Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.

Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.

Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.

Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.

Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.

Uplifting and Inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
Unlike the other reviewers, I found this book to be interesting, beautiful most of all, tasteful.

Put quite simply, if you do not like this book you have no taste. Furthermore, If you are aspiring to succeed in art or philosophy, this book is essential reading and a valuable asset.

The book is difficult to read, but no more so than any romanticist poem.

The book's descriptions of emotion, most inportantly LOVE, are masterful. It is a delightful insight into the importance of imagination and how we can all make our being-in-the-world exciting rather than mundane. Buy it.

Gobblydygook, 28 Mar 2003
On the back of the cover the blurb says that ML was translated into English over forty years after its initial publication because of the difficulties of Breton’s language. It’s clear to see from reading the book why it took so long. One of the few things I managed to draw from the book was Breton’s idea that all art was worth less than natural compositions like rock formations. After that Breton wrote about shopping he had bought then descended into meaningless sentences strung together in no discernable form. At just over one hundred pages this was one of the shortest books I’ve read but almost certainly one of the ones where I’ve had the most struggle to get through.
I was relieved to put the book down after finishing it.

What was he thinking?, 13 Mar 2000
Everytime one opens a book, one accompanies that action with in an anticipatory fashion. This may take the form of criticism, sycofantic aquiesence, anger ... My approach to this book was one of hope having read "Nadja" and enjoying it emmensely. But this book -- oh my God. What a load of nonsense (I'm drawn to use stronger language but ...). I don't want to be drawn into a debate about the meaninglessness of art and literature, but this book is all the ammunition the philistine functionalists who devise school curriculaums need to promote their warped views about the point of art and literature. "Mad Love" is essentially an anti-novel. It has the capacity - more than any novel I've ever read (Jeffrey Archer included) - to turn people away from the arts.

Breton strolls from one meaningless self-indulgence to another. From mind numbing metaphors, he moves onto obscurantist analogies, then back to more meaningless metaphors. What are we to draw from this systematic nonsense? (and it is systematic insofar as one could predict at every step what was coming next -- even if you could'nt understand it). We are to draw precisely what Breton would have us draw: that surrealism is wild and wacky for want of better terminology.

Well he certainly confirmed one thing in my mind, (that's if it didn't already exist) that surrealism, like every other elitist artform, is essentially reactive, constituted by posturing rather than content, and at base, meaningless.

Don't buy this book if like me you have any ideas about the positive role art and literature can play in todays largely meaningless world of commercialism and exploitation.

Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.

Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.

Uplifting and Inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
Unlike the other reviewers, I found this book to be interesting, beautiful most of all, tasteful.

Put quite simply, if you do not like this book you have no taste. Furthermore, If you are aspiring to succeed in art or philosophy, this book is essential reading and a valuable asset.

The book is difficult to read, but no more so than any romanticist poem.

The book's descriptions of emotion, most inportantly LOVE, are masterful. It is a delightful insight into the importance of imagination and how we can all make our being-in-the-world exciting rather than mundane. Buy it.

Gobblydygook, 28 Mar 2003
On the back of the cover the blurb says that ML was translated into English over forty years after its initial publication because of the difficulties of Breton’s language. It’s clear to see from reading the book why it took so long. One of the few things I managed to draw from the book was Breton’s idea that all art was worth less than natural compositions like rock formations. After that Breton wrote about shopping he had bought then descended into meaningless sentences strung together in no discernable form. At just over one hundred pages this was one of the shortest books I’ve read but almost certainly one of the ones where I’ve had the most struggle to get through.
I was relieved to put the book down after finishing it.

