Un Américain en enfer

by Melvin Van Peebles, Frédéric Brument (Translator)

Un roman culte des années 70 sur le " rêve américain ". Jeune Noir américain du début du XXe siècle, Abe n'aura connu qu'une courte vie de misère et d'injustice lorsqu'il meurt à vingt-sept ans. Expédié directement en enfer, il profite de cet éternel séjour pour s'instruire et tenter de comprendre pourquoi le " rêve américain " est resté inachevé.
Sympathisant avec un Blanc, Dave, ancien éclaireur de la conquête de l'Ouest scalpé par les Indiens, Abe persuade le Diable (un manager moderne, amateur de jazz et de partouzes) de les renvoyer tous deux dans l'Amérique de 1938. Séparés, mais promettant de se retrouver, les deux amis vont alors suivre des chemins différents, semés d'embûches. Pendant ce temps, alors qu'éclate la Seconde Guerre mondiale, avec son gros lot de clients, le Diable se frotte les mains...

" Agilité d'esprit tranchante, lucidité implacable enrobée dans des dialogues jouissifs, Van Peebles dézingue la "démocratie' américaine. L'humour sert ici d'antidote au désespoir. " Laurent Raphaël, Focus-Le Vif

" Au moment où le monde entier se rappelle le sort tragique des Noirs américains, on conseillera de se plonger dans cette fable grinçante publiée aux États-Unis en 1976. " Arnaud Gonzague, L'Obs

Traduit de l'anglais (Etats-Unis) par Frédéric Brument.

238 pages, Pocket Book

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Melvin Van Peebles (born Melvin Peebles; August 21, 1932 – September 21, 2021) was an American actor, filmmaker, writer, and composer. He worked as an active filmmaker into the 2000s. His feature film debut, The Story of a Three-Day Pass (1967), was based on his own French-language novel La Permission and was shot in France, as it was difficult for a black American director to get work at the time. The film won an award at the San Francisco International Film Festival which gained him the interest of Hollywood studios, leading to his American feature debut Watermelon Man, in 1970. Eschewing further overtures from Hollywood, he used the successes he had so far to bankroll his work as an independent filmmaker.

In 1971, he released his best-known work, creating and starring in the film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, considered one of the earliest and best-regarded examples of the blaxploitation genre. He followed this up with the musical, Don't Play Us Cheap, based on his own stage play, and continued to make films, write novels and stage plays in English and in French through the next several decades; his final films include the French-language film Le Conte du ventre plein (2000) and the absurdist film Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha (2008). His son, filmmaker and actor Mario Van Peebles, appeared in several of his works and portrayed him in the 2003 biographical film Baadasssss!.

Reviews

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un libro completamente plagado de humor negro. A pesar de haber sido escrito en 1960, toca un tema que aún sigue vigente, el racismo. Lo recomiendo completamente para reír a carcajadas y hacer conciencia.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an American classic. I don't want to tell you about it--I want to save it for me.