Dark Refuge

"This new publication of Dark Refuge is a helpful addition for all those interested in the adventurous life of bohemian author Charles Beadle ... His book Artist Quarter is the source of both fictional and nonfictional stories about Modigliani still prevalent today. In this book expertly edited, annotated, and commented upon by Couteau and Sawyer-Lau§anno, we gain greater insight into Beadle's life and the origins of his novel, Dark Refuge, that thankfully is once more available to the public." - Dr. Henri Colt, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of California and author of Becoming Modigliani.

"Dark Refuge appears in print for the first time since its original publication in 1938, presenting a world traveler's experiences with bohemian life in Paris in a novel that also serves (thanks to Rob Couteau) as a biography of Beadle's life. Extensive annotated references link Beadle's experiences to his fictional representations, offering a literary backdrop for understanding both the atmosphere and progression of his fiction and its roots in reality. Readers should be prepared for a sexual romp that is ribald, explicit, and thoroughly steeped in Beadle's personal experiences of the times....Whether exploring drug experiments and the revelations that follow them or descending into the sordid and colorful world of bohemian Paris, Beadle flavors all of his impressions with the same attention to flowery detail that makes his writing so timeless.... Pair this with the extensive notes and annotated references Couteau injects to not just explain but expand the story, for a sense of the unique literary and historical importance of this reappearance of Beadle's rare classic, which has been out of print for far too long. Libraries seeking literary representations of the marriage between fiction and nonfiction will find Dark Refuge a fine example. The 200+ annotated notes come from previously unpublished letters and documents, combining with photos and historical reviews to represent a hallmark of not only literary fiction, but biographical research. Dark Refuge deserves a place in any library strong in works of literature that represent the intersection between fictional devices and biographical inspection, whether or not there is prior knowledge of or interest in Beadle's works and importance." - Diane Donovan, Senior editor, Midwest Book Review

"Beadle is the real deal. And Rob Couteau is the real deal too. Without his desire to rescue Dark Refuge from oblivion, we would all have missed out on a tremendous modernist novel that should rank among other classics such as Tropic of Cancer, Nightwood, Nadja, Ulysses, To the Lighthouse, and, of course, Naked Lunch. And thanks to his extensive annotations and deep research, we have both the novel and the context that created it. I am admiring and grateful." - Christopher Sawyer-Laucanno