2010/7

2010/8

Bruno Schulz: De Kaneelwinkels (115p.)

Bruno Schulz: Sanatorium Clepsydra (246p.)

All that remains of Schulz’ oeuvre (as a Jew much of his writings got lost during and after WWII, among other a third novel – The Messiah) has been compiled into this very beautiful Verzameld Werk edition (there’s an English Collected Works available as well), which contains his two novels (De Kaneelwinkels has been translated in English as The Street of Crocodiles or Cinnamon Shops; Sanatorium Clepsydra as Sanatorium under the Sign of the Hourglass), as well as a few scattered short stories. All in all, it amounts to about 400 pages only, which has nevertheless been enough to secure Schulz’ place in the pantheon of 20th century greats, that’s how good it is.

Schulz was also a graphic artist and painter (Sanatorium Clepsydra is interspersed with illustrations), his paintings and books making up just one universe, that of his house, his street, his town, on which he wrote in a completely unique style which resembles painting more than story-telling.

Bruno Schulz was shot by a Nazi officer in 1942.