Georges Perec Georges Perec, author of La Disparition (1969; English translation A Void, 1994), in 1982. (more) A Void novel by Perec Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/A-Void Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: “La Disparition” Written by Written by Dr. Kate Briggs Dr. Kate Briggs is a Research Fellow in Modern Languages and Literatures at Trinity College, Dublin. She is also a contributor to 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (2012),... Dr. Kate Briggs Fact-checked by Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Oct. 17, 2025 •Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot A Void, postmodern novel written by French author Georges Perec and published in French as La Disparition(“The Vanishing”) in 1969. It was masterfully translated into English by Scottish novelist Gilbert Adair in 1994. Perec’s extended lipogram—a literary exercise that involves writing without a given letter of the alphabet—adds a layer of self-reflexivity to a novel that does nothing but point (obliquely) to what is missing. Writing without the letter “e” requires mastering avoidance techniques, and...

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