The short story collection I’m reading is Sara Stridberg’s beautifully expressed Hunter in Huskvarna. Her writing is often lyrical, vividly summoning up a little girl so entranced by standing inside the carcass of a blue whale that she packs her bags intent on joining it as its toured around the country. Very much enjoying this one: stories to be savoured.
The novel I’m reading is Rachel Lyon’s Self-portrait with Boy which sees a young photographer, struggling to break into the New York art world, who snaps her daily self-portrait and finds she’s caught her neighbour’s young son as he plunges to his death in the frame. If she decides to capitalise on this disturbingly striking picture, she knows it will make her name but there will be consequences. I’m just a few chapters in but it’s shaping up well.
What about you? What are you reading?
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Oh, I’ve got to find the Sara Stridberg, as we’re off to Sweden in early summer. I’m tempted by the other two too. The Ashon sounds curiously inviting.
Whereabouts in Sweden are you going? The Ashon is certainly interesting but a library read for sure.
We’re doing a bit of travelling round in the south, focussing on Malmö, Gothenburg and Stockholm. We’d wanted to get up to the Arctic Circle. But the distances! All by train. Planning is a work in progress.
That sounds like a wonderful trip. We visited Gothenburg and the archipelago a while back. I’d recommend the ‘fish church’ – a beautiful market with a simple cafe offering fresh fish if you eat it. Also the Vasa museum in Stockholm which is fabulous. Happy planning!
Thanks so much for this. Both ideas fully noted.
Your first two sound very interesting. Fiction-wise I am reading Parrott’s Ex-Wife and really enjoying it. Non-fiction book is Anne Enright’s new book of essays entitled Attention, very astute and entertaining writing. I saw her at the Ennis Book Club festival last weekend. Poetry-wise I am working my way through Seamus Heaney’s 100 Poems book. Gorgeous.
The Enright sounds interesting. I didn’t know she wrote essays as well as fiction.
Oh yes. She published them across various publications. They are a compilation of these published articles I think.
Thanks, Lucy. I’ll look out for it.
I love Stridberg’s novels so would be keen to try her stories and you have completely sold me on Self-portrait With Boy!
It’s set in DUMBO which apparently was an artists’ enclave in the ’90s. I’d not come across it before.
Fascinating.
The Passengers sounds fun. Nice reviews.
Thank you. I’m enjoying it. Amazing how much some respondents open their hearts to the questioner.