The Criminal Child

A new collection of works by Jean Genet, one of the twentieth century's most influential writers, including the first translation of one of his most important works.

The Criminal Childoffers the first English translation of a key early work by Jean Genet. In 1949, in the midst of a national debate about improving the French reform-school system, Radiodiffusion Fran aise commissionedGenet to write about his experience as a juvenile delinquent. He sent back a piece that was a paean to prison instead of the expected horrifying expose. Revisiting the cruel hazing rituals that had accompanied his incarceration, relishing the special argot spoken behind bars, Genetbitterly denounced any improvement in the condition of young prisoners as a threat to their criminal souls. The radio station chose not to broadcast Genet's views.

"The Criminal Child" appears here with a selection of Genet's finest essays, including his celebrated piece on the art of Alberto Giacometti.