History of Violence (novel)
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| Author | Édouard Louis |
|---|---|
Publication date | 2016 |
| Publication place | France |
| Preceded by | En finir avec Eddy Bellegueule |
| Followed by | Who Killed My Father |
History of Violence (French: Histoire de la violence) is the second novel by French writer Édouard Louis. It was first published in French by Seuil in January, 2016. In 2020, it was shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award.[1]
Background
The novel is based on a real incident that occurred on Christmas, 2012.[2][3]
Synopsis
Told in first-person narration, the novel presents its events in a nonlinear format. The narrator, Édouard, recounts a sexual encounter in Paris on New Year's Eve. The encounter culminates in a violent rape and robbery. Édouard subsequently reports the crime to the police, which causes him more trauma. On a visit home, he overhears his sister and her husband discussing the details of the assault in detail.
Translations
History of Violence has been translated into English by Lorin Stein. This translation was published in hardcover by Macmillan in June, 2018,[4] and in the United Kingdom in 2019 by Harvill Secker.[5][6]
Adaptations
A stage adaptation of History of Violence premiered in November, 2019, at St. Ann's Warehouse.[7] The German-language production was directed by Thomas Ostermeier; Louis, who was already a big fan of Ostermeier, co-wrote the adaptation with the director and Florian Borchmeyer and was closely involved in the staging of the play. The production starred Laurenz Laufenberg as Édouard, Renato Schuch as Reda, Alina Stiegler as Édouard's sister Clara, and Christoph Gawenda as Clara's husband.[8][9]
References
- ^ "Dublin City Council Announces the 2020 International DUBLIN Literary Award Shortlist". Retrieved 8 May 2021.
- ^ History of Violence | Édouard Louis | Macmillan. Accessed 5 May 2021.
- ^ Chrisafis, Angelique. Édouard Louis: 'I want to be a writer of violence. The more you talk about it, the more you can undo it'. The Guardian. 9 June 2018. Accessed 8 May 2021.
- ^ History of Violence | Édouard Louis | Macmillan. Accessed 5 May 2021.
- ^ History of Violence (Penguin.co.uk). Accessed 5 May 2021.
- ^ Chrisafis, Angelique. Édouard Louis: 'I want to be a writer of violence. The more you talk about it, the more you can undo it'. The Guardian. 9 June 2018. Accessed 8 May 2021.
- ^ Shaw, Helen. What Makes the Man: Édouard Louis’s History of Violence and The End of Eddy. Vulture. 19 November 2019. Accessed 8 May 2021.
- ^ Alessandro, Brian. Édouard Louis on "History of Violence" and "The End of Eddy". Interview Magazine. 13 November 2019. Accessed 8 May 2021.
- ^ Krasinski, Jennifer. Jennifer Krasinski on the theatrical adaptation of Édouard Louis’s History of Violence. Artforum. February, 2020. Accessed 8 May 2021.