Short Stories, Irish literature, Classics, Modern Fiction, Contemporary Literary Fiction, The Japanese Novel, Post Colonial Asian Fiction, The Legacy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and quality Historical Novels are Among my Interests








Monday, October 7, 2013

"Love Begins in Winter" by Simon van Booy (Lead story in Frank O'Connor Prize Collection for 2010)




Simon Van Booy was born in Great Britain and grew up in rural Wales. He is the author ofThe Secret Lives of People in Love, Love Begins in Winter (winner of the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award) and the novel, Everything Beautiful Began After. His latest novel is The Illusion of Separateness.

He is the editor of three philosophy books, titled Why We Fight, Why We Need Love, and Why Our Decisions Don't Matter. His essays have appeared in the New York Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian, and ELLE Men, (China), where he has a monthly column. He has also written for the stage, National Public Radio, and the BBC.

Simon teaches part-time at SVA in Manhattan, and is involved in the Rutgers Early College Humanities Program for young adults living in under-served communities. 


"Love Begins in Winter" is a very interesting story that centers on a world class cello player, his travels, his memories of his family and a relationship he develops with a woman he meets in a park.  Many of the sentences could stand alone as exquisite aphorisms.   The plot of the story is intricate and intriguing.  The character of the brother, a very rich Renault dealer in Paris, was very interesting and I enjoyed learning about him.  I can see why Van Booy won the Frank O'Connor Prize and I hope to read more of his work.  




No comments: