Mark Haddon
A friend who lives nearby and I have been regularly exchanging books for a few years now (it was through her that I was introduced to The Thursday Murder Club series). It works like this: We each put aside books we have read and think the other might like, and by the time we meet up (at her place or mine, or at a café), we usually have put together a good mix of around five books by various authors and on various subjects.
Some of the secondhand paperbacks I have lent her I don't want back; I bought them from the monthly book sale at the church in town center and she can do with them what she likes, either keep them or give them away or donate them back to the church to be sold again.
This book was among the ones she last gave me, and I must say that Mark Haddon is a great storyteller.
"Dogs and Monsters" is not a novel, but a collection of 8 stories of different length. Some of them are the author's interpretations of classical myths, such as the Minotaur of Greek mythology, or the temptations of St. Anthony in the desert, while others were originally written for a collection of ghost stories and based on a real place, or inspired by stories like The Island of Dr. Moreau.
I enjoyed each of them, although what happens in some of them is as terrible as it is beautiful, and all of them are touching in different ways.
When I researched Mark Haddon, I found out that he is suffering with Long Covid, which in his case has resulted in him having "brain fog" so as to losing his ability to read. That is very sad, but apparently the fog has recently been lifting somewhat - I wish him all the best for a full recovery.
He has is own website but - in his own words - has not updated it in a long time. You can of course find a lot about him online, for instance on wikipedia.
The only book I have read by Mark Haddon is 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NIght-Time.' I can imagine his short stories are quite gripping.
ReplyDeleteThat is the story he is best known for; it was turned into a play, too. I must have read it before I started reviewing books on my blog.
DeleteThe stories in this collection are quite gripping, too; not all of them at the same intensity (for me), but all of them are very good.
That's nice that you and your friend exchange books. I never buy books and only get books from my library. I'll look for his books at my library. Thanks, Meike.
ReplyDeleteI prefer borrowing from a library or from my sister, my mum and my friend, but I also like to buy occasionally, such as the books I find at my favourite book shop in Ripon, or non-fiction from the National Trust shop.
DeleteExchanging books with my friend has made me read books I would not have chosen myself, broadening my horizon.