Death to the Pigs and Other Writings

Stella presents the first English-language publication of French surrealist Peret's fictional and polemical prose, as well as some of his poems. Peret (1899-1959) was committed to the political as well as the belletristic aspects of surrealism, and his passing affiliations with anarchic and Communist groups are evident in his writings. Peret's wit is clear``Calendar of Tolerable Inventions from Around the World'' marks the ``anniversary'' of sequins: ``The appearance of stonecutters coming from work with chips of mica in their hair was the origin of the decoration of certain costumes for the Bal des Ardents.'' But because so much of the power of surrealist writing derives from its seeming spontaneitywhich translations are almost doomed to fail to transmithis conviction that ``the marvelous . . . is all around us, hidden to vulgar eyes but ready to burst out like a time bomb'' is unevenly demonstrated here, essentially limiting this collection to readers whose primary interests are social or intellectual histo ry. Illustrated. (Mar.)