I bought and read Auto-da-Fé a while ago and became very interested in Canetti's ability to write so I read Crowds and Power, and a selection of some of his writings through out his career called I Want to Keep Smashing Myself Until I am Whole, and then I bought the collection of his memoirs because of that book so I'll be reading that soon. And to note, a book of his is getting an English translation for the first time very soon so I will obviously be getting that since there were snippets of it in the selection book.
Auto-da-Fé was an interesting book, I don't like using that word bur it's the best I can think of to describe it. At the beginning it reminded me of the movie The Phantom Thread due to the main characters self obsession and narcissism, though as you continue to read you realize that every time we follow a new character we are 100% inside their own head and their own world, which took me a minute to figure out but I stuck along with the ride because the writing itself was what kept me going. It reminded me of how I first read Notes from the Underground, as if in time that I'm not careful I might end up like the main character. In short, I am glad that I read it but can understand why some people wouldn't want anything to do with it. I read on the back of the book it was supposed to represent the current climate for European literature so I thought that the main character was a personified caricature of classic literature terrified of no longer having a place in the ever evolving world.
Crowds and Power was a fascinating read, I'm very surprised, or at least have no idea if, Rene Gerard never mentioned or collaborated with Canetti because they have a lot of similar theories when it comes to people and the crowds that follow them. It delves deep into reasons the human mind may become to manipulated into giving itself to someone else, through mythologies based of already existing human characteristics, to current systems breaking down its people to exploit their obedience. So many ideas and ways things can happen.
I Want to Keep Smashing Myself Until I am Whole as I said is selected writings of his but I think is still a good introduction to him, I haven't read all his works but this book includes some other of his writings in regards to his book that aren't included in those books. I'll be reading his full memoirs soon.
If anyone else has read his works, I'd love to know what you think?
by NotBorris