René Daumal's Le Contre-Ciel is a collection of poems about death, not a death that ends life but a death that begins it. For this early 20th century French poet-philosopher, Life, in its most dynamic sense, can only be experienced after the facade of self identity has been systematically negated through a kind of metaphysical suicide. In Le Contre-Ciel, Daumal invites us, his readers, to go through this process of regeneration-through-negation with him in order to revive in ourselves a knowledge and understanding of our primordial sources.

Autorentext

The Translator: Professor Kelton W. Knight is a specialist in 20th-centrury French poetry at Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington. His work on Daumal has resulted in the publication of several articles and translations in various literary journals and poetry magazines throughout the country.

Klappentext

René Daumal's Le Contre-Ciel is a collection of poems about death, not a death that ends life but a death that begins it. For this early 20th century French poet-philosopher, Life, in its most dynamic sense, can only be experienced after the facade of self identity has been systematically negated through a kind of metaphysical suicide. In Le Contre-Ciel, Daumal invites us, his readers, to go through this process of regeneration-through-negation with him in order to revive in ourselves a knowledge and understanding of our primordial sources.