Grove Press -- hcNew York -- ©1967 -- 177pp
Library of Congress catalog number: 67-20347
originally published in France as La Photo du Colonel
translated by Jean Stewart (except "Stoller in the Air," translated by John Russell)
A collection of short stories by absurdist playwright, Ionesco.
"Oriflamme"
"The Colonel's Photograph"
"The Stroller in the Air"
"A Victim of Duty"
"Rhinoceros"
"The Slough"
"Spring 1939"
It was very interesting to read these stories, most of which are also plays by the author. It is not clear if the stories were written before the plays or afterwards, but according to the inside flap of the dust cover, Ionesco prefers writing fiction to drama. There is certainly a sense of wonder, in his characters, over the events that happen in these absurdist pieces, and the playfulness, particularly in "Stoller" comes through nicely. A work such as "Oriflamme" or "Rhinoceros" might work better on stage because of the shock value of actually seeing a growing corpse or people turning in to rhinoceroses.
"Spring 1939" was interesting. I'm not sure if it's actual fragments of a journal or a story to come off that way. It grew a little tedious, which makes me think it's truly a journal.
For me this was a real pleasure. There isn't much Ionesco that I haven't already read (in English), so to find something like this, which is new to me is an absolute prize.
I can't imagine too many people liking this as I did, so it doesn't get recommended, but it does get "thumbs up."
