cocteau held a unique place in French cultural life. The breadth of his artistic success bears witness to the astounding variety of his talents. In the fields of theater, cinema, art, ballet, and literature, Cocteau made many lifelong friends. Intimate portraits of some of the greatest artists of his age are included in this memorable memoir. Jean Cocteau was drawn to larger-than-life or seemingly unreal characters. He believed that their unreality was often the clue to the secrets of their personality. In descriptions of his contemporaries, Cocteau is able to illustrate everything that is accessible, sympathetic, memorable, durable, all-pervading, or dazzling about them. Ranging from the moving and atmospheric (the dying Proust in his cork-lined chamber) to the hilariously camp (Colette being carried from her apartment by sedan chair to have lunch across the road), it is in these portraits that the essence of his own work can be found. The portraits include Proust, Picasso, Piaf, Colette, Chaplin, and many more.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

188 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (5 July 1889 – 11 October 1963) was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, boxing manager, playwright and filmmaker. Along with other Surrealists of his generation (Jean Anouilh and René Char for example) Cocteau grappled with the "algebra" of verbal codes old and new, mise en scène language and technologies of modernism to create a paradox: a classical avant-garde. His circle of associates, friends and lovers included Jean Marais, Henri Bernstein, Colette, Édith Piaf, whom he cast in one of his one act plays entitled Le Bel Indifferent in 1940, and Raymond Radiguet.

His work was played out in the theatrical world of the Grands Theatres, the Boulevards and beyond during the Parisian epoque he both lived through and helped define and create. His versatile, unconventional approach and enormous output brought him international acclaim.

Reviews

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me this was one of the more accessible of Cocteau's books that I have read so far. It is a collection from other books and sources, generally short pieces about some of his friends. I was especially taken with the portraits of Colette, Charlie Chaplin and Picasso which made me want to explore the work of all three. The longest piece is about Giorgio de Chirico, with a more stylised approach to the writing, which I did not get on with quite so well.

I do find Cocteau quite fascinating, connected as he was with so many great artists of the 20th Century, and although his writing can be complicated sometimes it is almost mesmerising, and I do find myself going back for more.

[vanessaferrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The essay on giorgio di chirico is easily my favorite thing i’ve read this year

[Jim Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once I realized that this was not a book put out by Cocteau but someone else’s collection of short biographies/reminiscences by him, my excitement about reading this book changed. Add to that the poorly written introductions to each section, the sometimes strange translations of Cocteau’s text, and the fact the Cocteau was always more interested in Cocteau than almost anyone else and you have a lackluster book that really adds nothing to my understanding of such luminaries as Edith Piaf, Charlie Chaplin, Modigliani, or Jean Marais. I only enjoyed the pieces on Apollinaire, Princess Eugenie, and Picasso.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Proust is so stylish.

[Monique]

Not finished. Will read later.