Boris Vian

Boris Vian was born in Ville-d'Avray[?], near Paris, France. Educated at the Ecole Centrale Paris he wrote 10 novels including some mass-market sex-and-violence thrillers under the pseudonym of Vernon Sullivan plus under his own name "L'Arrache Coeur" (Heartsnatcher), "L'Herbe Rouge" and what critics regard as his masterpiece, "L'Ecume des jours" (Froth on the daydream).

He was also the author of plays, short stories and songs, including a 1958 collaboration on the opera "Fiesta" with Darius Milhaud. He often played jazz at the "Tabou", a club (now disappeared), which was located in the Rue Dauphine, close to Saint-Germain des Prés[?], in Paris. He was playing a pocket trumpet, which he called "trompinette" in some of his poems. His most famous song was "Le déserteur", a pacifist song written during the Indochina War.

On the morning of June 23, 1959, BorisVian was at the Cinema Marbeuf for the screening of the film version of his controversial novel, "J'Irai Cracher Sur Vos Tombes" (I Spit On Your Graves). He had already fought with the producers over their interpretation of his work and he publicly denounced the film stating he wished to have his name removed from the credits. A few minutes after the film began, he reportedly blurted out: "These guys are supposed to be American? My ass!" He then collapsed into his seat and died of a heart attack en route to the hospital.

Novels include:

As Boris Vian:

• L'Écume des Jours[?] (Froth on the Daydream, Moon Indigo, Foam of the Daze) (1947)
• L'automne a Pekin[?]
• L'Arrache-coeur[?] (1953, Heartsnatcher)

As Vernon Sullivan:

• J'irai cracher sur vos tombes[?] (1946, I Spit on Your Graves)
• Elles se rendent pas compte[?]