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      Portrait of a Man Unknown

      by Nathalie Sarraute
      Published
      Apr 2001
      Main Genre
      Literary Literary
      Pages
      223
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      About This Book

      In this major work of avant-garde literature, first published by Braziller in 1958, Nathalie Sarraute probes deeply into the nature of human relationships through her depiction of an elderly father and his spinster daughter. In his preface to Portrait of a Man Unknown, Jean-Paul Sartre applauded Sarraute for writing an anti-novel, one that resists the traditional premises of plot and character. The narrator, a neurotic neighbor obsessed with the pair, shows the persistence of a sleuth, taking every opportunity to snoop and eavesdrop. He follows the couple's every step, awaiting the final explosion: the ultimate confrontation between the two characters over money necessary for the daughter's medical needs.

      Genres & Themes

      Genres

      General Fiction

      Subgenres

      Literary

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      Formats & Editions

      Browse the different covers, formats, and publication history for this title.

      Paperback

      Paperback edition cover
      Trade Paperback
      First Edition Apr 2001 George Braziller ISBN13 9780807612521 ISBN10 0807612529
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      Paperback edition cover
      Trade Paperback
      Sep 2021 Hassell Street Press ISBN13 9781015136069 ISBN10 1015136060
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      Hardcover

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      Hardcover
      Sep 2021 Hassell Street Press ISBN13 9781014294128 ISBN10 1014294126
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