How can the father of Surrealism be so boring?

The Anthology of Black Humor – Andre Breton, Editor (1940)

Andre Breton is listed as one of the seminal figures in Surrealism, actually composing the first Surrealist Manifesto.  He was a poet and a writer and involved in the avant-garde art world of his day.

With this anthology, Breton coined the term “black humor” which is still used today to refer to any humor that makes light of otherwise serious subject matter, much like gallows humor.  It draws from cynicism, and skepticism to find humor in things that normally are spoken of in reverential or fearful tones.

This book consists of a collection of pieces of literature, mostly French, with introductions by Breton.  I guess something was lost in translation because it was a boring, mind-numbing read.  I only finished about 1/5 of it and got so fed up, mostly because it was not humorous in the least.  I think that in French the subtleties of the humor may be better served. Maybe the French have a different word for “comedy” as opposed to “humor?”  In ancient times, a story or play was either a tragedy or a comedy, although “comedy” did not mean it was funny.  It just means that it is not TRAGIC!  

 

This guy is having more fun than I did while reading this crap.

Either way I hated this book.

( To read a hate-filled review of another of Andre Breton's horrible, boring books click here: http://allography.com/2010/01/andre-breton-is-a-douchebagvisualizing-beauty/ )