Book Tips #1: "In Seach of Klingsor"

A few posts down, I made my shame-faced confession to liking 'pulp fiction', that is, American crime and thriller stories.  Relieved and now emboldened by having 'come out', I have decided to go one further and flaunt my proclivity by providing you all with the occasional tip-off as and when I read something I enjoy.  Please feel free to return the favour in the 'Comments' .

In Search of Klingsor by Jorge Volpi  (paper-back by Fourth Estate)

To be fair, my first tip is anything but 'pulp fiction'.  The exact opposite, in fact; it is a highly intelligent and completely unique piece of story telling.  Unique, not only in style but in content.  After all, how many books have you read in which Einstein, Bohr, von Neumann, Planck, Schrodinger and, most important, Heisenberg, all feature as characters.  Time flits back and forth between the 1920s, Hitler's Reich, post-war Germany and the fall of the Berlin wall.  I am incapable of giving you a literary criticism, I can only tell you that I was carried along very easily by the writing with the exception of one or two longeurs which I skim-read with my usual facility.  Anyone who saw and was fascinated by Michael Frayn's superb play, Copenhagen; or, if you have the slightest knowedge of, or interest in, science and philosophy, this is a 'must read'!

For the low-brows amongst you, fear not, I shall be down at your level quite soon.

Comments

[Larry]

I did see and very much enjoy "Copenhagen", so I may have a go at this one.

In return I recommend to you "Exquisite Corpse" by Poppy Z Bright - a low-brow but gripping page-turner about love and criminality in contemporary New Orleans. I think you'd enjoy it.

[David Duff]

Thanks, Larry, I shall order it up from the library. I must confess my general aversion to women thriller writers. I can't quite pin it down, but they don't seem to do it like their male equivalents. But I'll try Poppy and let you know how I get on. Likewise, I shall be fascinated to hear what you think of 'Klingsor'.