Michael Ferrier: François, portrait d’un absent (François, Portrait Of An Absent Friend)

The latest addition to my website is Michael Ferrier‘s François, portrait d’un absent (François, Portrait Of An Absent Friend). The eponymous absent friend is François Christophe, very much a real person, a film-maker and producer of radio drama, though there is very little about him on the web. He and his daughter had been washed … Read more

Mohammed Said Hjiouij : وت ماركافكا في طنجةك (Kafka in Tangier)

The latest addition to my website is Mohammed Said Hjiouij‘s وت ماركافكا في طنجةك (Kafka in Tangier) . Jawad, who works as a teacher and supports his family (wife, daughter, parents and sister) is reading Kafka’s Die Verwandlung (Metamorphosis). One night he has a dream about being pursued by a giant insect in a sewer … Read more

Eugene Vodolazkin: Оправдание Острова (A History of the Island)

The latest addition to my website is Eugene Vodolazkin‘s Оправдание Острова (A History of the Island). This is the history of an imaginary island, told both in a series of sometimes contradictory chronicles as well as with commentary by the 347 (sic) year old former royal couple. The story takes us from the early days … Read more

Shalash: شلش العراقيية (Shalash the Iraqi)

The latest addition to my website is Shalash‘s شلش العراقيية (Shalash the Iraqi). This is an anonymous blog written in 2005-2006 (i.e. post-Saddam Hussein)which is satirical and, presumably, often fanciful and fictitious, hence the combined blog has been called a novel. Shalash is at times serious but he is mainly witty and satirical, mocking his … Read more

Lyudmila Petrushevskaya: Нас украли. История преступлений (Kidnapped)

The latest addition to my website is Lyudmila Petrushevskaya‘s Нас украли. История преступлений (Kidnapped). Petrushevskaya is best-known for her weird/dark tales and though this is a novel it takes the form of several tales within tales within tales… We start with a man, Sergei Sertsov, who made his fortune (illegally) after the fall of his … Read more

Ellis Sharp: Pig Tale

The latest addition to my website is Ellis Sharp‘s Pig Tale. This is a very witty book, damning human foibles, told from the point of view of a five year old boar (i.e. male pig) called Ed. Ed manages to escape from the pig farm and we follow his adventures (which are being recounted to … Read more