Jean Genet

by Stephen Barber

This title includes an introduction by Edmund White. This new short biography and critical work cuts directly to the essence of Genet's life, a life of extraordinary spectacle that was always profoundly entangled with his work. Stephen Barber emphasises those elements that made his life particularly inspirational in the 1960s and which continue to make it vital for readers today. Genet's work is a distillation of preoccupations and reinventions of crucial matters sex, desire, death and revolution all of which became mediated in the form of his own travels, imprisonments, sexual and emotional relationships, political engagements and protests. The book focuses directly on moments in Genet's life in which those preoccupations are vividly projected for the reader. Genet's novels, theatre works and film projects have been hugely influential for a vast array of writers, film-makers, choreographers and theatre directors, especially at moments of social crisis. Genet has also been an ambivalent icon for the gay movement, for transvestite cultures and for creative and revolutionary individuals internationally. This book will appeal to a wide range of readers: those engaged with sexual, gender, political and revolutionary issues, all of which are illuminated by Genet's life and work. It will also appeal to extensive readerships of students, of history, literature, theatre, film and visual media.

Genres: Biography, Biography Memoir, Nonfiction

176 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2005

Reviews

[George Ilsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly of interest to those who don't know a lot about Genet. A short, dense work, and awkward. Early on I was blaming a clunky translation— until I realized that it was written in English!

Here is an example sentence from the section "Genet Fragments". This is by no means the best example of awkwardness, but this one sentence does manage however to gently mock its own content and posturing.

"He worked within the medium of the fragment with the awareness that it provided his preoccupations (themselves often concerned with the abruptness of visual and sensory revelations) with an articulatory lucidity that came from its density and the concentration of its textual elements; this kind of intentional fragmentation possessed the power to project an idea or image with shattering precision, like that contained by a cry or exclamation, though edged with the danger that such an impacted and volatile means of expression might become scrambled by an excess of its elements."

Scrambled by an excess of elements ... indeed. The point was well made.

And is it just me, or is anyone else tired of everything "interrogating" everything else? There is so much interrogation in the world now — surely this is a form of linguistic or critical torture.

Also, strangely, Barber refers to "the Lebanon" and "the Yemen"; terminology that feels quaint and outdated, but perhaps just British. But what do I know — I am from the Canada.

[Tosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not that crazy about Stephen Barber's book on Artaud, but I think his little book on Genet is a really great jem. Even Edmund White likes it - and he wrote a great biography on Genet. In fact I pretty much recommend the Reaktion Books Critical Lives series. All of them are super interesting, it not great. And this little Genet bio is pretty great.

[Michael X · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basically, Genet was a thief turned literary/cinema sensation by being at the right place at the right time. Europe was crumbling and its aftermath left it open for his works (some of which he wrote in prison) to be exaulted. Stephen Barber writes less scholarly in this book, taking on a more dramatic tone, which is a nice change from his other writings.

[W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A historical account of a whore's son who was left to grow up at an orphanage. From petty shoplifter to a blackpanthers sympathiser and finally an activist for the Palestinian cause. This book is a good start to familiarise yourself with the man behind his works that are not necessarily appealing to everyone. Very bold and worthy of respect and acknowledgement.

[Iris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is for those who always felt excruciatingly uncomfortable in Genet’s presence and yet cannot resist a certain (guilty) fascination with his life and work. The book is short and yet complete. (Fassbinder’s Querelle acquires a renewed appreciation after reading this book.)