Flaubert's last one

[Kai Frederik Lorentzen]

... During the last two weeks I've read "Bauvard et Pécuchet" by 
Flaubert which turned out to be one of the best aesthetic experiences 
I've made in years ... The East German translation of Thomas Dobberkau 
from 1980 brings over Flaubert's unbeatable style pretty well (for 
English readers there's a fresh translation by Mark Polizzotti from the 
year 2005) ... Picaresque satire plus Situationskomik funnier than that 
of Larry David made me lol all through the book ... It is also, however, 
kinda Foucault-like archeology of the occidental discourse in the 19th 
century (if I should classify the novel as non-fiction inside the 
history of philosophy, I'd place it right in the middle of the 
"Phänomenologie des Geistes" and "Mille Plateaux": those of you who read 
all three will understand what I mean) ... But Bouvard and Pécuchet they 
do not stay with simple talk, nope, the (former) scriveners (Hello 
Bartleby!) they really really go for it ... Oh dear ... Those who like 
M&D will feel reminded of that novel's protagonists more than just once 
or twice ... Sometimes Bouvard and Pécuchet sit outside at night, have 
coffee and gaze at the stars, while speculating about the meaning of it 
all ... And in the end they have - just like "V"'s Benny Profane - "not 
learned anything at all" ... Extremely brilliant written (Borges loved 
it!), containing everything one could know in the late 1870s, and so 
funny that you have to laugh your butt off ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouvard_et_P%C3%A9cuchet

Your choice!

KFL