Capital of Pain (Capitale de la douleur, 1926), is considered one of the key texts of surrealism. This is the first new translation into English of this work in over 30 years and the only edition available in the English language. This edition presents the text in its entirety in a bilingual format in parallel text format, and includes an extensive essay on Eluard's works by Mary Ann Caws. This book has had a lasting effect on poets and readers since it exploded unto the literary scene in 1926 and has never been out of print in Europe since.
Capital of Pain is also notable for its inclusion in Jean Luc Godard’s 1965 film Alphaville. Several of the concepts in Éluard's poetry are adapted in the film and the book is quoted from throughout. The character Natacha (Anna Karina) can also be seen reading the book.