What was he thinking?, 13 Mar 2000
Everytime one opens a book, one accompanies that action with in an anticipatory fashion. This may take the form of criticism, sycofantic aquiesence, anger ... My approach to this book was one of hope having read "Nadja" and enjoying it emmensely. But this book -- oh my God. What a load of nonsense (I'm drawn to use stronger language but ...). I don't want to be drawn into a debate about the meaninglessness of art and literature, but this book is all the ammunition the philistine functionalists who devise school curriculaums need to promote their warped views about the point of art and literature. "Mad Love" is essentially an anti-novel. It has the capacity - more than any novel I've ever read (Jeffrey Archer included) - to turn people away from the arts.

Breton strolls from one meaningless self-indulgence to another. From mind numbing metaphors, he moves onto obscurantist analogies, then back to more meaningless metaphors. What are we to draw from this systematic nonsense? (and it is systematic insofar as one could predict at every step what was coming next -- even if you could'nt understand it). We are to draw precisely what Breton would have us draw: that surrealism is wild and wacky for want of better terminology.

Well he certainly confirmed one thing in my mind, (that's if it didn't already exist) that surrealism, like every other elitist artform, is essentially reactive, constituted by posturing rather than content, and at base, meaningless.

Don't buy this book if like me you have any ideas about the positive role art and literature can play in todays largely meaningless world of commercialism and exploitation.

very funny, 21 Jun 1999
I am writing in response to the person who said that the selections in here are childish. Do you even understand black humour, dadaism, or surealism? Since when is being childish a bad thing?

Uneven, but generally not very funny, 25 Jul 1998
Andre Breton had selected the forty core texts for this anthology by 1936, but its publication was delayed by World War II until 1945.

Virtually all of the authors were unfamiliar to me, and some are excruciatingly funny, but most are surrealists bogged down in Freudian concepts of the id, ego and superego.

Neither Breton nor the translator, Mark Polizzotti, ever bothers to define Black Humor, but if they did, their definition would be Freudian and out-of-line with more modern views. Most of the pieces selected are, unfortunately, childish, unintelligible and boring.

Life's short and there are a lot of great books to read. This is not one of them

Goos hit, 13 Jul 1998
This book was good because it contained lots of sarcastic, twisted ideas which arose mainly in the nineteenth century. don't read it for fun, read it because you have absolutely nothing better to do. Ta-ta!

Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.

Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.

Uplifting and Inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
Unlike the other reviewers, I found this book to be interesting, beautiful most of all, tasteful.

Put quite simply, if you do not like this book you have no taste. Furthermore, If you are aspiring to succeed in art or philosophy, this book is essential reading and a valuable asset.

The book is difficult to read, but no more so than any romanticist poem.

The book's descriptions of emotion, most inportantly LOVE, are masterful. It is a delightful insight into the importance of imagination and how we can all make our being-in-the-world exciting rather than mundane. Buy it.

Gobblydygook, 28 Mar 2003
On the back of the cover the blurb says that ML was translated into English over forty years after its initial publication because of the difficulties of Breton’s language. It’s clear to see from reading the book why it took so long. One of the few things I managed to draw from the book was Breton’s idea that all art was worth less than natural compositions like rock formations. After that Breton wrote about shopping he had bought then descended into meaningless sentences strung together in no discernable form. At just over one hundred pages this was one of the shortest books I’ve read but almost certainly one of the ones where I’ve had the most struggle to get through.
I was relieved to put the book down after finishing it.

What was he thinking?, 13 Mar 2000
Everytime one opens a book, one accompanies that action with in an anticipatory fashion. This may take the form of criticism, sycofantic aquiesence, anger ... My approach to this book was one of hope having read "Nadja" and enjoying it emmensely. But this book -- oh my God. What a load of nonsense (I'm drawn to use stronger language but ...). I don't want to be drawn into a debate about the meaninglessness of art and literature, but this book is all the ammunition the philistine functionalists who devise school curriculaums need to promote their warped views about the point of art and literature. "Mad Love" is essentially an anti-novel. It has the capacity - more than any novel I've ever read (Jeffrey Archer included) - to turn people away from the arts.

