2002-07-12 Silence in October

This is an enlightning book. It starts off badly for the first 20 pages and the protagonists self indulgent analysis of his situation is grating. Suddnely, the book takes off and I found I was unable to put it down.
The book center's around a 40 year old art critic whose wife suddnely leaves him one morning without an explanation. This leaves him to reflect on his marriage, previous girlfriends, career and affairs. It leads him to look at the role coincidence and irrational decision making have have made in his life and to muse as to whether he ulitmately made the right decisions. These musings could easily have become cliched but Grondahl's exquisite writing and sensitivity as the voice of the lead male is quite beautiful in its insight and density of thought. A piercing and delicate portrayal of human relationships. Quite Alluring.