Recommended: "The Archivist's Story" by Travis Holland

The Archivist's Story, a novel by Travis Holland, is set in 1939 Moscow. It is a relatively short book (about 240 pages) that communicates one powerful feeling: dread. The archivist in the story, former teacher Pavel Dubrov, works at Lubyanka prison. His job is to catalog, and ultimately destroy, writings by authors who are the victims of Stalin's persecution.

Dubrov steals from the office some work by Isaak Babel, although he knows that even such a small act could lead to arrest and death. This adds another layer of dread to the already horrifying world of the Soviet Union under Stalin, its Secret Police, and pending war with Germany. In the course of these extraordinary times, ordinary life continues and Pavel Dubrov must also cope with the death of Dubrov's wife in a train accident and his mother's failing health.

The situation is grim, but author Travis Holland writes delicately and beautifully of this dangerous world. As bad things happen, it's like watching a window slowly crack and disintegrate; we wait for the glass to fall out and a dreadful storm to rush in through the destruction.

The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award Shortlist

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Eibhlin Byrne, today formally announced the shortlist of the 2009 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.

According to IMPAC's web site, contenders for the award were nominated by public libraries in Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Lebanon, Norway and Sweden and the United States. The shortlist was selected from 146 novels nominated by 157 public library systems in 117 cities.

For more information about the award, check here.

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The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz (Dominican / American).

Ravel: A Novel by Jean Echenoz (French) in translation.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid (Pakistani / British).

The Archivist's Story by Travis Holland (American) Dial Press



The Burnt-Out Town of Miracles by Roy Jacobsen (Norwegian) in translation.



The Indian Clerk: A Novel by David Leavitt (American).

Animal's People: A Novel by Indra Sinha (Indian / British). This book was shortlisted for the Booker in 2007.



Man Gone Down: A Novel by Micheal Thomas (American).




(Via Bookninja)