Items related to The Scorpion-Fish
Synopsis
Weakened by illness, an historian begins to believe in his encounters with hallucinations and magic, including a levitating Jesuit monk, on the island of Sri Lanka
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
Although it's called fiction, this resonant little book, a delightful repast for the mind, combines a special kind of travel writing with meditations on strange lands and cultures, a contemplative diary and some peculiar inquiries into nature, human and animal. The narrator, a Swiss historian in the final months of a long journey in the East, settles into the 117th room he has occupied en route, this one on a "chimerical island" in the heart of India. Down on his luck, nearly broke, feverish, still searching for his elusive identity, he acquires a book on Indian insects and thereupon shifts his microscopic observation from "that pretty world of killers," the crawling verminous creatures in his room, to people in the vicinitycafe habitues, charlatans and fake exorcists; indolent, decadent land-owners; a levitating priest who's been dead for six years; a huge Tamil merchant-woman who talks to the titular Scorpion-Fish, a combination of exotic beauty and deadly menace that symbolizes for the narrator the Eastern scene, climate, character and culture. The book is well-crafted in a series of short, witty, acerbic chapters, finely written and translated, a welcome introduction to a writer of remarkable skill.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
Dazzling, profound and unforgettablethis beautifully written (and translated) book is a gift and a treasure. - J. Dargan, Choice
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherCarcanet Pr
- Publication date1987
- ISBN 10 0856355518
- ISBN 13 9780856355516
- BindingHardcover
- LanguageEnglish
- Edition number1
- Number of pages126
- Rating
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The Scorpion-Fish
Seller: Books From California, Simi Valley, CA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
hardcover. Condition: Good. Seller Inventory # mon0003696750
Quantity: 1 available
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Scorpion Fish
Seller: WeBuyBooks, Rossendale, LANCS, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. Most items will be dispatched the same or the next working day. A copy that has been read but remains in clean condition. All of the pages are intact and the cover is intact and the spine may show signs of wear. The book may have minor markings which are not specifically mentioned. Seller Inventory # wbs2438931505
Quantity: 1 available
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The Scorpion-Fish
Published by
Carcanet Press Limited, Manchester, 1987
ISBN 10: 0856355518
ISBN 13: 9780856355516
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: PsychoBabel & Skoob Books, Didcot, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition UK. First UK Edition hardcover with plastic covered, unclipped dust jacket, in very good condition. Light shelf wear to the jacket, and page block is slightly tanned. Pages are clear and unmarked throughout. LW. Used. Seller Inventory # 541547
Quantity: 1 available
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The Scorpion - Fish
Published by
Carcanet Press Ltd, Manchester, 1987
ISBN 10: 0856355518
ISBN 13: 9780856355516
Used
Hardcover
Seller: J J Basset Books, bassettbooks, bookfarm.co.uk, Peter Tavy, United Kingdom
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Black Cloth. Condition: NEAR FINE (NEAR BRAND NEW). The First English Edition. SIGNED and INSCRIBED By the Translator to the Deputy High Commissioner, Sri Lanka in 1991,and retaining the Scott Moncrieff Prize 1988 banner. Scarce ! 121pp a very nice copy. Photos? no problem. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾". SIGNED and INSCRIBED By the Tr. Seller Inventory # 013734
Quantity: 1 available
Seller Image
The Scorpion-Fish
Published by
Carcanet Press, 1987
ISBN 10: 0856355518
ISBN 13: 9780856355516
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Signed
Seller: Grey Matter Books, Hadley, MA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Thus. Signed and inscribed by Nicolas Bouvier on the title page. First edition of the English translation from Carcanet Press. Text is unmarked; pages are bright, though the page edges are lightly age toned. Binding is sturdy; the corners of the covers are bumped. Dust jacket shows some light wear around the edges. Inscribed by Author. Seller Inventory # 066807
Quantity: 1 available
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The Scorpion-Fish
Seller: dsmbooks, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
hardcover. Condition: Good. Good. book. Seller Inventory # D8S0-3-M-0856355518-4
Quantity: 1 available