This is the first English publication of a major work by one of Belgium’s greatest writers – Franz Hellens. As a prime example of his «fantastic realism,» this novel takes its narrator-hero, Théophile, through a series of adventures that range from the touchingly down-to-earth to the extravagantly bizarre. With its rich multiplicity of character and incident, as well as a narrative that surprises the reader at every turn, this book is an ideal introduction to a unique, and too long neglected, voice in twentieth-century literature.

The Translator: Howard Curtis, a professional translator, lives in London, England. His published translations include three novels by Georges Simenon and works by Francophone writers from the Arab world. He also regularly translates essays for art catalogs. He is particularly interested in Belgian literature and has spent some years researching the life and work of Franz Hellens.