Michaux's most famous book, UN CERTAIN PLUME (1930), contains 15 sketches of his alter ego, Monsieur Plume. He is an antihero, who confronts the world in tragi comic adventures. Michaux has said the the character was born during his visit to Turkey and "died" when he had to return. In the title story the hero wakes up and falls asleep several times. Meanwhile his house is stolen, and he is brought into trial after his wife is found in eight pieces, but Plume himself has not noticed anything. Plume continues again his sleep. Plume appeared also in PLUME PRÉCÉDÉ DE LOINTAIN INTÉRIEUR (1938) and 'Tu vas être père (d'un certain Plume), which Michaux wrote in 1943. The word 'plume' means 'feather' but it refers also to a penman (un homme de plume). According to Michaux, Plume got his name from Edgar Allan Poe's short story 'The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Feather'.