Breton strolls from one meaningless self-indulgence to another. From mind numbing metaphors, he moves onto obscurantist analogies, then back to more meaningless metaphors. What are we to draw from this systematic nonsense? (and it is systematic insofar as one could predict at every step what was coming next -- even if you could'nt understand it). We are to draw precisely what Breton would have us draw: that surrealism is wild and wacky for want of better terminology.

Well he certainly confirmed one thing in my mind, (that's if it didn't already exist) that surrealism, like every other elitist artform, is essentially reactive, constituted by posturing rather than content, and at base, meaningless.

Don't buy this book if like me you have any ideas about the positive role art and literature can play in todays largely meaningless world of commercialism and exploitation.

very funny, 21 Jun 1999
I am writing in response to the person who said that the selections in here are childish. Do you even understand black humour, dadaism, or surealism? Since when is being childish a bad thing?

Uneven, but generally not very funny, 25 Jul 1998
Andre Breton had selected the forty core texts for this anthology by 1936, but its publication was delayed by World War II until 1945.

Virtually all of the authors were unfamiliar to me, and some are excruciatingly funny, but most are surrealists bogged down in Freudian concepts of the id, ego and superego.

Neither Breton nor the translator, Mark Polizzotti, ever bothers to define Black Humor, but if they did, their definition would be Freudian and out-of-line with more modern views. Most of the pieces selected are, unfortunately, childish, unintelligible and boring.

Life's short and there are a lot of great books to read. This is not one of them

Goos hit, 13 Jul 1998
This book was good because it contained lots of sarcastic, twisted ideas which arose mainly in the nineteenth century. don't read it for fun, read it because you have absolutely nothing better to do. Ta-ta!

Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.

Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.

Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.

Uplifting and Inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
Unlike the other reviewers, I found this book to be interesting, beautiful most of all, tasteful.

Put quite simply, if you do not like this book you have no taste. Furthermore, If you are aspiring to succeed in art or philosophy, this book is essential reading and a valuable asset.

The book is difficult to read, but no more so than any romanticist poem.

The book's descriptions of emotion, most inportantly LOVE, are masterful. It is a delightful insight into the importance of imagination and how we can all make our being-in-the-world exciting rather than mundane. Buy it.

Gobblydygook, 28 Mar 2003
On the back of the cover the blurb says that ML was translated into English over forty years after its initial publication because of the difficulties of Breton’s language. It’s clear to see from reading the book why it took so long. One of the few things I managed to draw from the book was Breton’s idea that all art was worth less than natural compositions like rock formations. After that Breton wrote about shopping he had bought then descended into meaningless sentences strung together in no discernable form. At just over one hundred pages this was one of the shortest books I’ve read but almost certainly one of the ones where I’ve had the most struggle to get through.
I was relieved to put the book down after finishing it.

What was he thinking?, 13 Mar 2000
Everytime one opens a book, one accompanies that action with in an anticipatory fashion. This may take the form of criticism, sycofantic aquiesence, anger ... My approach to this book was one of hope having read "Nadja" and enjoying it emmensely. But this book -- oh my God. What a load of nonsense (I'm drawn to use stronger language but ...). I don't want to be drawn into a debate about the meaninglessness of art and literature, but this book is all the ammunition the philistine functionalists who devise school curriculaums need to promote their warped views about the point of art and literature. "Mad Love" is essentially an anti-novel. It has the capacity - more than any novel I've ever read (Jeffrey Archer included) - to turn people away from the arts.

Breton strolls from one meaningless self-indulgence to another. From mind numbing metaphors, he moves onto obscurantist analogies, then back to more meaningless metaphors. What are we to draw from this systematic nonsense? (and it is systematic insofar as one could predict at every step what was coming next -- even if you could'nt understand it). We are to draw precisely what Breton would have us draw: that surrealism is wild and wacky for want of better terminology.

Well he certainly confirmed one thing in my mind, (that's if it didn't already exist) that surrealism, like every other elitist artform, is essentially reactive, constituted by posturing rather than content, and at base, meaningless.

