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Section 1

• In the commentary for the "1981 American Paperback Edition," the translator describes how the collection of Exercises evolves from twelve written in 1942 to a group of 99 by 1946.

• According to the author, 99 is the perfect number.

• The book is made up of a series of writing exercises in which the same basic story is told in a variety of different ways and from a number of different narrative perspectives.

• The translator describes how in later years the author sketches out possibilities for further exercises.

• The translator also notes that in addition to many of the Exercises being very funny, there are layers of meaning and implication that can be found in each individual exercise.
• The narrator sees an eccentrically dressed young man on a crowded bus, the young man accuses a second man of stepping on his toes, and after a brief confrontation the young man sits down.

• Later...

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