This author became known for crafting his own literary legend. His works offer penetrating insights into the strange collections of misfits and drifters he observed in his surroundings. He immersed himself in the unglamorous underworld of Tinseltown, encountering dope dealers, extras, gangsters, whores, and has-beens. His literary masterpieces are renowned for their tragic atmosphere and realistic portrayals.
West's debut novel follows Balso, a young man on a cynical quest for meaning through surreal encounters within the Trojan Horse. He discovers the horse in the grass near Troy and humorously navigates its openings, leading to an exploration of his immaturity and desires.
A Cool Million satirizes the Horatio Alger myth of success through the disassembly of Lemuel Pitkin, reminiscent of Voltaire’s Candide. Pitkin, a typical 'Schlemiel', navigates a series of misfortunes, facing robbery, deceit, wrongful arrest, and exploitation.
A book of essays on dynamic, transgressive 20th century figures and the necessity and perils of translating their work.
"In The Day of the Locust a young artist, Tod Hackett, arrives in LA full of dreams. But celebrity and artifice rule and he soon joins the ranks of the disenchanted that drift around the fringes of Hollywood. When he meets Faye Greener, an aspiring actress, he is intoxicated and his desperate passion explodes into rage... The edition also includes the off-kilter, darkly comic tale Miss Lonelyhearts"--page [4] of cover.
As described by Atkinson in the NY Times: "A scornful feature editor of a newspaper picks an ambitious young reporter to conduct the advice of the lovelorn column. Ambitious, opportunistic, 'Miss Lonelyhearts,' as the conductor of the column is inevitably dubbed, begins with contempt of the correspondents and confidence in his own cleverness. As time goes on, the genuineness of the agony in the letters that come in gets under the skin of the columnist. He is distressed to find himself presiding over a monstrous swindle. For he is an idealist in collision with humanity, as his diabolical managing editor expresses it."
The Day of the Locust; The Dream Life of Balso Snell; Miss Lonelyhearts; A Cool Million
This is a collection of West`s novels - "The Dream Life of Balso Snell", "Miss Lonely-hearts, "A Cool Million" and "The Day of the Locust"
Nathanael West's works capture the complex and often absurd realities of American life, showcasing a blend of humor and horror. "A Cool Million" is a satirical take on the classic Horatio Alger narrative, set against the backdrop of the Great Depression. In contrast, "The Dream Life of Balso Snell" presents a surreal journey filled with bizarre escapades within the Trojan horse, highlighting West's unique storytelling style and imaginative themes. Both works reflect his sharp critique of society during turbulent times.
Following the tale of Tod Hackett - a brilliant young artist who is brought to an LA studio as a set designer - 'The Day of the Locust' is an exposure of the sordid reality beneath the surface of Hollywood.
Tod Hackett is a brilliant young artist - and a man in danger of losing his heart. Brought to an LA studio as a set-designer, he is soon caught up in a fantasy world where the cult of celebrity rules. But when he becomes besotted by the beautiful Faye, an aspiring actress and occasional call-girl, his dream rapidly becomes a nightmare. schovat popis
The four novels gathered here, Miss Lonelyhearts, A Cool Million, The Day of the Locust and The Dream Life of Balso Snell, constitute the complete longer works of one the most brilliant and original American writers.
