Review - Diary of a Bad Year by J.M. Coetzee

Diary of a Bad Year by J.M. Coetzee
Publisher: Penguin Group 2007
Hardback 227 pages



This must be my week for reading Nobel prize winners, and with Coetzee I have to say that it is an honor well earned. The story is complex, but well worth reading again and again. I will admit that I had to stop and start this book again many times. One almost needs a road map to enjoy this book properly.

You can think of this book as three novellas in one. On every page we see the story enfold from three different viewpoints; the author, his novel and the woman who is the object of the authors desire. The central plot involves an aging author who at the end of his life falls in love with a young vibrant young Latina neighbor. Under the guise of seeing her more often he offers her a position as a typist as he works on a collection of opinions for a German publication. During this time the author, Senor C, learns that the object of his affection is much more than what she seems. His changing experiences with her can be felt not only is his point of view, but in his opinions as well.

This book is short, sweet and wonderfully complex. A perfect read for long Sunday.