Tree of Codes

Tree of Codes. It is an experimental novel created by the American author Jonathan Safran Foer, published in 2010 by the London-based publisher Visual Editions. The work is constructed entirely through a process of erasure, where Foer physically cut words out of the pages of his favorite book, Bruno Schulz's *The Street of Crocodiles*, to form an entirely new narrative. This intricate physical form, requiring complex die-cutting techniques, positions the work as a significant artifact within contemporary book arts and Ergodic literature.

Background and concept

The conceptual foundation is deeply rooted in Foer's admiration for the Polish-Jewish writer Bruno Schulz and his seminal collection of stories, *The Street of Crocodiles*. Following his earlier experimental work *Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close*, Foer sought to engage with Schulz's text not through adaptation but through radical subtraction. The project was inspired by the artistic practice of Tom Phillips and his altered book *A Humument*, as well as broader traditions of Oulipo and Found poetry. Foer described the process as a "sculptural" interaction with the original text, aiming to carve out a ghostly narrative of memory, loss, and family from Schulz's prose. The publisher Visual Editions, known for championing innovative book design, collaborated to realize this technically ambitious vision.

Structure and format

The physical object consists of 138 pages, each one a palimpsest-like lattice of text, with the majority of the original pages from *The Street of Crocodiles* removed via precision die-cutting. This technique leaves only select words and phrases intact, which become the prose of the new story; the remaining empty spaces on a page allow glimpses of words on subsequent pages, creating a layered reading experience. The narrative that emerges follows a protagonist, seemingly named "Jonathan," navigating a surreal landscape haunted by his father, echoing themes from both Schulz's work and Foer's own earlier novels. The structure demands active participation from the reader, who must navigate the fragile, three-dimensional pages, aligning it with Espen Aarseth's concept of Ergodic literature.

Critical reception and analysis

Upon its release, the book received widespread attention for its audacious material form, with reviews in major publications like *The New York Times*, *The Guardian*, and *The New Yorker*. Critics such as Steven Heller praised it as a "masterpiece of Conceptual art" and a bold statement in publishing history. Many analyses focused on its meditation on Holocaust memory, connecting the erasure of text to the erasure of Schulz himself, who was murdered by a Gestapo officer in 1942. Some literary reviewers, however, debated whether the conceptual premise overshadowed the emotional weight of the narrative, comparing it to works by Mark Z. Danielewski or the visual poetry of Guillaume Apollinaire. Despite this, it was frequently lauded as a profound exploration of intertextuality and the physicality of the codex.

Influence and legacy

The work has exerted considerable influence on discussions about the future of the novel and the artist's book. It is frequently cited in academic discourse surrounding Digital humanities, Material culture, and Publishing studies, often contrasted with the rise of E-books and digital reading platforms like the Amazon Kindle. The book's success spurred Visual Editions to further projects, including a collaboration with Faber and Faber on a special edition. It has inspired other artists and writers to explore die-cut narratives and has been featured in exhibitions at institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art library. Furthermore, it led to a contemporary ballet adaptation by the renowned Wayne McGregor for the Paris Opera Ballet, with an original score by Jamie xx, premiering in 2015.

Publication and editions

The first edition was published in 2010 by Visual Editions, a relatively small publisher founded by Anna Gerber and Britt Iversen, which specialized in visually-driven literature. The production was notoriously complex and expensive, involving a specialist printer in Italy and requiring multiple attempts to perfect the die-cutting process without causing the book to fall apart. A more durable special edition was later released, and the book has been translated into several languages, including Korean and Polish, each edition facing unique manufacturing challenges. Its publication history is often highlighted in studies of 21st-century Publishing innovation alongside works from McSweeney's and other independent presses pushing the boundaries of book design.

Category:2010 novels Category:American experimental novels Category:Ergodic literature Category:Books by Jonathan Safran Foer