Down From the Mountain

Dear BC:

I just finished reading a very long and obscure work of literary fiction. It was a little like climbing a mountain, and a glorious summit, but now I need to get my bearings again before I seek my next challenge. I need something witty, but not stupid, modern but not trendy, light but not vapid, and most of all, fun. Everything on my shelf of books to read next feels so ambitious or if not ambitious, like so much beach reading, which has its place, but not until August. What do you recommend?

Dear Craver

Congratulations on your accomplishment. Reading a big book is not as widely appreciated as an act of true faith in the goodness of the world as it ought to be. It can also be exhausting, and a kind of literary altitude acclimation is important to avoid dizziness, irritability and appearing to speak to people who are not there. One strategy is to visit a world that is somewhat similar but slightly less demanding. A world where there are great characters, fantastic word play, and lots of good descriptions of breakfast. Our prescription would be one of Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next novels. If you are new to this series, start with The Eyre Affair. These books are sometimes described as a cross between sic-fi and humor, but we stoutly defend them as being heirs to a strong tradition of British literature that likes a little giggle now and then. In these books, literature exists. For real. It is the setting, and the subject, object, and cast of characters. Confused? Let me try again. The Eyre Affair revolves around Jurisfiction, the undercover agency that polices works of fiction to ensure continuity and order. When characters forget their lines, slip from their posts or try to improve their own outcome, Jurisfiction agents like Thursday Next are called into action. They have the power to enter a book and take the necessary action to make sure that the right characters marry or die, or are born. These books are full of literary inside jokes, anachronisms, puns and what-ifs and our heroine, Thursday, is the sort of no-nonsense gal the Bronte sisters would have written about if they had been around to contemplate a world where they were their own action figures. (really! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NKXNThJ610&feature=email) Thursday is the kind of sherpa you need to descend from the heights where you pause. Trust her implicitly. And if she tells you that you really don't know, Jack, don't be offended. He's real, too, and you don't know, yet, but you want to.

The Eyre Affair is as tasty as a bit of English toffee and just as addictive. Savor it.

You can learn more about the delightful world of Thursday Next on Jasper Fforde's site: http://www.thursdaynext.com/