What Fiction are you reading this week, February 20, 2022?

[hermetic]

I'm reading The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien. It was written circa 1940 but initially failed to find a publisher. O'Brien withdrew the manuscript from circulation and claimed he had lost it. The book was finally published a year after his death in 1966. This story of a botched robbery and brutal murder takes us into a reality quite unlike anything we've experienced before. It's pretty funny, and thought provoking. I bought this online as a used book since my library didn't have it but I think it was remaindered because it's in perfect condition, from 1999. I'm pretty sure I am the first person to have opened it.

Listening to Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez. This was just published last month so it's a pretty current examination of political corruption, familial strife, and the very notion of the American dream. It's also a smart romantic comedy that lures us in with laughter and keeps us hooked with a fantastically engaging story. It's really good.

What good books are you reading this week?