Product Description
Leonora Carrington, the distinguished British-born Surrealist painter who now makes her home in Mexico City, is also a writer of extraordinary imagination and charm. Exact Change launched a program of reprinting her fiction with what is perhaps her best loved book. The Hearing Trumpet is the story of 92-year-old Marian Leatherby, who is given the gift of a hearing trumpet only to discover that what her family is saying is that she is to be committed to an institution. But this is an institution where the buildings are shaped like birthday cakes and igloos, where the Winking Abbess and the Queen Bee reign, and where the gateway to the underworld is open. It is also the scene of a mysterious murder. Occult twin to Alice in Wonderland, The Hearing Trumpet is a classic of fantastic literature that has been translated and celebrated throughout the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Botox Antedote
If you're anxious about getting old, read this book. It captures the strength of spirit that can, and should, stay with us as we age, while spoofing on religions, metaphysical philosophies and other crutches. Granted, the plot is uneven and long-winded at times. And it is primarily a "woman's book." But for me, it reverberates with infectious energy.

Surreal,
My first surreal book - I love Varo's paintingsand this reminds me of her pantings.While I find this book to be difficult - only because it is odd ,I also find it absorbing and interesting.

Fades in the stretch
For a good portion of its length, this tale is everything one could want: deliciously witty in a zany way sometimes reminiscent of the Marx Brothers at their best.The difficulty, for me, at any rate, is that it doesn't really come to a proper conclusion, though Heaven knows there are climactic events a-plenty toward the end.But the comedic tone falls victim to A Message.When authors choose to deliver A Message to their readers, it bodes ill; when they can be seen to be almost screechingly yanking on the brake lever to pause their story in mid-run to get to The Message, worse yet.

All in all, this is a book certainly worth reading, and I recommend it; but its failure to sustain its original tone makes it a bit disappointing.I will be interested to see what some of her other work is like.

mind twisting, superb surrealism
i have loved leonora carrington's paintings for a long time, and only recently got a chance to read this book. i finished it quickly.
what struck me was how fast it moves, which for someone taking it at face value might ruin the whole thing - - but for one looking at the story running through it that ISN'T in the book, it becomes haunting, dark, disturbing and profoundly sorrowful even as the story itself soars to the heights of fantasy. i can't say too much more without ruining the book, but if you understand what i believe she's trying to say happened, then you will agree with me about the haunting-dark-disturbing thing.
on the surface it still has a lot to please - - witchcraft, goddesses, the kabbalah, mysteries both domestic and occult, black comedy and sweeping adventure. the main character is as loveable and charming as she is eccentric, and she's a whole lot of eccentric. i think this may be an overlooked classic.
and the line drawings by carrington's son (i think?) are killer! i'm getting a tattoo of one of the frontispiece, marian with her trumpet.

The Hearing Trumpet
The first page will tell you if you will love it or hate it.I loved it.It's way out there but she strikes a cord with those open minded enough to question the established way of thinking about old age, women and religion.Her sense of humor is wonderful. ... Read more

Product Description
Now available for the first time in paperback, this book remains the definitive survey of the life and work of Surrealist artist Leonora Carrington (born 1917). Carrington burst onto the Surrealist scene in 1936, when, as a precocious nineteen-year-old debutante, she escaped the stultifying demands of her wealthy English family by running away to Paris with her lover Max Ernst. She was immediately championed by Andre Breton, who responded enthusiastically to her fantastical, dark and satirical writing style and her interest in fairy tales and the occult. Her stories were included in Surrealist publications, and her paintings in the Surrealists' exhibitions. After the dramas and tragic separations of the Second World War, Carrington ended up in the 1940s as part of the circle of Surrealist European emigres living in Mexico City. Close friends with Luis Bunuel, Benjamin Peret, Octavio Paz and a host of both expatriate Surrealists and Mexican modernists, Carrington was at the centre of Mexican cultural life, while still maintaining her European connections. "Leonora Carrington: Surrealism, Alchemy and Art" provides a fascinating overview of this intriguing artist's rich body of work.The author considers Carrington's preoccupation with alchemy and the occult, and explores the influence of indigenous Mexican culture and beliefs on her production. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Leonora Carrington
Very nice book.Probably the best book I've seen concerning Leonora Carrington and her work.

Carrington emerges as a superstar
This first book in English on the English surrealist, Leonora Carrington is wildly overdue.Her mate, Max Ernst, now the subject of a major retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, chose well. Carrington's sensibility is exquisite, and this new work reveals in a finely balanced and deligthfully readable way the deep nature of her contribution to one of the most undervalued of all art movements in the 20th century.Leonora is now in her 90s and still carries her laundry up many flights of stairs in Mexico City--this monograph is a welcome addition to our understanding of her energy and her accomplishment as a painter of the first water.

spectacular! brilliant!
Who would have known such a wonderful artist existed if not for the work of this extremely gifted writer and art historian. In all my years in the art world, I had never even heard of Leonora Carrington. Thanks to Ms. Aberth, the magical brilliance of this artist has been brought to our attention. Gorgeous pictures and prose. Well worth it and sure to bring more collectors out of the woodwork to buy her art.

