Staff Pick

Vernon Subutex

by François-Xavier Schmit | January 28, 2015
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Virginie Despentes’s newest hero, Vernon Subutex, is on a slippery slope: a former record shop keeper, he survives by squatting in abandoned apartments of outcasts. Fortunately—and though he is unaware—he is in possession of a treasure: videotapes of a singer who was the victim of an overdose.  The tapes soon stir the attention of all sorts.

A masterful human comedy—and on point with its era—Vernon Subutex overflows with energy, revolt, and anger.  The first volume of a trilogy, this panorama of characters features multiple voices andoffers both a taste of Rock ‘n Roll and an unforgiving x-ray of our society.

 

Vernon Subutex, by Virginie Despentes, Grasset, 2015.

François-Xavier Schmit
When he was a child, François-Xavier always kept a book in the pocket of his jeans. However, for the first decade of his working life, he put his love of books aside to embark on a successful career in human resources. At age 34, deciding that life was too short not enjoy every moment of it, François-Xavier quit his position, moved to Toulouse, and opened his own bookstore. Six years later, while L'Autre Rive was thriving in the Pink city, François-Xavier heard that the French Embassy was looking for someone to run a future bookshop, and he moved to New York in August of 2013. The fine selection of books on display at Albertine is a reflection of his hard work.
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