Celine books?

[whiskeyandwater]

So as we all know Bukowski loved Celine.
Now, which ones have you have read any of his works?
And if so, which ones are good?

 

[Purple Stickpin]

https://bukowskiforum.com/showthread.php?t=4301&highlight=Celine

There are a few more. Try a "Celine" search in "All Things *Not* Bukowski."

 

[Black Swan]

Death. . .

 

[zenguru]

I thought of picking up Celine's "Journey Into the Night" at my local B&N, but someone else got to it before me.:mad:

Never read Celine, though I am curious.

 

[Black Swan]

Céline has moved me more than any other writer, including Buk. And I can understand why Buk liked him so much. The first one I read was Journey... which was brilliant, but to me Death on the Instalment Plan brought out a full spectrum of emotions, along with pure amazement.
I am sure that I have said that elsewhere, but the fact remains.

 

[Pessimist]

I've read Journey and Death, both in French while I was at school. There are some great lines from Journey I think of still. Can't remember much of the second -- after Black Swan's comment, I'll make a point of finding a copy and re-reading it. Tried Guignol's Band, but my argot was too weak and it was too much of a slog to read.

I'd recommend Ralph Manheim's translation, instead of the original one by John H. P. Marks - the latter is fine work, but was heavily censored when it came out in the 1930s, lest tender anglo ears be offended.

 

[Black Swan]

Yeah I agree with the Manheim's translation too.
Although I'm French, I read Céline in English first. I admit that the french argot is very difficult to get , probably because I'm from Canada.
I gave up half way through of Guignol's.....

 

[Pessimist]

probably because I'm from Canada

Ah ouais?! If it was written in joual instead of argot I'd probably be okay. Sigh. You in Montreal? I used to live there, and miss it terribly.

 

[Black Swan]

I'm in Lachine by the lake. Were you downtown?
With Montreal, it is a love and hate thing. Always torn between P.Q. and B.C.

 

[ExPresidents]

But remember, it was Marks' translation that Buk fell in love with and re-read many times over. Another person who adored this book (and translation) was Jim Morrison.

 

[Buk is God]

So after Journey what would people recommend? Death on Credit? Should I go any further than that? Guignol's Band?

 

[skiroomalum]

Slayer or Danzig are two decent choices. If you want the Swedish effect I recommend Autopsy Torment or Death Breath. Runemagick used to be good but now they suck.

 

[Black Swan]

So after Journey what would people recommend? Death on Credit? Should I go any further than that? Guignol's Band?

I would go with Death on Credit.
It tells a lot about Céline's childhood.

 

[BukFan Brad]

All you need is 'Journey to the End of the Night'. That's Celine's blueprint. What he took to write it, I have no idea! A cocktail of speed and amphetamines. Did they have drugs like that in the 1930s?

Following 'Journey', I tried to read one other but it made me yawn. It might have been 'Death on Credit' or something! All his juice had gone into 'Journey'!

Make sure you get an edition that has all the expletives intact. I recommend the Calder edition, beaut language and a great front cover:

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/louis-ferdinand-celine/journey-to-end-of-night.htm