The Map and the Territory
English hardcover edition
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| Author | Michel Houellebecq |
|---|---|
| Original title | La carte et le territoire |
| Country | France |
| Language | French |
| Publisher | Flammarion |
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Publication date
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4 September 2010 |
| Pages | 428 |
| ISBN | |
The Map and the Territory (French: La carte et le territoire, French pronunciation: [la kaʁt e lə tɛʁitwaʁ]) is a novel by French author Michel Houellebecq. The narrative revolves around a successful artist, and involves a fictional murder of Houellebecq. It was published on 4 September 2010 by Flammarion and received the Prix Goncourt, the most prestigious French literary prize, in 2010. The title is a direct quote from Jean Baudrillard's text "Simulacra and Simulation", which itself refers to the Jorge Luis Borges short story "On Exactitude in Science".
The Map and the Territory is Michel Houellebecq's fifth novel. It was published five years after his prior novel, The Possibility of an Island. The Map and the Territory was among the most eagerly awaited and discussed novels of the 2010 literary season in France. The first printing was for 120,000 copies, as announced by the publisher. An English translation by Gavin Bowd was published in January 2012.
The Map and the Territory received the Prix Goncourt on 8 November 2010 on the first ballot with seven votes against two for Apocalypse bébé by Virginie Despentes.
The novel tells the story of the life and art of Jed Martin, a fictional French artist who becomes famous by photographing Michelin maps and painting scenes about professional activities. His father is slowly entering old age. Jed falls for a beautiful Russian executive from Michelin but is unable to hang onto this relationship. He becomes extraordinarily successful and therefore suddenly rich. He meets Michel Houellebecq in Ireland in order to ask him to write the text for the catalog of one of his exhibits, and offers to paint the writer's portrait.
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