Gasoline

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

For the first time in his life, Heribert Juli is unable to paint. On the eve of an important gallery exhibition, for which he's created nothing, he's bored with life: he falls asleep while making love with his mistress, wanders from bar to bar, drinking whatever comes to his attention first, and meets the evidence of his wife Helena's infidelity with complete indifference. A fun-house mirror through which he examines the creative process, the life and loves of artists, and the New York art scene, Gasoline confirms Quim Monz as the foremost Catalan writer.

Reviews

"Nothing takes one's steam quicker than being replaced. Gasoline is the tale of Heribert, a man grappling with his own artistic block and loss of love for life. Uncaring for his family, for his life, for anything, he watches as another individual by the name of Humbert takes over everything he does, doing it better. A fascinating read of the decline of a great mind and the rise of another, Gasoline is a choice and very highly recommended read that shouldn't be missed."The Midwest Book Review "Gasoline is a gleefully mischievous exploration of the limits of inspiration and the egotism that underlies all art."Adrian Turpin, The Financial Times "Quim Monz is today's best known writer in Catalan. He is also, no exaggeration, one the world's great short-story writers. This novel shows all his idiosyncrasy and originality. We have at last gained the opportunity to read (in English) one of the most original writers of our time."The Independent

Author Bio

Quim Monz was born in Barcelona in 1952. He has been awarded the National Award, the City of Barcelona Award, the Prudenci Bertrana Award, the El Temps Award, the Lletra d'Or Prize for the best book of the year, and the Catalan Writers' Award; he has been awarded Serra d'Or magazine's prestigious Critics' Award four times. He has also translated numerous authors into Catalan, including Truman Capote, J.D. Salinger, and Ernest Hemingway. Mary Ann Newman is the Director of the Catalan Center at New York University's Center for European and Mediterranean Studies. She is a translator, editor, and occasional writer on Catalan culture.