Hi, I've been looking for L'Ecume Des Jours or Froth on the Daydream in English forever. Could anybody please tell me where I can find it?

Thanks

-- asha (ashababat@apexmail.com), August 28, 2000

Answers

I recently got Froth (which I had lost) through the US second hand market http://www.bookfinder.com Thanks to Recollections books who put me on to this site.

Re the Chapman translation - many feel he takes too many liberties, I am just about read his translation in parallel with the French. I admire Chapman's verve, it's not really a translation in the normal sense but he captures Vian's playfulness as welll as the great emotion of the book.

Here's an interesting thesis on the two translations.

http://www.toadshow.com.au/rob/vian/trans/sophie.htm

-- Robert Whyte (rob@toadshow.com.au), March 10, 2002.

I managed to get a copy via Amazon. Good luck.

-- ibolya nemeth (ibolyanemeth@hotmail.com), September 16, 2000.

I wonder if you'll ever get back here, to this page, that is. I, too had been searching for a long time, found it, and it was worth the wait! Try Caroline's in SanFrancisco. The English translation is only available in England I believe, Caroline's has good connections with British book sellers there, and that is all I can say for that, though I would lend you my copy.

-- Camerone (Flashbulbz@yahoo.com), October 25, 2000.

TamTam Books will be publishing FOAM OF THE DAZE (L’Ecume des jours) in 2001, with a new translation by Brian Harper. More information will follow.

-- Tosh Berman (tosh@loop.com), December 30, 2000.

ALWAYS check yahoo auctions, amazon, and ebay. I've found some great stuff. Also, be sure to check th UK site of amazon since the quartet encoutners stuff in only published there for L'ecume. Heartsnatcher you can find anywhere in the US.

M

-- matt oneill (moneill@yahoo-inc.com), January 15, 2001.

Try reading it in French, it's really not difficult. (If I can do it . . .) I just looked at the beginning of Chapman's translation, and while it captures the tone and flavour of the original, it really takes too many liberties with the text. For example: Why change Alise to Lisa? Why introduce a character corresponding to Jean-Luc Godard when he's not mentioned in the French (and is an anachronism for 1946)? etc. etc.

-- john mcghee (scrien@earthlink.net), February 28, 2002.

I'm French, and I'm precisely translating L'Ecume des Jours into English. But I'm afraid it won't be ready before August.

-- Jérôme Saulière (jeromeuh@freesurf.fr), June 01, 2002.