Synopsis (Credit: www.amazon.co.uk)

The final curtain is closing on the Second World War, and Hana, a nurse, stays behind in an abandoned Italian villa to tend to her only remaining patient. Rescued by Bedouins from a burning plane, he is English, anonymous, damaged beyond recognition and haunted by his memories of passion and betrayal.

The only clue Hana has to his past is the one thing he clung on to through the fire - a copy of The Histories by Herodotus, covered with hand-written notes describing a painful and ultimately tragic love affair.

Joint Winner: Man Booker Prize for Fiction 1992.
On the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die List.

(Bought second-hand at Book Wise Exchange, High Street, Bellville.)

-- There is more than one copy of the book on my bookshelf --

Impressed with In the Skin of a Lion, I expected a lot from this book. I was not disappointed. In fact, I may just be turning into a serious Michael Ondaatje fan.

Seemingly without effort, the author tells a story that shows how unusual and extreme situations such as a war can influence people and their relationships with their circumstances and the people around them. The strength and the fragility of the human psyche are portrayed in ways that leave a lasting impression.

Perhaps his strength lies in his understated and subtle approach. Take the following extract as an example:

• Kip - an Indian Sikh who has volunteered with the British military for sapper bomb disposal training
• Hana - a 20 year old Canadian Army nurse
• The patient - a man under Hana's care in Italy after being unrecognisably burned in Africa

Kip walks out of the field where he has been digging, his left hand raised in front of him as if he has sprained it.

He passes the scarecrow for Hana's garden, the crucifix with its hanging sardine cans, and moves uphill towards the villa. He cups the hand held in front of him with the other as if protecting the flame of a candle. Hana meets him on the terrace, and he takes her hand and holds it against his. The ladybird circling the nail on his small finger quickly crosses over onto her wrist.

She turns back into the house. Now her hand is held out in front of her. She walks through the kitchen and up the stairs.

The patient turns to face her as she comes in. She touches his foot with the hand that holds the ladybird. It leaves her, moving onto the dark skin. Avoiding the sea of white sheet, it begins to make the long trek towards the distance of the rest of his body, a bright redness against what seems like volcanic flesh.

I am glad I haven't seen the film. No matter how good that might be, there is no way it could capture the atmosphere and nuances of the book. Which only fuels my irritation with publishers deciding to use photographs from the film as a cover for the book. The cover of this copy of the book is so much more authentic.

On its way to SA, a dear friend and avid reader. Until now my attempts at getting her to join BookCrossing have been unsuccessful.

Tracking number: RC076262695ZA
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