Andrei Codrescu Books

Gathers poems by Kay Boyle, Ted Berrigan, Ishmael Reed, David Shapiro, Maxine Chernoff, Tom Clark, and Bernadette Bayer

s/t: & What Happened AfterwardsIn New York City in 1969, Andrei Codrescu, a Romanian poet just beginning to master the American vernacular, began writing The Life & Times of an Involuntary Genius (1975), a memoir of antic Communist youth now recognized as a classic of comic self-creation. "There I was, twenty-three years old, the possessor of a wealth of experience which had already spawned an equal if not greater quantity of mythicizing anecdotes."Anecdote 1: He was the intellectual love child of Transylvania's great culture heroes, Dracula and Ionesco, twin totems of the Immortal and the Absurd. Anecdote 2: He was a political exile from Communist Europe, and everyone knows that all exiles are geniuses. A later anecdote the one about the enormous file the INS had collected on him and his left-wing Neo-Beat activities provides the subject of the sequel, In America's Shoes (1983), the mock epic of his quest to become a U.S. citizen.This new book collects both of Codrescu's memoirs, together with the now-middle-aged author's wry notes on the young man who wrote them. While traveling the road from the Balkan forest to the land of the free, he writes, "I never abandoned my rebellious Romanian generation, within which I'd been raised a baby dissident destined for great things and prison. I just put on a cape ' a Dracula cape, with a star-spangled lining ' to complete the picture."

The Stiffest of the Corpse brings together the best of the radical journal of books and ideas that galvanized the tepid literary world of the 1980s. Talk, erudition and savagery join here for a truly international assault on a mass hypnosis and image manipulation. This collection should further fuel the controversies that are the life blood of the Corpse. Andrei Codrescu is a poet, memorialist, essayist, and translator. He is a regular commentator on National Public Radio, and Professor of English at Louisiana State University. Born in Transylvania, Romania, on December 20, 1946, he lives in New Orleans.

Set against the backdrop of an impending apocalypse, two young women from vastly different backgrounds come together to become humanity's final hope. Their unlikely alliance explores themes of resilience, friendship, and the struggle against overwhelming odds as they confront the looming threat of Armageddon. The narrative highlights their journey of self-discovery and the power of unity in the face of despair.

Set in late-90s Cuba, the narrative provides a vivid exploration of the country's culture and society, highlighting the contrasts between bustling Havana cafes and the enigmatic areas of Santiago de Cuba. Through the lens of an NPR reporter, readers gain insightful perspectives on the daily life and complexities of Cuban existence during this era, making it both engaging and enlightening.

Set against a historical backdrop, this novel presents a captivating portrayal of Giacomo Casanova as he reflects on his passionate escapades and humorous encounters. Infused with eroticism and comedy, the narrative invites readers into a world of romance and mischief, showcasing Casanova's charm and the vibrant experiences that define his legendary life. Through witty storytelling, it explores themes of love, desire, and the complexities of human relationships.

Uhorská grófka Alžbeta Bátoriová (1560 - 1613) bola krásna, bohatá a vzdelaná. Ľudia ju zbožňovali. Vlastná zložitá povaha, mrzutosť a zvrátenosť z nej však spravili pravdepodobne najhroznejšiu vrahyňu v dejinách... Keď sa v šestnástich rokoch dostala k moci, začala sa oddávať hýreniu. Výdatne jej v tom pomáhala duchovná radkyňa Darvulia. Plynutie času a nadmiera čoraz bizarnejších rozkoší v Alžbete napokon vyvolali strach o svoju krásu. Čarodejnice jej poradili, aby si regenerovala telo v kúpeľoch z krvi panien. V grófkiných zámkoch našlo smrť údajne šesťstopäťdesiat mladých žien... Priamy potomok grófky Alžbety Bátoriovej, Drake Bátori-Keresztúr, je maďarský emigrant žijúci v New Yorku na konci dvadsiateho storočia. Po páde komunizmu sa vracia do rodnej krajiny, aby tam hľadal mladosť. Namiesto nej však nájde čosi oveľa desivejšie: všadeprítomné stopy krvilačnej grófky Bátoriovej... Román ponúka pozoruhodné rozprávanie o dvoch epochách a dvoch ľuďoch, ktorí nezapadali do svojej doby. Príbehy Draka a Alžbety autor majstrovsky skombinoval do napínavej kroniky o nadčasovej zmyselnosti a šokujúceho rozprávania o mladosti, starnutí, slobode a moci.

„Svým Mesiášem Andrei Codrescu zaběhl na trávník Isaaka Singera, kde se nadskutečno mísí s nadpřirozenem, s brilantně utkanými postavami z konce století a kde se spřádají rozhovory s různými sektami, poblázněnými přelomem milénia. Pradávné touhy po věčnosti se mísí se špičkovou technikou modemů… Co vlastně znamená spasení v éře digitální mánie? Codrescu pátral po odpovědích tak zaujatě, až mu z toho hořely uši.“ Ed Sanders