Monsieur Le Commandant
by Romain Slocombe
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Pub Date 16 Sep 2013 | Archive Date 20 Oct 2015
Description
"Probably one of the most significant novels of this year."—L'Express
"As soon as you open Monsieur Le Commandant you will not be able to put it down, such is Slocombe's affinity for his subject matter. . . . His virtuosity and manner of storytelling reveal true talent. . . . Go out and buy a copy of Monsieur Le Commandant as soon as you can. Read it; you'll be glad you did."—Le Point
"The novel is, in a unique way, a powerful piece of Resistance literature."—La Vie
French Academician and Nazi sympathizer Paul-Jean Husson writes a letter to his local SS officer in the autumn of 1942.
Tormented by an illicit passion for Ilse, his German daughter-in-law, Husson has made a decision that will devastate several lives, including his own.
The letter is intended to explain his actions. It is a dramatic, sometimes harrowing story that begins in the years leading up to the war, when following the accidental drowning of his daughter, Husson's previously gilded life begins to unravel.
And through Husson's confession, Romain Slocombe gives the reader a startling picture of a man's journey: from pillar of the French Establishment and World War One hero to outspoken supporter of Nazi ideology and the Vichy government.
Romain Slocombe is a writer, director, translator, illustrator, cartoonist, and photographer. He was born in Paris in 1953.
Advance Praise
'Harrowing epistolary novel, elegantly translated by Jesse Browner' --The Independent
'A brilliantly told, unflinching account' -- --The Lady
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781908313508 |
| PRICE | £8.99 (GBP) |
Average rating from 12 members
Featured Reviews
Reviewer 205352
A harrowing and disturbing tale of collaboration and betrayal.
French Academician and Nazi sympathizer Paul-Jean Husson writes a letter to his local SS officer in the autumn of 1942.
This isn’t a comfortable read and certainly not for the squeamish. The book is essentially a long letter detailing Husson’s life so far and shows as France being in turmoil, where old allegiances are transposed and family secrets create hidden conflicts.
The book doesn’t pull any punches in its brutal descriptions of interrogation techniques used to gain information on the resistance, but does keep your attention throughout as you learn more about Husson, his hateful beliefs and his hypocrisy.
At one point I wasn’t sure whether this was fiction or an accurate account of a Vichy sympathiser.
A haunting and disturbing book, but necessary read if you want to understand more the convulsions of France following German occupation.
aurore p, Reviewer
Grim, but gripping... It will take me a while to process this as there's lots of ideas crammed into this book, and the end is very disturbing. Feels like a brave book to write, and the history it details is still hard to take and accept, all these years later.
