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Books

Which great French novelist was also a crossword-setter?

Answer: Georges Perec. And it shows in his writing. A review of Portrait of a Man, by Georges Perec, translated and with an introduction by David Bellos

15 November 2014

9:00 AM

15 November 2014

9:00 AM

Portrait of a Man Georges Perec (translated and with an introduction by David Bellos)

MacLehose Press, pp.173, £12.99, ISBN: 9780857052384

One could have endless fun setting quiz questions about Georges Perec. Which French novelist had a scientific paper, ‘Experimental demonstration of the Tomatotropic organisation in the Soprano (Cantatrix sopranico L)’ included in a scientific festschrift at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique? (The article charted the ‘yelling reaction’ — YR —of singers pelted with ‘Tomato rungisia vulgaris’.)

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