LiteraturSchweiz

Reading tip

Jérôme Meizoz, Père et passe: Driving peacefully through the countryside, it suddenly dawns on Jérôme Meizoz that his father is mortal. From that moment on, everything changes and he starts taking notes, interweaving memories, dreams and anecdotes in order to preserve something of his father before he disperses back into the expanse of galactic detritus from whence he came. These fragments of narration give «Père et passe» an open structure that allows space for silences and for the memories to resonate. Over the course of the book the writing becomes party to the father’s disappearance and forms part of the conspiracy to undermine the superstitious idea that his father will go on living if the author keeps writing. The work closes with a sigh of relief on the words «Il ne s'est rien passé» (nothing happened). Something has happened, however. With this «paper room» created to receive the man in his moment of passing, the author has set down a modest and poetic expression of his love for his father. Meizoz’ prose juxtaposes distant echoes of childhood feelings with an adult’s observations of an ageing man. The author tenderly records the actions, deceptions and triumphs of this man of the countryside, who is unable to express his feelings – it wouldn’t do to be too emotional in this Valais village «attached like a font to the side of the mountain». Meizoz confirms here his talent for succinct, elliptical narration. This attempt by the author to come to terms with the end of life distills a thousand emotions down to their essence, and is sure to strike a chord with fathers and sons everywhere. (Anne Pitteloud, trans. by Andrea Mason)