Things: A Story Of The Sixties; A Man Asleep -

Written largely in the conditional tense ("they would have liked"), the book highlights a life of "could-bes" that never materialize, illustrating the hollow promise of the consumerist "New Wave" era. A Man Asleep (Un homme qui dort)

Together, these books represent two sides of the same coin: In Things , the characters try to find themselves in objects; in A Man Asleep , the character tries to find himself by stripping everything away. Both reach the same conclusion—that the "world" is inescapable, whether you are trying to buy it or ignore it. Things: A Story of the Sixties; A Man Asleep

One morning, the protagonist simply decides not to get out of bed for his exams. He chooses indifference, attempting to live without desire, ambition, or even a sense of time. Written largely in the conditional tense ("they would