What books am I thinking of?

October 27, 2011 10:26 PM

What two obscure books am I thinking of? One about ships, one about an outsider.

The first one: A ship, hundreds of years ago, caught in the doldrums alongside (I think) a rocky inhospitable island. No one can swim. (except maybe one guy) Water is running out. It was a slim, artsy book, possibly foreign in origin, prettily written. Probably published about 10-15 years ago.

The second: Unreliable narrator book. About a college boy, he's in love with a girl. They go to (Scotland?) with a bunch of other college kids to film an art movie. The girl is murdered (something to do with a bicycle...) possibly by the narrator. And we learn that even though he told the story as if he were part of it, in reality no one knew who he was and he was just a weird hanger-on. Possibly british book. Written also about ten- 15 years ago.

Any bells?

posted by esereth to writing & language (6 answers total)

I'm not positive, but "Engleby" by Sebastian Faulks seems like it has at least some of the elements of the second book you're looking for.
posted by OolooKitty at 11:00 PM on October 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

My lord oolooKitty. How did you DO that?? You must have a great book shelf. YES! That's the one!!!

Now...the pretty ship book...maybe it was a french translation.
posted by esereth at 11:09 PM on October 27, 2011

I read too much. Heh. And I thought Engleby was a really good book. I wish I knew the other one!
posted by OolooKitty at 11:14 PM on October 27, 2011

The first book might be Umberto Eco's The Island of the Day Before.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 1:32 AM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

BitterOldPunk has it: NYT review.

"When the Amaryllis is shipwrecked in the South Seas, hard by the Islands of Solomon, Roberto, the sole survivor, is cast away not on an island but on another ship, the Daphne, derelict but well equipped, a little world for him alone. There is an island nearby. Yet Roberto can't swim. Even when he learns (in some fine comic passages) to paddle, he realizes that the slender strait that keeps him from the island can never be crossed. For the island is the day before, and he cannot go back in time."
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:46 AM on October 28, 2011

While I also thought of The Island of the Day Before upon reading the question, it's worth noting that it's 500+ pages versus the desired book being slim. There's obviously room for interpretation there, but I'd personally cap "slim" at around 200 pages.

I also don't think I've ever heard Eco's writing described as "pretty."
posted by Su at 10:00 AM on October 28, 2011