Secretos de belleza

by Jean Cocteau

Jean Cocteau fue un viajero impenitente y sin mapas, que puso su genio al servicio de una contradicción permanente. Poeta, novelista, dramaturgo, coreógrafo, pintor, dibujante, cineasta... Cocteau es ese viento intenso y fosforescente, un camaleón sensible cuya densidad impide el reduccionismo. Una figura proteica, centellante, oblicua (...)
Cocteau esboza si "teorema": la poesía no es un juego de la inteligencia, sino una actividad sagrada cuya riqueza dormita en lo más profundo de uno mismo. Este descubrimiento le impone a lo largo de su vida una actividad sin puntos de reposo. Para Cocteau, noche, alma y sueño son puntos de referencia, faros en el cosmos, guías para un hallazgo ignorado. Christian Kupchik

Genres: Poetry

Paperback

First published November 18, 2013

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

[Yecronopia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me encanta la traducción que se ha hecho de esta belleza. El prólogo es de una sutileza tal que es un poema de arte. El libro comprende una suerte de juego interno en el cuál se puede vislumbrar la vida del autor por medio de frases y fotografías. Traducir y encuadrar un personaje como Cocteau que no pasa desapercibido es todo un desafío realmente logrado.

[Sofia Bagdade · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cynical yet somehow impossibly bright reflection on poetry … poetry as “a thinking jewel,” “a piano without pedals,” a breathing sea plant.” I liked how this read like stepping into the dark recesses of a cycling mind

Personal favorite;
“Poetry works like lightning. Lightning strips a Shepard bare and carries his clothes several miles away. It imprints on a ploughman’s shoulder and the photograph of a young girl. It can obliterate a wall and leave a tulle curtain untouched…it creates unusual things”

[Laura Janeiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

IMPORTANTE: leer la reseña si se guían por las estrellas de la puntuación

El libro tiene dos partes. Primera parte (autoría de Jean Cocteau): 1 estrella.
Pequeñas frases que suponen un momento en la mente de Jean Cocteau, y que no merecen mayor atención. Podría haberme salteado esta parte sin arrepentimientos, si no interfiriera con mi trastorno obsesivo compulsivo lector.

Pero...

La introducción de Christian Kupchik le agrega una estrella
y la entrevista con William Fifield le agregó otra
y suma mucho la incorporación de dibujos de Cocteau
y lo bueno, si breve, dos veces bueno (otra estrella)
Resultado: 5 estrellas!!!

[stefania · Rating 5 out of 5]

“now is the time to cling to life and to believe in it. there’s so much to laugh about! the time has come to live - a little.”

[Lucio Thomson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es difícil clasificar este libro, pero es realmente precioso.

[kate]

honestly this was clouded by greek unseens test anxiety 😭 sorry jean

[☆ Annie ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is not by writing the word 'table' that one talks about a table. It is not by writing the word 'tree' that one talks about a tree; it is not by writing the word 'love' that one talks about love.

&

She said exactly what she wanted to say. Poetry was within her, and it expressed itself'

&

Journey's end.
This is the crisp early morning, with its bells, its roosters, its coughs, its growing beard. Now is the time to cling to life and to believe in it. There's so much to laugh about! The time has come to live -- a little.

Too beautiful, too honest, too real, too necessary; this was everything I was hoping it would be, and a little bit more. Just like a dream.

[Nova · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting concept but felt too martyr like for me. Separating art from artist (obviously Jean Concteau is very highly regarded in the avant garde world…), this book just didn’t resonate well for me.

The book expresses the idea that creatives must extend themselves to the end- to put one foot in death and one foot in life- is to be contrived with the curse of being a poet. It feels too ego-centric for me- the idea that a poet is always at its wits ends with God, must hate himself and only then will he produce art. I dont necessarily agree with this idea haha but I do understand why creatives feel the need to be… heroic, or at least in servitude to balancing reality and the dream world constantly.

[Milu Chahim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro es perfecto en todo sentido, la estructura en la que está editado, la selección de fotos, la poesía, todo es maravilloso. Esta editorial es una locura, cada vez que leo uno de sus libros pienso e cuidado que tiene detrás. Se nota la mano de su editor Cristian Kupchik en ese cuidado y amor, quien lo haya escuchado hablar de literatura lo sabe bien. Y quien no, es un buen momento para hacerlo.

[Iñäqui Ilarragorri · Rating 4 out of 5]

me encontré al editor y traductor en una feria, personaje encantador y un placer de leer, los aforismos estab buenos pero son aforismos al fin, ahora quiero reencarnar en paris a principios de siglo y salir a jugar con stravinsky y chanel como jean

[Micha · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s like someone just compiled whatever Cocteau quote that had poet poem or Picasso in it.

Love Cocteau and there were many good excerpts but I wish it had included other topics surrounding beauty as the title and introduction imply.

The quotes were well enchaînés but just too repetitive.

[Literatura y libertad · Rating 3 out of 5]

No me gustó tanto.

[Serafina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quel magnifique ouvrage…

[maddy]

i love cynical + delusional men! what can i say.

[Emily Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of stressful to keep up with even though it’s a short and light poetry book