Disgrace, J.M. Coetzee

Why is it that the really good books are so sad? J. M. Coetzee's "Disgrace" won the 1999 Booker Prize, as well it should. David Lurie, a lackluster communications professor in Cape Town, engages in a little peccadillo with one of his students, bringing his career to a precipitous end. The novel follows his exploration of the state of disgrace, which he inhabits with deliberation. While visiting his daughter's farm in the Eastern Cape, Lurie and Lucy are attacked -- and Lurie can understand nothing about the reactions of those around him. The book's writing is quietly effective, leaving you genuinely disturbed.
Posted by supersusie at January 18, 2004 11:43 PM