Don't buy this book if like me you have any ideas about the positive role art and literature can play in todays largely meaningless world of commercialism and exploitation.

very funny, 21 Jun 1999
I am writing in response to the person who said that the selections in here are childish. Do you even understand black humour, dadaism, or surealism? Since when is being childish a bad thing?

Uneven, but generally not very funny, 25 Jul 1998
Andre Breton had selected the forty core texts for this anthology by 1936, but its publication was delayed by World War II until 1945.

Virtually all of the authors were unfamiliar to me, and some are excruciatingly funny, but most are surrealists bogged down in Freudian concepts of the id, ego and superego.

Neither Breton nor the translator, Mark Polizzotti, ever bothers to define Black Humor, but if they did, their definition would be Freudian and out-of-line with more modern views. Most of the pieces selected are, unfortunately, childish, unintelligible and boring.

Life's short and there are a lot of great books to read. This is not one of them

Goos hit, 13 Jul 1998
This book was good because it contained lots of sarcastic, twisted ideas which arose mainly in the nineteenth century. don't read it for fun, read it because you have absolutely nothing better to do. Ta-ta!

Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.

Uplifting and Inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
Unlike the other reviewers, I found this book to be interesting, beautiful most of all, tasteful.

Put quite simply, if you do not like this book you have no taste. Furthermore, If you are aspiring to succeed in art or philosophy, this book is essential reading and a valuable asset.

The book is difficult to read, but no more so than any romanticist poem.

The book's descriptions of emotion, most inportantly LOVE, are masterful. It is a delightful insight into the importance of imagination and how we can all make our being-in-the-world exciting rather than mundane. Buy it.

Gobblydygook, 28 Mar 2003
On the back of the cover the blurb says that ML was translated into English over forty years after its initial publication because of the difficulties of Breton’s language. It’s clear to see from reading the book why it took so long. One of the few things I managed to draw from the book was Breton’s idea that all art was worth less than natural compositions like rock formations. After that Breton wrote about shopping he had bought then descended into meaningless sentences strung together in no discernable form. At just over one hundred pages this was one of the shortest books I’ve read but almost certainly one of the ones where I’ve had the most struggle to get through.
I was relieved to put the book down after finishing it.

What was he thinking?, 13 Mar 2000
Everytime one opens a book, one accompanies that action with in an anticipatory fashion. This may take the form of criticism, sycofantic aquiesence, anger ... My approach to this book was one of hope having read "Nadja" and enjoying it emmensely. But this book -- oh my God. What a load of nonsense (I'm drawn to use stronger language but ...). I don't want to be drawn into a debate about the meaninglessness of art and literature, but this book is all the ammunition the philistine functionalists who devise school curriculaums need to promote their warped views about the point of art and literature. "Mad Love" is essentially an anti-novel. It has the capacity - more than any novel I've ever read (Jeffrey Archer included) - to turn people away from the arts.

Breton strolls from one meaningless self-indulgence to another. From mind numbing metaphors, he moves onto obscurantist analogies, then back to more meaningless metaphors. What are we to draw from this systematic nonsense? (and it is systematic insofar as one could predict at every step what was coming next -- even if you could'nt understand it). We are to draw precisely what Breton would have us draw: that surrealism is wild and wacky for want of better terminology.

Well he certainly confirmed one thing in my mind, (that's if it didn't already exist) that surrealism, like every other elitist artform, is essentially reactive, constituted by posturing rather than content, and at base, meaningless.

Don't buy this book if like me you have any ideas about the positive role art and literature can play in todays largely meaningless world of commercialism and exploitation.

Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.

Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.

Uplifting and Inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
Unlike the other reviewers, I found this book to be interesting, beautiful most of all, tasteful.

Put quite simply, if you do not like this book you have no taste. Furthermore, If you are aspiring to succeed in art or philosophy, this book is essential reading and a valuable asset.

