Et on tuera tous les affreux (1948) – Boris Vian
Et on tuera tous les affreux [Eng: Let’s Kill All The Uglies] is a French detective novel by Vernon Sullivan, the pseudonym of Boris Vian, first published in 1948 by Scorpion. The novel, like many others (the most famous of which is I Spit On Your Grave), was supposedly written by a certain American writer called Vernon Sullivan, of which Boris Vian pretended to be the translator. [Dec 2006]
I know only a little bit about Vian. He was one of those infinitely connected nodes. Amazing how much we know about Jamaican Culture in Britain but how little about that of our (extremely wonderful and interesting neighbours). If I was the editor of The Wire I’d look into things like this. Vian was the dude who fixed up all the Jazz for Paris in the 40s and 50s. He brought Ellington over to France … He’s the early reincarnation of that perennial French figure, the Afro-American culture importer. In the late 60s we have Daniel Caux bringing over the Free crew for the Shandar stuff [and also here] and in the 90s we have Laurent Garnier getting the Detroit lot over. — Woebot on Vian [2003].
See also: Boris Vian
Hurray! Boris Vian is my favorite French writer! 🙂
He’s the synthesis of existentialism, surrealism and non-sensical humour. L’Ecume des Jours is a must read.
He was fond of American novels and parodized them under this pseudonym. It’s a great idea to pretend to be only the translator of your own novel, giving you the detachment necessary to avoid a direct critique and the liberty to self-promote yourself as a foreigner. These novels are quite politically incorrect, and still are today.
They are great scripts for edgy B-movies. I wonder why there hasn’t been more film adaptations.