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Book by Christian Bök From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eunoia (2001) is an anthology of univocalics by Canadian poet Christian Bök. Each chapter is written using words limited to consonants and a single vowel, producing sentences like: "Hassan can, at a handclap, call a vassal at hand and ask that all staff plan a bacchanal".[1] The author believes "his book proves that each vowel has its own personality, and demonstrates the flexibility of the English language."[1] The work was inspired by the Oulipo group, which seeks to create works using constrained writing techniques.[2]
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| Author | Christian Bök |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Univocalic poetry |
| Publisher | Coach House Books |
Publication date | 2001 |
| Publication place | Canada |
| Media type | Hardback |
| Pages | 112 |
| ISBN | 1-55245-092-9 |
The book was published in Canada in 2001 by Coach House Books; sold 20,000 copies; and won the 2002 Canadian Griffin Poetry Prize.[3] Canongate Books published a British edition in 2008.[4] The book sold well in the United Kingdom, making The Times list of the year's top 10 books and becoming the top-selling book of poetry in Britain.[3]
The title eunoia, which literally means good thinking, is a medical term for the state of normal mental health, and is also the shortest word in the English language which contains all five vowels. The cover features a chromatic representation of Arthur Rimbaud's sonnet "Voyelles" (Vowels) in which each vowel is assigned a particular colour and consonants appear grey.
The "E" chapter was set to music by Kate Soper in her chamber piece Helen Enfettered.[5]
The main section of the book consists of five chapters: "A", "E", "I", "O" and "U". In each of these chapters, the only vowel used is the same one as the title. For example, in Chapter A, the only vowel used is "A". There are other rules given to each of the chapters.
The chapters are dedicated to Hans Arp, René Crevel, Dick Higgins, Yoko Ono, and Zhu Yu, respectively. The postscript of the book implies that Chapter E is a retelling of the Iliad.
"Oiseau", meaning "bird", is the shortest word in the French language to use all five vowels. This section contains the following chapters.
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