The book is difficult to read, but no more so than any romanticist poem.

The book's descriptions of emotion, most inportantly LOVE, are masterful. It is a delightful insight into the importance of imagination and how we can all make our being-in-the-world exciting rather than mundane. Buy it.

Gobblydygook, 28 Mar 2003
On the back of the cover the blurb says that ML was translated into English over forty years after its initial publication because of the difficulties of Breton’s language. It’s clear to see from reading the book why it took so long. One of the few things I managed to draw from the book was Breton’s idea that all art was worth less than natural compositions like rock formations. After that Breton wrote about shopping he had bought then descended into meaningless sentences strung together in no discernable form. At just over one hundred pages this was one of the shortest books I’ve read but almost certainly one of the ones where I’ve had the most struggle to get through.
I was relieved to put the book down after finishing it.

What was he thinking?, 13 Mar 2000
Everytime one opens a book, one accompanies that action with in an anticipatory fashion. This may take the form of criticism, sycofantic aquiesence, anger ... My approach to this book was one of hope having read "Nadja" and enjoying it emmensely. But this book -- oh my God. What a load of nonsense (I'm drawn to use stronger language but ...). I don't want to be drawn into a debate about the meaninglessness of art and literature, but this book is all the ammunition the philistine functionalists who devise school curriculaums need to promote their warped views about the point of art and literature. "Mad Love" is essentially an anti-novel. It has the capacity - more than any novel I've ever read (Jeffrey Archer included) - to turn people away from the arts.

Breton strolls from one meaningless self-indulgence to another. From mind numbing metaphors, he moves onto obscurantist analogies, then back to more meaningless metaphors. What are we to draw from this systematic nonsense? (and it is systematic insofar as one could predict at every step what was coming next -- even if you could'nt understand it). We are to draw precisely what Breton would have us draw: that surrealism is wild and wacky for want of better terminology.

Well he certainly confirmed one thing in my mind, (that's if it didn't already exist) that surrealism, like every other elitist artform, is essentially reactive, constituted by posturing rather than content, and at base, meaningless.

Don't buy this book if like me you have any ideas about the positive role art and literature can play in todays largely meaningless world of commercialism and exploitation.

very funny, 21 Jun 1999
I am writing in response to the person who said that the selections in here are childish. Do you even understand black humour, dadaism, or surealism? Since when is being childish a bad thing?

Uneven, but generally not very funny, 25 Jul 1998
Andre Breton had selected the forty core texts for this anthology by 1936, but its publication was delayed by World War II until 1945.

Virtually all of the authors were unfamiliar to me, and some are excruciatingly funny, but most are surrealists bogged down in Freudian concepts of the id, ego and superego.

Neither Breton nor the translator, Mark Polizzotti, ever bothers to define Black Humor, but if they did, their definition would be Freudian and out-of-line with more modern views. Most of the pieces selected are, unfortunately, childish, unintelligible and boring.

Life's short and there are a lot of great books to read. This is not one of them

Goos hit, 13 Jul 1998
This book was good because it contained lots of sarcastic, twisted ideas which arose mainly in the nineteenth century. don't read it for fun, read it because you have absolutely nothing better to do. Ta-ta!

Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.

Uplifting and Inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
Unlike the other reviewers, I found this book to be interesting, beautiful most of all, tasteful.

Put quite simply, if you do not like this book you have no taste. Furthermore, If you are aspiring to succeed in art or philosophy, this book is essential reading and a valuable asset.

The book is difficult to read, but no more so than any romanticist poem.

The book's descriptions of emotion, most inportantly LOVE, are masterful. It is a delightful insight into the importance of imagination and how we can all make our being-in-the-world exciting rather than mundane. Buy it.

