Transcription -- Ben Lerner

When I finished Transcription I said to my husband "That was an odd book, odd and interesting." Revolving around time, family, mentors, and technology, Lerner's brief work is dreamlike, and at the same time intellectual. Lerner divides his story into 3 distinct sections. Each could stand as a novella on it's own. I read several interviews with Lerner before I read Transcription, so I knew what to expect. Even so, I was surprised by the somewhat distant tone, and taken in by the love of the characters for their families and for each other. I can understand what all the fuss is about. Lerner makes you think.