Entrusted in 1906 by the newspaper "Le Matin "with the "faits-divers" column, Felix Feneon, dandy and model civil servant by day, started reporting on the accidents, fights, riots, arsons, and murders from around the provinces. Given only three lines to detail each incident, Feneon turned the practice into an art, loading the pieces with sarcasm and black humor until each small capsule of life was an explosive read. The result is this collection of more than 1,200 short texts that still have the freshness and nerve to surprise even the modern reader. "Asignado la columna de "faits-divers" en 1906 por el periodico "Le Matin," Felix Feneon, dandy y, de dia, funcionario ejemplar, comenzo a informar sobre los accidentes, las peleas, los tumultos, los incendios y los asesinatos en las provincias. Con solo tres lineas para detallar cada incidente, Feneon convirtio la practica en un arte, cargando los articulos con sarcasmo y humor negro hasta que cada pequena capsula de vida se convirtiera en una lectura explosiva. El resultado es este conjunto de mas de 1.200 textos breves que todavia tienen la frescura y el descaro para lograr sorprender al lector moderno."