My Contemporaries

Jean Cocteau

Translated by Margaret Crosland

For almost fifty years up until his death in 1963, Jean Cocteau held a unique
place in French cultural life. The breadth of his artistic success bears witness to
the astounding variety of his talents. In the fields of theatre, cinema, art, ballet
and literature Cocteau made many life-long friends. Intimate portraits of some
of the greatest artists of his age are included in this memorable memoir.
Jean Cocteau was drawn to larger-than-life or seemingly unreal characters. He
believed that their unreality was often the clue to the secrets of their personality.
In descriptions of his contemporaries, Cocteau is able to illustrate everything that
is accessible, sympathetic, memorable, durable, all-pervading or dazzling about
them. Ranging from the moving and atmospheric (the dying Proust in his cork-
lined chamber) to the hilariously camp (Colette being carried from her apartment
by sedan chair to have lunch across the road), it is in these portraits that the
essence of his own work can be found.

The portraits include Proust, Picasso, Piaf, Colette, Chaplin and many more. . .

'Delightful reading, brilliant, witty, chic and profound. Colette, Piaf, Sachs, Proust, Appollinaire et al are presented for a few brief moments like characters coming to life at the footlights' Irish Times

'This little haystack of a book contains quite a number of needles . . . in their unstudied extravagant way they vividly recreate the personal and artistic presences of Cocteau's monstres sacres' Scotsman

'Attractive, approachable . . . Everything is light, easy, and, for all that, penetrating. The showman, showing others, shows himself' Times Literary Supplement

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JEAN COCTEAU (1989-1963) is one of the towering figures of twentieth century cultural life. A poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, boxing manager, playwright and filmmaker, he was responsible for classic works in almost every avenue of art he explored.