‘For some time, she’d had the feeling that life was passing her by, eluding her, thousands of grains of sand running through an almost invisible crack, taking with them thousands of images, smells, colours, scratches and caresses’. Ch.10
This is a book to read about books and about readers falling within the worlds of books.
The Girl Who Reads on the Metro is so lightened on every page by prose poetry that I marvelled it did not flutter away from me down the aisles as I read it … on the train.
‘Each book is a portrait and it has at least two faces.’ Ch 8.
This book I wanted to pass on to another reader as soon as I had recovered a little from the sorrow of finishing it – which meant, of course, I could never again relish it for the first time. But as this copy was a library book, I decided to speak of it instead, this being my own way of acting as Passeur.
‘So many words. So many stories, characters, landscapes, tears, decisions, hopes and fears. But for whom?Ch.7.
A book to make me forever intrigued by the possibilities of page two hundred and forty seven. Even if the book I happen to choose to read does not even go up to page 247.
A book for people who read books. Here, it’s for you.
Where to find The Girl Who Reads On the Metro (Translated by Ros Schwartz)
From Bookshop Org (supporting local bookshops) from Book Depository(with free shipping worldwide) from Waterstones. And of course from many more.
But really, for hold in your hands this book about the love of books, why not visit your friendly local bookstore to seek it out. And while you look for it – take your time – bathe in the presence of all the other books. (For more about the joys of Book Bathing, take a look at this little post.)
The books above pictured with The Girl Who Reads On The Metro are a portion of my own Yellow Submarine. What Yellow Submarine are you talking about, you ask. The one mentioned in the book!
Mark, your reviewer here, is guardian and blundering typist for Mawson, one of this bright world’s few published bears.
Baffled Bear Books 