The bizarre life and exceptional work of an eccentric artist
Anyone interested in the Art and the life of Leonora Carrington will welcome this beautiful book. Surprisingly there is next to nothing available about Carrington, and the few books that are out of print only give very little information about her and not enough illustrations of her work. Hence this book was long awaited and is certainly the most extensive book yet published about this original, mysterious and fascinating artist.

In the foreword the author explains that the object of the book is two fold, to outline the artist's life and to provide an overview: "of the full scope of her work
in painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, and theatrical set and costume design" (p.9). If both of these objects would have been realized this would have been an extensive work and valuable work.

The biographical portion of the book attempts to give a biographical sketch of Carrington. The first chapter covers her life from her birth in 1917 in Lancashire, England, to a wealthy Catholic family, as a rebellious adolescent, to her insistence against her family's wishes to attend art school. The second chapter describes her relationship with Max Ernst, their life in France and her "induction" at the age of nineteen to the Surrealist movement. Thee third chapter tells of her war time experiences which included being separated from Ernst who was imprisoned as an enemy alien in France, being put in a Spanish Insane Asylum, breaking with her family and marrying a Mexican Diplomat so that she could get out of war torn Europe. The fourth chapter begins with her move to Mexico in 1943, her marriage to Emerico "Chiki" Weisz, about whom we learn next to nothing, and her emergence as a mature artist, which coincides with her friendship with fellow surrealist painter Remedios Varo. Aberth explains that Carrington and Varo were inseparable and saw each other almost daily for decades. They shared interests in bizarre cooking, the esoteric, alchemy, witchcraft, cats, and of course painting. A look at the painting of the two artists from this time shows a remarkable similarity in subject matter, style and colors, yet both remain distinct. It seems obvious that they deeply influenced one another in many areas. These four chapters are the most interesting of the book and read as a most improbable life story. It is also in the first four chapters were the problems of the book start to show. First of all, there is a heavy reliance on the books by Whitney Chadwick who has written several books on Carrington and on Janet Kaplan, the biographer of Remedios Varo. We are given less and less facts about Carrington's life and it becomes increasingly obvious that very little primary research, if any at all went into this book. This becomes most evident in the last chapter of the book that describes the last fifty years of Carrington's life in barely five pages. The readers can also ask themselves what happened in this period when she became recognized internationally as an artist. Did she remain married? Did she continue having mental problems? What did she do after Varo died? Why did she move to the US? Why did she return to Mexico? How did she deal with success? Was she re-united with her family?

The book reproduces about ninety of Carrington's works. Almost all of these are paintings. There are a few sculptures and one photograph of set design and costumes. Only a few paintings are described in any detail, so the readers have to fend for themselves to try decipher the symbolism and meaning. Most of the illustrations are of fairly high quality, but some are too small. The last photograph of Carrington dates from ca. 1960, so we have no idea what she looks like today.

The book fails to deliver on both of its "objects" to provide an overview of both life and work, and in that respect it is disappointing. Very little is said about Carrington's numerous published books, which could have been used as source material to a much better effect.

Still this book is valuable as it is the only book about Carrington and her art currently in print and it will hopefully attract many readers and new admirers. I can only hope that a Catalogue Raisonais similar to the Remdios Varo Catalogue published a few years ago will be forthcoming with more critical information about Carrington's work. A detailed biography would also be welcome. Despite all of my reservations, I still recommend the book highly, because of Carrington's bizarre life and interests and her exceptional original talent as an artist.

Review by Walter O. Koenig ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Visions of the unknown
If you click on the picture of this book you can get glimpse into the Surreal art of this fascinating British artist who emigrated to Mexico early on in her career. The front and back covers are a detail from a piece created in 1963 entitled El Mundo MagicoDe Los Mayas which was commioned for the then new Anthropology Museum in Mexico City. This particular piece was eventually moved to Tuxtla Guiterrez, the capital of the state of Chiapas. The complete mural, featured in the book, is a mystical journey that is reflective of this creative artist. Her imagery is finely layered, producing glimpses into the seen and unseen of the world. This book was published on the occasion of an exhibition in San Francisco at The Mexican Museum entitled The Mexican Years 1943-1985. In that regard it is more of a catologue which features the art from the exhibit. However, it more than just pictures as it gives a brief overview of a truly fascinating life including a chronlogy. The book takes the reader on a magical ride through her upbringing in priviledge, her schooling in a castle built by Henry VIII under the tuteledge of nuns who were perplexed by her questions, such as, "Who said 2+2=4." Needless to say ordinary education and a mundane life were not to be. The book tells the story of a woman ahead of her times who ran off with Max Ernst, writes a book which Ernst illustrates and begins a career as a writer and artist. Drawn to Surrealism, her roots are reflective in her art with a mixture of Celtic mythology and Christian imagery; that coupled with the influences of her life in Mexico result in some stunning creations. Her psychic and cosmological thematic works are a exploration of the inner working of an intuitive artist whose bold expressions set the stage for her to associate with Frida Kahlo and Remedios Varo and be at the forefront of women in art. One of the highlights of this book is the interview by Paul De Angelis which reveals the woman in complete candor as she explores her belief systems that lie outside Western rationalism. I only wish this book were bigger. I would recommend this book to a collector,or someone interested in the life andworks ofLeonora Carrington. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Unique Stories
Totally recommended for those who enjoy dreams, surrealism and find inspiration in these two reigns. Words fall short to describe the stories in this book. I have read the Spanish version and the language and descriptive narratives are beautiful. English has a different tone but this version wont fail to disappoint.

