An Attempt at Exhausting a Place in Paris by Georges Perec

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Georges Perec wrote this fascinating little (very little but beautifully designed) book regarding one location in Paris, and documenting what was happening around that section. And that is basically it! Buses come and go, taxi stand, children walk by as others. Totally uninteresting and that is what's interesting about it.

Perec only records what's not interesting and by doing that he is capturing a series of moments that one never pays attention to. And there is a beauty to that. Also Perec is hysterical. His little side-comments are priceless and very dry. It is almost like reading notes from a detective at a stake-out (is that the term), but there is nothing to report! I love that.

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