Description
"A lyrical and erotic reimagining of the gay Greek-Alexandrian poet C.P. Cavafy's three-day trip to Paris in 1897 . . . dizzying, fevered and beautiful." --The MillionsWinner of the 2019 National Translation AwardIn June 1897, the young Constantine Cavafy arrives in Paris on the last stop of a long European tour, a trip that will deeply shape his future and push him toward his poetic inclination. With this lyrical novel, tinged with a hallucinatory eroticism that unfolds over three unforgettable days, celebrated Greek author Ersi Sotiropoulos depicts Cavafy in the midst of a journey of self-discovery across a continent on the brink of massive change. He is by turns exhilarated and tormented by his homosexuality; the Greek-Turkish War has ended in Greece's defeat and humiliation; France is torn by the Dreyfus Affair, and Cavafy's native Alexandria has surrendered to the indolent rhythms of the East. A stunning portrait of a budding author--before he became one of the 20th century's greatest poets--that illuminates the complex relationship of art, life, and the erotic desires that trigger creativity.
"A perfect book." ―Edmund White, author of
A Boy's Own Story"The novel is as sensual as it is erudite, a stirringly intimate exploration of the private, earthy place where creation commences." ―
The Wall Street Journal"A remarkable novel . . . both a radiant work of the imagination and a fitting tribute to the greatest Greek poet of the twentieth century." ―
The Times Literary Supplement"Engaging and original . . . powerfully erotic . . . This is a hallucinatory work of art, in every sense." ―
The Literary Review
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