In Eleonore Frey's novel, a writer's life is transformed by an encounter with a homeless man

Swiss author Eleonore Frey's novel "Ainsi va Lipp," recently translated into French by Camille Luscher, centers on a fleeting yet profoundly unsettling encounter at Paris's Gare de l'Est. The protagonist, a novelist referred to as Madame, becomes fixated on a homeless man she nicknames Lipp, prompting an exploration into his life and the circumstances that lead to marginalization.

The novel, originally published in 1998, is part of Frey's distinctive body of work, for which she received the Swiss Literature Prize in 2015. Despite her recognition in German-language literature, Frey remains less known to French-speaking audiences. Her work is characterized by a deep engagement with characters living on the fringes of society and a unique stylistic approach.

Camille Luscher, the translator, describes Frey's writing as "untranslatable par excellence." This is due to Frey's skillful manipulation of idiomatic expressions, imbuing common phrases with new meaning and depth. Luscher notes the author's "great coherence" in her themes, consistently focusing on marginality, and her stylistic consistency in "diverting, shifting idiomatic expressions."

Frey, born in 1939 and based in Zurich, began publishing in her fifties. "Ainsi va Lipp" is her fifth novel. The translation by Luscher is praised for its success in capturing the essence of Frey's challenging prose, inviting readers into a slow, contemplative reading experience that balances a yearning for freedom with a sharp awareness of the suffering inherent in non-conformist lives.

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The man: his clothes are worn but almost clean. Too warm for the season. He wears a sheepskin jacket that is probably also his bed. His feet, on the other hand, are airy: no socks, shoes much too big for him. He wears a beard, closely trimmed, Madame still notes. Who could be making it for him?