Martin Page deals with a recognized quality, intelligence, just like a failing. From The Ecclesiastes, « the one who increases his knowledge, increases his pain. ». Antoine, his hero, exceptionally young gifted student, is sure that his insatiable curiosity is, originally, the reason of his life sickness. He is clever, but he can not live with his cleverness. After a few curative radical experiences, he starts to cure of cleverness as a weakness. With care, he will search for the method to get a sweeter life.

Publishing house : Le Dilettante, 2001.

Translation rights : Germany (Klaus Wagenbach), Italy (Garzanti Libri), Greece (Astarti), Spain and South America (Tusquets), Portugal (Asa), Brazil (Rocco), Japan (Seidosha), Korean Republic (Munidang), Estonia (Olion), The Netherlands (Wereld-Biblioteek), Finland (Like), Sweden (Inforum), Poland (Muza), Czech Republic (Mlada Fronta), Slovakia (Sofa), Serbia (Alfa-Narodna-Knjiga), Croatia (Fidas), Turkey (Kapital Media), Romania (Humanitas), Bulgaria (Pulsio), Thailand (Circle), Hungary (Ulpius), Russia (Inostranka), China (Taiwan, Bobos), Lithuania (Alma Litera), Ukraine (Academ), Slovenia (Sanje), USA (Viking/Penguin) & World-English rights, Israël (Kinneret), and in Catalan (La Campana).

Paperback rights : J’ai Lu.

Book club : France loisirs.

Press :

« From this completely absurd run to emptiness, Martin Page writes a novel with a total logic. This satire of our world, which looks as if it was reasonable, is the work of a writer who controls as well his style as his subdued humour. A true success. »

P.-R.L., Le Monde

« Antoine, the hero, suffers to be too much lucid. A strong and crazy book. »

J.A., Elle

« Hilarous, well hurling truths, this first novel delights too – and above all – by his fresh and witty writing. So much intelligence in the phrasing is a real pleasure. »

M.L., Télérama

The ultimate Author’s Edition of the novel in french is the digital version (ebook, september 2013).