The Book of Illusions

The Book of Illusions
Author: Paul Auster
Genre: Fiction

I actually don’t like Paul Auster’s books too much. Acclaimed literary wunderkind or not, I generally find his writing overly artificial (this impression based on having read the New York Trilogy and The Music of Chance, which may be too small a sample to judge him). Frankly speaking, in these books, I feel that he sometimes drops the ball in the quest to produce intellectual writing.

However, I really liked The Book of Illusions, which is both beautifully written and – unlike the above books – actually has a real ending, as Auster tells the story of an author who goes in search of a lost actor from the silent-movie days. He definitely has a way with words, and in this book, his abilities are not hampered by a plot that is too contrived. I’d be happy to hear of other Auster titles in the same vein.

Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go
Author: Kazuo Ishiguro
Genre: Fiction

A melancholically tinged coming-of-age story with a dark twist, Never Let Me Go tells the story of Kathy, a girl growing up on a bording school where not all is what it seems.

Ishiguro has also written The Remains of the Day, later made into a movie with Anthony Hopkins, and Never Let Me Go is spiced with similar undertones of regret. A captivating and at times chilling read – I flew through it in a few days. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

The Pillars of the Earth

Title: The Pillars of the Earth
Author: Ken Follett
Genre: Fiction
Readability: Very good – despite the length

Ken Follett normally writes decent-but-not-divine thrillers about secret agents and stuff. Don’t hold it against him. This book is his absolute masterpiece, different from everything else he has written, and one of the most captivating fiction books I have ever read. And I am rarely this enthusiastic about books.

In essence, it is about a group of people in medieval times trying to build a church. Not your average sales pitch for a book, I know, but it is nothing short of riveting. I know many people who consider this book one of their favorites. It is long – over 1.000 pages – but don’t let that scare you. You will likely breeze through it in a few days.

Enough said. Do yourself a favor and see if you like it.