Description:

"The Attic" is Danilo Kiš's first novel. Written in 1960, published in 1962, and set in contemporary Belgrade, it explores the relationship of a young man, known only as Orpheus, to the art of writing; it also tracks his relationship with a colorful cast of characters with nicknames such as Eurydice, Mary Magdalene, Tam-Tam, and Billy Wise Ass. Rich with references to music, painting, philosophy, and gastronomy, this bohemian "Bildungsroman" is a laboratory of technique and style for the young Kiš--at once a depiction of life in literary Belgrade, a register of stylistic devices and themes that would recur throughout Kiš's oeuvre, and an account of one young man's quest to find a way to balance his life, his loves, and his art. ** ### About the Author Danilo Kis was one of Serbia's most influential writers and the author of several novels and short-story collections, including "A Tomb for Boris Davidovich, The Encyclopedia of the Dead", and "Hourglass". In 1980 Kis was awarded the Grand Aigle d'Or from the city of Nice. He died in 1989 at the age of 54. Danilo Kis was one of Serbia's most influential writers and the author of several novels and short-story collections, including "A Tomb for Boris Davidovich, The Encyclopedia of the Dead", and "Hourglass". In 1980 Kis was awarded the Grand Aigle d'Or from the city of Nice. He died in 1989 at the age of 54.