Coetzee in November

I just read Waiting for the barbarians. At least now I know never to read any of his books again.

Tough going, wasn't it. I read it as well. I had the Sam feeling after I read Disgrace. I decided to use this month to read up his books on the 1001 list. I read Waiting for Barbarians, Dusklands and In the Heart of the Country. Also three were rather brutal.

I think my favourite book of his is still Foe, based around the story of Robinson Crusoe.

Between the torture scenes and the way all the sex was just oriented towards trying to satisfy him, totally dehumanizing the women - was there anything else in the book? I should know better than to read something that wins literature prizes.

I have been reading books from the 1001 Books lift, there are a number that are like this. Books that are incredibly uncomfortable to read - mostly written by men with women in similar positions. I have decided to dedicate a chunk of next year to reading great female writers instead.