The year 2022 starts with a literary bang: Michel Houellebecq publishes his new novel “Vernichten” – and it could even be his last.
At least that’s what the acknowledgments in the book suggest. It says: “Fortunately, I have just come to a positive realization (…). It’s time for me to stop.” Appropriately, despite its somber title, “Vernichten” expands the French author’s enormous moral-philosophical corpus with thoroughly peaceful thoughts about love.
Michel Houellebecq in search of (lost) childhood
Has Michel Houellebecq become senile? Not at all, as evidenced by a large part of the novel’s socio-critical foundation, which can be easily classified into the Frenchman’s skeptical background noise. But traits of naivety, of a humanistic-romantic view of the world, can also be found in Houellebecq. And that leads very directly to his admiration for Neil Young.
Michel Houellebecq and Neil Young? In fact, the author has penned an essay on the Canadian-born singer for the massive Dictionary du rock. It has also appeared in German in the text collection “Interventionen” (Dumont). Houellebecq has been involved with other arts besides writing for a long time, especially rock music. Take the wonderful but dark documentary To Stay Alive: A Method, which the increasingly grumpy-looking writer co-wrote with Iggy Pop, about art and depression.
Neil Young, Houellebecq suggests in his discussion, is essentially the antidote. Young writes songs “for the often unfortunate and lonely, for those who narrowly miss the gates of despair; for those who still believe that happiness is possible.”
There is no question that it could also be Houellebecq’s readers, whom he is addressing so precisely here. But what matters most to him is a vision that lies in the tireless musician’s songs: “‘Sugar Mountain’ and ‘I Am a Child’ have a purity, a naivety that makes your heart bleed. Such happiness is not possible, not here with us. It would have required preserving his childhood for that.”
An utterly fragile perfection characterizes Young’s songwriting, like Schubert, he is “perhaps even more shocking when he tries to describe happiness.” It’s happiness, you can say that much, even if you only have two or three stories of Houellebecq, the innocent child who has not yet been expelled from paradise.
More about Neil Young
The writing provocateur and cynic comes to rest with the songs of a singing poet who, at least according to Houellebecq, was able to keep his childhood as a great creative resource. Young’s unshakeable work, striving in all directions – an almost inconceivable utopia.