Paule Guivarch Book order (chronological)

For twenty-five years, a solitary American novelist writes at a desk inherited from a young poet who vanished under Pinochet's regime. Her life is disrupted when a girl claiming to be the poet's daughter arrives to reclaim the desk. Meanwhile, in London, a man caring for his dying wife uncovers a lock of hair among her belongings, revealing a dark secret. In Jerusalem, an antiques dealer reconstructs his father's study, looted by Nazis in 1944. The desk, with its many drawers, connects these narratives, exerting a powerful influence over its owners. As the characters confess, the desk symbolizes their losses and the ties to what has vanished. The story explores profound questions about inheritance, the impact of loss on future generations, and responses to disappearance and change. Nicole Krauss crafts a powerful narrative about memory and the struggle for permanence amid inevitable loss. Critics praise her intricate prose, noting that her sentences deliver profound insights and reflections on history. The novel is described as a remarkable, eloquent rush that captivates readers with its beautiful language and complex characters. Krauss's masterful character portrayal and the haunting themes of loss create a compelling mosaic that resonates deeply, leaving readers marveling at the emotional depth of this stunning work.

Durrell’s remarkable memoir of his spiritual journey with famed Taoist philosopher Jolan Chang Beginning with their first meeting over lunch at Lawrence Durrell’s Provencal home, Durrell and Jolan Chang—renowned Taoist philosopher and expert on Eastern sexuality—developed an enduring relationship based on mutual spiritual exploration. Durrell’s autobiographical rumination on their friendship and on Taoism recounts the author’s existential ponderings, starting with his introduction to the mystical and enigmatic “smile in the mind’s eye.” From parsimony, cooking, and yoga to poetry, Petrarch, and Nietzche, A Smile in the Mind’s Eye is a charming tale of a writer’s spiritual and philosophical awakening.