A young woman sits at her husband's bedside, twisting her worry beads, reciting prayers. Shot in the neck by a fellow soldier, he is in a coma. The passage of time is measured by the sound of his breathing, the slow drip that keeps him alive and the calls to prayer in the streets outside. Consumed by her vigil and his medical care, the woman is alone and desperate for any sign of life from her comatose husband. As her mind appears to unravel, so it becomes intensely clear-sighted. Now is her chance to speak without being censored. Empowered by her husband's silence she steps out of the shadows of convention and repression and begins her confessions.

A wonderful, beautifully written, condense short story (just 136 pages) that captured me from the first page.

Travels to Germany, picked out from a VBB.

Enjoy!

The book has just arrived. Thanks very much!

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The book gives you a faint idea about the horror of living in Afghanistan. One just hopes that, after telling her husband all her secrets, her life will somehow change to the better. Is a man like him able to change? Well, I hope one day there will be books telling pleasant stories from that country!

Off now to ApoloniaX, who has chosen this via the Global Village VBB. Enjoy reading it!

Arrived while I was at the Brugge meet-up, thank you, Into-the-Blue!

What a powerful, compelling novella, written in a beautiful, sparse style. It's amazing how Rahimi evokes the atmosphere in that room, where almost the whole story takes place. It has something of a screenplay. Haunting and heart-wrenching.

Chosen from the Asian First Page VBB.
Hope you like it!

Look very interesting, thanks!

Prix Goncourt boys and girls.

Part of a stash of books left at the Avila Centre of English by soffitta1 a couple of years ago. Many teachers have read many of them, but it's time to move on.

There is a space for books at the front of an unused stall at the market, and this has been organised by the local library. Donations are invited for the local branch of the Red Cross. Mainly German books when we started releasing books, but the balance will probably go towards English books by the time I've finished this lot!

The local stallholders are keen because it brings more people into a market which has been hard hit over the last few years by supermarkets, a huge new commercial centre some miles away, and parking problems - now resolved. I've been using the market for over 25 years and would be distraught if it finally went under. There is a wide variety of produce on offer, excellent local fish is an unrivalled attraction, and there is one of the best delicatessens I know.

Now I'll probably be told off about irrelevant advertising, but I feel this is all part and parcel of the BookCrossing ethos.