Since childhood Ruth Weiss has been escaping from life into books, and from the hothouse attentions of her tyrannical and eccentric parents into the gentler warmth of lovers and friends. Now Dr. Weiss, at forty, a quiet scholar devoted to the study of Balzac, is convinced that her life has been ruined by literature, and that once again she must make a new start in life.
I loved this book. As someone who also wonders how books we read affect our perceptions of ourselves and the world, I thought Brookner did a wonderful job illustrating this idea. The novel is beautifully written; the words will resonate in your mind as you this. This is not a stuffy British text at all. I highly recommend it.
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