Friday Finds: Strangers

Friday Finds is hosted by Should Be Reading. Here’s my one find:

Strangers by Anita Brookner

Here’s the blurb from Barnes and Noble:

Paul Sturgis is resigned to his bachelorhood and the quietude of his London flat. He occasionally pays obliging visits to his nearest living relative, Helena, his cousin’s widow and a doyenne of decorum who, like Paul, bears a tacit loneliness.To avoid the impolite complications of turning down Helena’s Christmas invitation, Paul sets off for a holiday in Venice, where he meets Mrs. Vicky Gardner. Younger than Paul by several decades, the intriguing and lovely woman is in the midst of a divorce and at a crossroads in her life. Upon his return to England, a former girlfriend, Sarah, reenters Paul’s life. These two women reroute Paul’s introspections and spark a transformation within him.

Paul’s steady and preferred isolation now conflicts with the stark realization of his aloneness and his need for companionship in even the smallest degree. This awareness brings with it a torrent of feelings–reassessing his Venetian journey, desiring change, and fearing death. Ultimately, his discoveries about himself will lead Paul to make a shocking decision about his life.

I had never heard of Anita Brookner before but she also wrote Hotel Du Lac which won her the Booker Prize and I have heard of that book but unfortnately have not read it myself.

By the way, isn’t the cover great on this one?

What did you find this week?

10 thoughts on “Friday Finds: Strangers”

This sounds fantastic. I haven't heard of the author before either — great find.

The cover is great – I would definitely pick that book up based on the cover alone.

This sounds quite good Ti and that's a really great cover. It sure caught my eye right off.

This does sound good! And I love the cover. Not good to read these posts when I'm trying to talk myself out of a bookstore trip this morning.

I agree with the others, this is one fantastic cover! Looks like a great read as well.

~ Popin

I hope you enjoy it! I liked it a lot better than Hotel du Lac. 🙂

I love the cover, and the story sound awesome as well. Good find!

Have a great weekend!

This sounds like a very thoughtful book, and I love the use of light on the cover.

This sounds really good. I have Hotel Du Lac on the (large and precarious) pile near my bed. I'm planning to read it, and then maybe this, too! Thanks 🙂