Cricket Dib, born on the American prairie, has no particular prospects or ambitions until, in grade school, he realizes he can draw. He soon meets a girl, Olympia Argyros, one year older, who is captivating and brilliant and far more worldly. Recognizing his talent, she convinces him to deface, with profound vulgarity, a popular playground. Under her direction, he does it willingly, already in love, and thus begins a sixty-five-year entwining between Cricket and Olympia, encompassing friendship, working partnership and love affair. Together they go to art school—an experience of dubious value—and then navigate the art world for the next fifty years, together and apart. Contrapposto is a moving and very funny novel about allies and art, and what it means to be an artist. All through their lives, Cricket sees Olympia as his soulmate and destiny, and while she is always his champion, romantically her eyes are always seeking something—and someone—else. Their love changes over the decades, but their commitment to each other, and their search for meaning in the making of art, never wanes. The novel spans the globe, from New York to Cambodia, Indiana to Paris, and follows Cricket and Olympia through sickness and health, war and death. The novel is a wild and beautiful examination of the rules and market forces of the art world, but chiefly it’s about two friends who believe they can change that world, and bring new meaning to it, if only they can start their own movement, dodge charlatans, remain open-eyed and open-hearted, avoid going mad, avoid dying young of rare cancers, stay true to their ideals, and never tire of beauty. Not easy, but not impossible, either.

»En stor, virtuos, vågad, manodepressiv stuvning till bok.« The New York Times

När Dave Eggers var 21 år gammal dog båda hans föräldrar i cancer, med bara några veckors mellanrum. Han tvingades ta hand om sin lillebror »Toph«, som då bara var åtta år gammal. Ett hjärtslitande verk av förbluffande genialitet är den gripande och samtidigt på tusen sätt uppsluppna berättelsen om de båda brödernas liv efter att de i ett slag blivit föräldralösa. Om hur de flyttar från östkusten till västkusten i USA och där startar ett nytt liv. Dave Eggers debutbok hör till århundradets hittills mest framgångsrika. Ett hjärtslitande verk av förbluffande genialitet [2000] blev en litterär sensation när den kom och betraktas i dag som en modern klassiker. I svensk översättning av Thomas Preis.

»Dave Eggers frambesvärjer ungdomens trasiga skönhet som en ung Bob Dylan, skummande av ursinne. Hans bok är ett både komiskt och rörande vittnesmål som överskrider formens gränser.« The Washington Post

Cricket Dib, born on the American prairie, has no particular prospects or ambitions until, in grade school, he realizes he can draw. He soon meets a girl, Olympia Argyros, one year older, who is captivating and brilliant and far more worldly. Recognizing his talent, she convinces him to deface, with profound vulgarity, a popular playground. Under her direction, he does it willingly, already in love, and thus begins a sixty-five-year entwining between Cricket and Olympia, encompassing friendship, working partnership and love affair. Together they go to art school—an experience of dubious value—and then navigate the art world for the next fifty years, together and apart. Contrapposto is a moving and very funny novel about allies and art, and what it means to be an artist. All through their lives, Cricket sees Olympia as his soulmate and destiny, and while she is always his champion, romantically her eyes are always seeking something—and someone—else. Their love changes over the decades, but their commitment to each other, and their search for meaning in the making of art, never wanes. The novel spans the globe, from New York to Cambodia, Indiana to Paris, and follows Cricket and Olympia through sickness and health, war and death. The novel is a wild and beautiful examination of the rules and market forces of the art world, but chiefly it’s about two friends who believe they can change that world, and bring new meaning to it, if only they can start their own movement, dodge charlatans, remain open-eyed and open-hearted, avoid going mad, avoid dying young of rare cancers, stay true to their ideals, and never tire of beauty. Not easy, but not impossible, either.

»En stor, virtuos, vågad, manodepressiv stuvning till bok.« The New York Times

När Dave Eggers var 21 år gammal dog båda hans föräldrar i cancer, med bara några veckors mellanrum. Han tvingades ta hand om sin lillebror »Toph«, som då bara var åtta år gammal. Ett hjärtslitande verk av förbluffande genialitet är den gripande och samtidigt på tusen sätt uppsluppna berättelsen om de båda brödernas liv efter att de i ett slag blivit föräldralösa. Om hur de flyttar från östkusten till västkusten i USA och där startar ett nytt liv. Dave Eggers debutbok hör till århundradets hittills mest framgångsrika. Ett hjärtslitande verk av förbluffande genialitet [2000] blev en litterär sensation när den kom och betraktas i dag som en modern klassiker. I svensk översättning av Thomas Preis.

»Dave Eggers frambesvärjer ungdomens trasiga skönhet som en ung Bob Dylan, skummande av ursinne. Hans bok är ett både komiskt och rörande vittnesmål som överskrider formens gränser.« The Washington Post