To Write as if Already Dead

To Write As If Already Dead is a diaristic, transgressive work by Kate Zambreno that explores the failed attempts of Kate Zambreno to write a study of Hervé Guiberts To the Friend Who Did Not Save My Life. The first half is a novella in the mode of a detective story, while the second half is a notebook documenting the doubled history of two bodies amid another historical plague. The book asks what an author is and explores it through the anxieties of the internet age, the ethics of friendship, and the facts of the body.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 08 June 2021
Publisher: Columbia University Press

To Write As If Already Dead is a captivating diaristic work by Kate Zambreno, exploring her failed attempts to write a study of Hervé Guibert's To the Friend Who Did Not Save My Life. This introspective and transgressive piece, written in the years preceding Guibert's death, documents his diagnosis and disintegration from AIDS with remarkable speed and intensity. In the first half of the book, set in the mode of a detective story, Zambreno delves into the mysterious disappearance of an online friendship following an intense dialogue on anonymity, names, language, and connection. The second half, a notebook documenting the doubled history of two bodies amidst another historical plague, continues the meditation on friendship, solitude, time, mortality, precarity, art, and literature. Throughout this rigorous and mischievous exploration, Guibert lingers as a ghost companion, guiding Zambreno through her literary journey.

Zambreno, known for her boundary-pushing literary form, adopts Guibert's methods in this book to offer a keen sense of the energy and confessional force of his work. She explores the question of "What is an author?" with renewed urgency, delving into the anxieties of the internet age, the ethics of friendship, and the "facts of the body": illness, pregnancy, and death. Through her meticulous analysis, Zambreno sheds light on the complexities of authorship and the profound impact of Guibert's writing on the literary landscape.

To Write As If Already Dead is a testament to Zambreno's talent and dedication as a writer, as well as her ability to capture the essence of another artist's work while adding her unique perspective. It is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary literature, queer studies, and the complexities of human experience.

Weight: 160g
Dimension: 129 x 198 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231188456