Cracks in the Façade

Cracks in the Façade

Available by special order

This could well be the most introspective collection of Vadavian’s works yet published by Cerebellum Press. Although Vadavian was commonly characterized as distant and mocking, we believe these poems will reveal a sensitive, tender, and in glimpses perhaps somewhat regretful side of the poet that is likely to surprise many readers.

Here, we’ve collected not only a previously unpublished trove of poems, many of which were discovered during research into the origins of the maligned poet’s unique style, but also excerpts from two largely forgotten works. The first of these, an excerpt from Vadavian’s unpublished, and some say unfinished, semi-autobiographical novel University, is planned for release in its entirety in 2019. The second, an excerpt from The Vadavian Tapes, is a unique glimpse into the author’s persona planned for release by Cerebellum Press soon after that.

The story behind The Vadavian Tapes may well warrant its own publication some day. I was presented with the unique opportunity of spending three days with Vadavian at his mountain retreat during the late winter of 1999, and suggested we engage in a series of recorded conversations over this period. Vadavian was initially reluctant, concerned, I believe, that he would be misperceived as willing to engage in self-promotion. I convinced him that some readers may be interested in hearing him speak about his work, but more importantly, about his own views on a range of topics.

The result was a largely uninterrupted reel-to-reel recording of our roaming conversation over three days. In the beginning of the interview, Vadavian sounds engaging and tolerant of my questions, but by the third day there is an obvious tone of impatience developing. Vadavian was a noted recluse, and I believe he found the conversation, and my questions in particular, draining near the end. The press is currently working to transcribe the recording in its entirety for eventual publication in a single volume. As the excerpt near the end of this book reveals, there are instances of inaudible audio or non-verbal content that are transcribed literally. While some may regard this as distracting, the opinion of the press is that such literal transcription best portrays the pace and flavor of the conversation.

Finally, it is our pleasure to include at the end of this volume three guest contributions, one from each of Vadavian’s children. These were discovered in their original format, printed and stored neatly in Vadavian’s personal archives, just before the current volume was sent to press.

– Waltherian Sems-Chennowyth

Central Bavaria, 2017