Diary of a Bad Year

by Coetzee, J. M.

• ISBN13: 9780670018758
• ISBN10: 0670018759
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-12-27
• Publisher: Viking Adult

Summary

A new work of fiction by the Nobel Prize–winning author of Disgrace In this brilliant new work of fiction, J. M. Coetzee once again breaks new literary ground with a book that is, in the words of its main character, a response to the present in which I find myself.” Diary of a Bad Yeartakes on the world of politics—a new topic for Coetzee—and explores the role of the writer in our times with an extraordinary moral compass. At the center of the book is Señor C,” an aging author who has been asked to write his thoughts on the state of the world by his German publisher. These thoughts, called Strong Opinions,” address a wide range of subjects and include a scathing indictment of Bush, Cheney, and Blair, as well as a witheringly honest examination of everything from Machiavelli and the current state of the university to music, literature, and intelligent design, offering unexpected perceptions and insightful arguments along the way. Meanwhile, someone new enters the writer’s life: Anya, the beautiful young woman whom he hires to type his manuscript. The relationship that develops between Señor C and Anya has a profound effect on both of them. It also changes the course of Anya’s relationship with Alan, the successful, swaggering man whom she lives with—and who has designs on Señor C’s bank account. Through these characters, Coetzee creates an ingenious literary game that will enthrall readers and surprise them with its emotional power. Bold, funny, and sad, as well as intellectually clever and satisfying, Diary of a Bad Yearis a journey into the mind and heart of one of the world’s most acclaimed and accomplished writers.

Author Biography

J. M. Coetzee was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2003. He has won many other literary awards, including the Booker Prize (twice), the Prix ...tranger Femina, the Lannan Literary Award, The Irish Times International Fiction Prize, the Commonwealth Writers Prize, and South Africa-'s premier literary award, the CNA Prize. The author of eighteen books, he is a native of South Africa, and now lives in Australia.