Book Queue

Three years later: It seems the books will stay on this page forever, it's just too late now to remember them well enough to write down more details!

Hanif Kureishi: Love in a Blue Time

Short stories about love, affection and weird people.

Tibor Fischer: The Collector Collector

A story about an antique ceramic bowl which can think (and write books). Lots of interesting observations about humans through the ages, and nice language twists (for example, "to have a go at ago", "a room de-lighted for delight", "a grave-robber robber", and the title itself).

Tobias Wolff: The Night in Question

Short stories about killing and death, but often quite indirect ones - i.e. a man ordering his own obituary just to check what impression he's going to leave when leaving.

David Lodge: Therapy

A comic novel about a successful English sitcom writer in midlife crisis who has problems with women and his knee.

David Lodge: Out of the Shelter

A somewhat autobiographical story about an English boy visiting his sister in Heidelberg after WWII. She works for the Americans there, and the book is full of refelctions on the different cultures (or cultural differences?).

Sten Nadolny: Die Entdeckung der Langsamkeit

A fascinating story about the life of John Franklin. (The one featured at the Greenwich Maritime Museum.) Has undoubtedly been translated to English in the mean time!

The Bible According to Mark Twain

A collection of stories, edited by H.G.Baetzhold and J.B.McCullough. Quite blasphemous sometimes (although I hear that Twain was a Christian), but witty and humourous throughout.