Diary of a Country Priest by Georges Bernanos (Doubleday, 1964)
An odd, difficult book that ultimately flickers into heartbreaking life. The dying priest is a very humble, engaging character who surprises himself (and the reader) with his depths of feeling and wisdom.
Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee (Secker & Warburg, 1999)
Sad, broken lives in a sad, broken country. Coetzee brilliantly interweaves the dehumanizing distances between race and gender and generations. Brilliantly refractive and elegantly composed. I thought the subplot regarding the Byron opera the only false, forced note, not sufficiently tied to the character or the narrative. Also watched the movie (written by Anna Maria Monticelli and directed by Steve Jacobs) with John Malkovich which is intelligently and beautifully made.
The House in Paris by Elizabeth Bowen (Knopf, 1949)
A wonderful book, whose beauty and clarity of observation is almost excruciating. Two forsaken children cross paths for a day in a house in Paris. As a character Karen Michaelis, mother of Leopold, seemed somewhat blank, under-developed. But everything else here was extraordinarily alive and beautifully wrought.
Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence (Penguin, 1981)
Paul Morrel and his mother Gertrude, both fascinating and complex characters passionately brought to life by Lawrence’s profound psychological scrutiny. Honest writing about love and sex, and some beautiful descriptions of landscape and flora.
Four Stories by Gabriel Josopovici (The Menard Press, 1977)
Another smart and intriguing book by Josopovici. Four odd, cerebral stories, experimental in form, somewhat abstract, refracted. Reminded me what a smart and interesting writer this is, with some echoes of Sontag and Sebald.
The Camomile Lawn by Mary Wesley (Summit Books, 1984)
An odd, lovely book. Peopled by a very large cast of idiosyncratically charming characters. The hopscotching past/present structure is a bit creaky and somewhat mars the book’s easy, natural movement but doesn’t seriously detract. Delightful.
Not To Disturb by Muriel Spark (New Directions, 2010)
Evil machinations below stairs in a decadent Swiss chateau. Lively, funny, and dark, if somewhat inscrutable and therefore not entirely satisfying.