French Literature Reviews - 2026

Blaise Cendrars and the Book
Comparative and World Literature

New Publication Notice
Luce Briche, Blaise Cendrars et le livre

"If you want to know who I am, consult a dictionary and all the encyclopedias. Don't forget the bookmarks and cross-references. Leaf through. Moisten your finger. Not a single page must be skipped. You will end up reading all the books housed in the great national libraries, and you will eventually carve out your place there like a bookworm in paper pulp."

It is somewhat akin to this adventure that Luce Briche set out when writing this book, inviting her readers to journey through the poet and novelist's body of work, following from text to text, page to page, the layered world of books upon which it is built. Beginning at the heart of the book, the exploration plunges beyond the text and the letter, revealing the manifold forms that Cendrars's passion for books assumed: portraits of bibliophiles, the imaginary library, the family romance of reading, rewriting the Bible, as well as his work as a publisher and inventor of novel book-objects. Driven by an unquenchable thirst for experimentation, Cendrars opened his workshop to fellow creators such as Sonia Delaunay, Fernand Léger, and Robert Doisneau. In doing so, he introduces his future, unknown reader to an alternative mode of reading, where the text enters into a magical resonance with inks, colors, and typographic elements that unfold and fold back according to the rhythm of folding and unfolding.

Luce Briche (1967–2002) authored numerous articles on Cendrars and on the relationship between text and image. She was an Associate Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of Lorient.

Series "Les aéronautes de l'esprit", 340 pages, 14x22.4 cm, paperback,

ISBN 2-913764-28-2, retail price: 24.00
Shipping fees: Metropolitan France = 3.00; Rest of the world = 6.00

To be ordered from your local bookstore or directly from the publisher (payment by check drawn on a French bank made out to: Éditions L'improviste),
13 bd de Belleville, 75011 Paris; Tel / Fax: 33 (0)1 40 21 12 43

The study explores the multifaceted relationship between literature and the material object of the book within the oeuvres of modernist figures. Such scholarly inquiry often engages with the intersection of typography, visual arts, and textual production during a period of intense aesthetic experimentation. By examining how writers interact with publishers, illustrators, and book design, researchers illuminate the broader cultural mechanics of literary creation. Readers interested in modernist aesthetics and the material history of the book may find this volume relevant to their inquiries.

Luce Briche investigates the layered world of books in Cendrars's work, discussing portraits of bibliophiles, imaginary libraries, and his activities as a publisher and inventor of book-objects. The text highlights collaborations with creators such as Sonia Delaunay, Fernand Léger, and Robert Doisneau, alongside themes of rewriting and experimental reading modes. These topics reflect the author's academic focus on comparative literature and the relationship between text and image, drawing on her published articles within the field.