I have to admit that this week was a bit of a struggle when it came to what I would blog about  (which is code for “the reading in my life has been slow-going lately”).  Thankfully I had an epiphany this morning while staring at my fiction spinner picks, contemplating how long I could make it without a cup of coffee and eating cheddar cheese rice cakes.

And that epiphany was Nicole Krauss’s The History of Love. I probably read this book in 2006 (and it’s past due for a second reading), but it’s been one of my favorites ever since.  The History of Love is a novel about a novel (also called The History of Love) and its effect on the lives of its author Leo Gursky, his lost love, and his dead son.  This same novel also touches another family, that of fifteen year old Alma Singer (named after a character in Gursky’s The History of Love), her quirky brother Bird, and their recently widowed mother, who has been offered the job of translating The History of Love from Spanish.   These two stories combine as Leo and Alma search for others who may be connected to Gursky’s The History of Love but eventually find each other.

I don’t want to give too much away, but here is one of the passages that has stuck with me for years, and I can’t resist sharing it. This conversation takes place between a young Leo Gursky and the woman he loves.

“If I had a camera,” I said, “I’d take a picture of you every day. That way I’d remember how you looked every single day of your life.” “I look exactly the same.” “No, you don’t. You’re changing all the time. Every day a tiny bit. If I could, I’d keep a record of it all.” “If you’re so smart, how did I change today?” “You got a fraction of a millimeter taller, for one thing.  Your hair grew a fraction of a millimeter longer. And your breasts grew a fraction of a–” “They did not!” “Yes, they did.” “Did NOT.” “Did too.” “What else you big pig?” “You got a little happier and also a little sadder. Every day you become a little more of both, which means that right now, at this exact moment, you’re the happiest and the saddest you’ve ever been in your whole life.” (pg. 90-91)

Lovely, yes?  I thought so too.  After you read The History of Love, look for Nicole Krauss’s new book Great House, which comes out on October 5.

P.S. Here’s some literary trivia for you.  Nicole Krauss is married to fellow fiction writer Jonathan Safran Foer.  Cutest literary couple? My vote is yes.  -Kaycie

When I last blogged a couple of weeks ago, I had not finished reading C by Englishman Tom McCarthy. Last night I did!

Since it is short listed for the 2010 Man Booker Award, I am indeed happy that I have now completed this very unusual novel. When the winner is announced on Tuesday, October 12, I will be waiting to see if “my book” wins. (I plan on listening to the live interview with the nominated authors a couple of days before the award is announced. I really, really want to hear what McCarthy says about his novel!) I’m betting C will win!  I have read one other novel which was long listed for the Man Booker this year, Trespass, which is to be published in October. I will review it for my next blog.

Picking up where I left off with C, I can tell you that the novel totally switches directions! Serge, the protagonist, becomes a fighter pilot in WWI. Even though I did not much like this section, titled “Chute” (part II of the novel), I can now see its merit. Section III, is titled “Crash”, and section IV: “Call.”I may not have mentioned that section I is titled “Caul” in my previous blog. Note that each section begins with a “C”, hence one reason for the book’s title: C.

Of course, the sections are all very symbolic of the protagonist’s life, which is continually plagued by the absence of his sister.  Toward the end of the novel Serge visits Egyptian tombs. How does this work into the framework of this novel? I really don’t want to give too much away from this incredibly literary and challenging novel. Streams of consciousness much akin to Joyce or even to Faulkner ebb and flow in this austere novel. No, I would not say it is character or plot driven, but perhaps theme driven.

As I turned the last page, I did realize how all of the plots and subplots did work together to drive home the multi-layered themes of sibling love, depression, intelligence, and exploration, all apparent in the symbols.  How McCarthy did it mystifies me. I think I’ll chalk it up to one word: GENIUS! Even though this was one of the most challenging works of fiction that I have ever read, it was well worth the work. The way that McCarthy puts words together amazed me.  I’m betting McCarty and C will win the 2010 Man Booker Award! I can hardly wait to see~(not intended as a pun!)

Click here for Part 1 of Nan’s blog

-Nan

Back in August we had picked John Brandon’s second novel for our First Editions Club, taking out the remaining stock at the publishers. It was some time for us, and everyone else, before receiving the second printings; but I hope it is not forgotten. The novel is well worth reading. I very much enjoyed meeting Brandon and his family when they came down from Oxford for the signing. It was impressive the amount of hard-working odd jobs the man has gone through to be able to support his family and be able to write at the same time.

I believe his work is paying off and he has given us a solid story showing us twisting minds of the normal (ish) people that we are. He used such a delicate plot that was not abused or manipulated to strum the heart strings as it could have. The story hangs onto you and the intensity of the unsaid is powerful. His sense of the characters involved is a powerful hard copy that illustrates for us the situations and minds of the young and not so old as they are coming of age. He displays such a natural knowledge of the characters and that is definitely one of my favorite things to read. Its going to be exciting to watch this man continue with his work.

-John P.