Such an interesting, odd and wonderful book. Set during the days of the isolation of the pandemic, the unnamed wife is relentlessly researching the work and life of Herman Melville. It is not clear what her motive is, but her husband, who is inhabiting the basement due to Covid, is listening to her calls with an ever expanding recital of all things Melville. Nothing really happens in this book, but I was captivated. There are hints that the marriage has passed a time of trouble, there is a child who occasionally appears, there are literary figures galore. As I was reading this, I reread the first chapter of Moby Dick, I read Grace Pauley's story Want that is mentioned, I added Elizabeth Hardwick's Sleepless Nights to my TBR list (she wrote a bio of Melville), and I truly enjoyed the ride through literature and history. The authors are a married couple and it's not clear how they collaborated. I think that is part of what makes this book both fascinating and charming. I loved it!
No comments:
Post a Comment