The SeventhHorse
I was looking forward to reading this after reading The Hearing Trumpet and admiring her work as a painter but found this one a little too out there and difficult to relate to.

A ride along the edge of reason...
A truly original collection of surrealist fiction with a feminist twist.Carrington's stories are dense with occultist and cabalistic symbolism which may at first appear daunting, but which also contain a strong dose of black humour that never fails to be engaging. The language itself is both beautiful and strange, and many of these stories were originally written in French and Spanish, as well as the writer's native English.

Highlights include "As they rode along the edge", "My Mother is a Cow" and the novella "The Stone Door."This fascinating collection, from an often-overlooked writer, is an essential addition to the bookshelf of anyone with an interest in feminist or surrealist literature. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

subtitled "Paintings, drawings and sculptures 1940 - 1990"
This is a beautifully produced, 112-page perfect-bound catalog of a 1991 retrospective exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery in London. More than 44 color reproductions, with essays by Marina Warner, Whitney Chadwick, and Edward James, plus Carrington's short story "The Debutante."Now one of Mexico's best-known artists, Leonora Carrington was one of the premier women surrealist painters.If you are a fan of Remedios Varo's work, you'll appreciate Leonora Carrington. ... Read more

Product Description
La obra escrita de la pintora surrealista Leonora Carrington esta pobla¬da por seres de naturaleza hibrida. Este libro gira en torno a estos seres y a otras obsesiones literarias de la pintora. En sus paginas, Lourdes Andrade establece un dialogo con los monstruos. Se escuchan gritos, relinchos, cantos, voces que resultan un eco de las vidas que susurran en nuestro interior. ENGLISH TRANSLATION The writings of Surrealist painter Leonora Carrington are populated by hybrid beings. This book deals with these beings and Carringtons other literary obsessions, and on its pages, Lourdes Andrade enters into dialogue with these monsters. What we hear are screams, moans, songs and voices that echo the lives whispering within us. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The oval lady, beyond the surrealism
I had read this book a couple of months ago. In my opinion, the short stories of The Oval Lady go about the nonsense and deep messages about society in a way that few authors can get. The Oval Lady crosses the barrier of surrealism and takes into short and easy-to-read stories the wide imagination, personal mithology of Carrington. I strongly recommend this book. Once you get into the world of Leonora, you will charmed by the way she writes and explores her own oniric world. ... Read more

Product Description
Elena Poniatowska is recognized today as one of Mexico's greatest writers. Lilus Kikus, published in 1954, was her first book. However, it was labeled a children's book because it had a young girl as protagonist, it included illustrations, and the author was an unknown woman. Lilus Kikus has not received the critical attention or a translation into English it deserved, until now. Accompanying Lilus Kikus in this first American edition are four of Poniatowska’s short stories with female protagonists, only one of which has been previously published in English.

Poniatowska is admired today as a feminist, but in 1954, when Lilus Kikus appeared, feminism didn’t have broad appeal. Twenty-first-century readers will be fascinated by the way Poniatowska uses her child protagonist to point out the flaws in adult society. Each of the drawings by the great surrealist Leonora Carrington that accompany the chapters in Lilus Kikus expresses a subjective, interiorized vision of the child character’s contemplations on life.

“A tantalizingly complex feminist author, whose importance and originality have yet to be appreciated in this country.”—Cynthia Steele, author of Politics, Gender, and the Mexican Novel, 1968–1988 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a great introduction by professor Elizabeth Martinez
Aside from Lilus Kikus being a great novel by prominent Mexican writer Elena Poniatowska, professor Elizabeth Coonrod Martinez does a maginificent job introduccing the English reader to Poniatowska and the history and impact of Lilus Kikus in her introduction. The introduction itself is a facinating read to anybody interested in Elena and her history as a writer. I strongly recommend this book not only because it is Poniatowska's first novel and because of course it was written by her, but also because Martinez' introduction does justice to Lilus Kikus and teaches us the preconceived notions that a society had about this novel. As if this wasn't enough reasons, the English reader too gets introduced wisely into Poniatowska's novel and her work as a prominent and outstanding writer. I strongly recommend this novel to any English-reader! ... Read more