Somewhere Towards the End by Diana Athill

[mstislavl]

Reading this book is like having a conversation with an intelligent, wise*, interesting, very open person. A conversation, because some of the things the author says resonate despite our differences in age, upbringing and nationality. For example, she describes how while falling asleep she imagines herself drifting on a raft at a dark sea, for me it is a canoe and a large, Amazon-like river at night. But the book of octogenarian author, who become famous in her seventies about life and death is better than a conversation, because a dialogue is fleeting like a rainbow, but the book remains - to be shared. The prose is beautiful as well as befits to a long time editor. I wish my  local library had more books  by  Diana  Athill.

 

*Not the same thing, intelligent is knowing facts, wise - understanding life as a craft