The Real Illusion

‘The Real Illusion’ is an anthology of twenty-one stories spanning nearly three decades. Simon Lane’s writing offers a journey of the mind, reflecting the peripatetic nature of the author’s life, or lives. Sharp reportage joins lyrical and metaphorical explorations of the human condition to create a world of its own, always tinted with the most refined sense of humour, no matter what the subject. Enjoy the ride, from Los Angeles to London, from Iceland to Mexico. This will entertain and inspire the most well-travelled reader, indeed anyone seeking a moment’s respite within the eye of the storm. Simon Lane was born in England. After graduating from art school in London in 1979, he lived successively in Berlin, Milan and New York. In 1988, he based himself in Paris. His poetry, short stories, essays and drawings have appeared in a variety of publications throughout Europe and the United States. He has also worked in film, television and radio, as a writer and as an actor. He is the author of four novels, Le Veilleur, Still-life with Books, Fear and Boca a Boca (Word of Mouth). In 2001, he moved to Rio de Janeiro. Tunga is Brazil’s foremost contemporary artist. He has exhibited at the Louvre, the Jeu de Paume and many other museums and galleries worldwide. Over the past twenty years, he and Lane have collaborated on projects in a wide range of media. “An artful writer, and a funny one…Boredom is never a danger.” -New York Times “Lane offers…a prismatic language that for all its obvious intelligence and wit never places the reader at a distance.” -Publisher’s Weekly “I like the hell out of Lane, the movie and the man, and with my whole heart I endorse him in these respects.” -Gordon Lish