Gobblydygook, 28 Mar 2003
On the back of the cover the blurb says that ML was translated into English over forty years after its initial publication because of the difficulties of Breton’s language. It’s clear to see from reading the book why it took so long. One of the few things I managed to draw from the book was Breton’s idea that all art was worth less than natural compositions like rock formations. After that Breton wrote about shopping he had bought then descended into meaningless sentences strung together in no discernable form. At just over one hundred pages this was one of the shortest books I’ve read but almost certainly one of the ones where I’ve had the most struggle to get through.
I was relieved to put the book down after finishing it.

What was he thinking?, 13 Mar 2000
Everytime one opens a book, one accompanies that action with in an anticipatory fashion. This may take the form of criticism, sycofantic aquiesence, anger ... My approach to this book was one of hope having read "Nadja" and enjoying it emmensely. But this book -- oh my God. What a load of nonsense (I'm drawn to use stronger language but ...). I don't want to be drawn into a debate about the meaninglessness of art and literature, but this book is all the ammunition the philistine functionalists who devise school curriculaums need to promote their warped views about the point of art and literature. "Mad Love" is essentially an anti-novel. It has the capacity - more than any novel I've ever read (Jeffrey Archer included) - to turn people away from the arts.

Breton strolls from one meaningless self-indulgence to another. From mind numbing metaphors, he moves onto obscurantist analogies, then back to more meaningless metaphors. What are we to draw from this systematic nonsense? (and it is systematic insofar as one could predict at every step what was coming next -- even if you could'nt understand it). We are to draw precisely what Breton would have us draw: that surrealism is wild and wacky for want of better terminology.

Well he certainly confirmed one thing in my mind, (that's if it didn't already exist) that surrealism, like every other elitist artform, is essentially reactive, constituted by posturing rather than content, and at base, meaningless.

Don't buy this book if like me you have any ideas about the positive role art and literature can play in todays largely meaningless world of commercialism and exploitation.

Nadja, 19 Jun 2007
Books such as this, overflowing with ambiguity, should be approached two ways:

The first is with an open mind, at which in this instance, you are (providing Breton's rambling 60 page introduction doesn't bore you off) inevitably about to fall head over heels for the unusual, multi-faceted character; `Nadja'!
Yet what Nadja is; her identity, although alluring, is the voice in the back of our heads, that we silence each day that we participate in everyday life. She is the character that would not conform, freedom in purest essence, the presence that will leave shadows upon the lives of each person she meets, until inescapably stripped of her character by the ignorant minds who misinterpret her.

The second is, like I, to enter this auto-biographical account of Breton's genius with a question, which instead of reading in between the lines, you will undoubtedly find yourself falling into great crevices of self, where journeys seem to flow like underground rivers.

I recommend this book to anyone who is either looking for a good read, or seeking answers to the deepest journeys of identity and the world.


One of the most accessible surrealist texts, 05 Dec 1999
This is one of the most important and underead books of the century. Standing alongside Joyce, Aragon and Durrell as a writer of place Breton writes of a Paris that is anti-monumental and anti-romantic by turns. This is not a gentle read. The relationship between the narrator and Najda leaves you stranded amoungst the disenchantment that is typical of surrealism, as opposed to the romanticism of popular-surrealism, whilst she ends up broken in an insane asylum he marvels at the surrealists survival. She 'lacked an instinct of self presevation...'

enjoy.

Very insightful, 23 Dec 1997
Nadja is one of Breton's best works in the way that it portrays the male/female relationship within the surrealist movement. Nadja is both a source of entertainment and enlightenment for Breton, though I saw her more as another way of objectifying the female figure in surrealist work. I loved the description and concentration on Nadja's character. On the other hand, the first several chapters of the book are almost cumbersome to all who want to get into the 'meat' of the text (I found them interesting, but some of my colleagues didn't). One thing that I must say about this work is that I don't believe that it functions as a love story, though many people that review the text feel that it does. Instead, I see it more as an interesting snapshot of relationship issues (in a surreal light) but not necessarily love issues. Another masterful work by the leader of surrealism.