"The Green Road" - Anne Enright. What do you expect from an Irish story? Family, guilt, so many words spoken but so much left unsaid, a grim, hope-crushing ending. Maybe this is just my inherited Celtic Catholic sensibilities. But this is what you got with the Green Road. The novel is about a family in … Continue reading 7. Ireland
Category: Catholicism
6. Portugal
"Perreira Maintains" - Antonio Tabucchi. Translated from the Italian by Patrick Creagh. I had intended to only pick authors who were from the country I was reading, however, not only is the author something of an expert on Portugal, this was recommended to me by a Portuguese friend whose taste I trust. It felt like … Continue reading 6. Portugal
5. Spain
"Books Burn Badly" - Manuel Rivas. Translated from Galician by Jonathan Dunne. I found this book by chance after browsing in Daunt's bookshop in Marylebone, London; the only place I know where books are divided by country and those with a geographic reading list can search for gems with little previous knowledge. It was a … Continue reading 5. Spain
3. Belgium
"War and Turpentine" - Stefan Hertmans. Translated from Flemish: David McKay This was a sweet, nicely written account of one man's life, Hertmans' Grandfather - Urbain - based on, inspired by and transcribed from Urbain's memoirs, feverishly written at the end of his life and entrusted to Hertmans for publication. Hertmans' narrative goes further than … Continue reading 3. Belgium
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