{"title":"Joseph Ponthus","description":"\u003cp\u003eJoseph Ponthus was a celebrated French author, known for his compelling writing style and sharp observational prowess. He gained international recognition with his debut book, \u003cem\u003eOn the Line: Notes from a Factory\u003c\/em\u003e, which provides a unique perspective into the gritty realities of factory life. This riveting novel, originally published in French as \u003cem\u003eA la Ligne\u003c\/em\u003e, offers readers an immersive experience into the world of factory workers, reflecting broader societal issues through a deeply personal narrative.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePonthus's writing skillfully traverses the line between fiction and reality, engaging readers with its raw honesty and emotional depth. His work is not only a narrative of personal endurance but also highlights the broader human condition, making it an essential read for those interested in contemporary fiction that resonates on multiple levels. This book is included in our General Fiction category, where it stands out for its innovative form and insightful commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eExplore Joseph Ponthus’s literary landscape and uncover the profound insights wrapped within the lives of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. His writing continues to resonate with readers, offering both comfort and challenge as it mirrors society’s most pressing concerns.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"on-the-line-notes-from-a-factory-by-joseph-ponthus-9781760642334","title":"On the Line: Notes from a Factory","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA multi-award-winning French bestseller that brings poetry to the factory floor\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFactory you shall never have my soul  \nI am here  \nAnd I count for so much more than you  \nAnd I count so much more because of you  \nThanks to you\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUnable to find work in his field, Joseph Ponthus enlists with a temp agency and starts to pick up casual shifts in the fish processing plants and abattoirs of Brittany. Day after day, he records, with infinite precision, the nature of work on the production line—the noise, the weariness, the dreams stolen by the repetitive nature of exhausting rituals and physical suffering. But he finds solace in a life previously lived. Shelling prawns, he dreams of Alexandre Dumas. Pushing cattle carcasses, he recalls Apollinaire. And, in the grace of the blank spaces created by his insistent return to a new line of text—mirroring his continued return to the production line—we discover the woman he loves, the happiness of a Sunday, Pok Pok the dog, the smell of the sea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this celebrated French bestseller, translated by Stephanie Smee, Ponthus captures the mundane, the beautiful, and the strange, writing with an elegance and humour that sit in poignant contrast with the blood and sweat of the factory floor. \u003cem\u003eOn the Line\u003c\/em\u003e is a poet's ode to manual labour, and to the human spirit that makes it bearable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46509333971180,"sku":"9781760642334","price":34.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/23810283482814.jpg?v=1748771038"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/joseph-ponthus.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}