“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.” Chapter 1: The Early Years The novel opens with the protagonist, Franz Ferdinand Trotta, reflecting on his […]
Russian literature
The Gift
“The cradle rocks above an abyss, and common sense tells us that our existence is but a brief crack of light between two eternities of darkness.” Chapter 1 […]
French literature
Nausea
“Existence is not something which lets itself be thought of from a distance: it must invade you suddenly, master you, weigh heavily on your heart like a great […]
English literature
Homage to Catalonia
“This war, in which I played so ineffectual a part, has left me with memories that are mostly evil, and yet I do not wish that I had […]