2/22 The Physics of Sorrow - general/background (no spoilers)

[Vesna]

I finished reading this book last night. It's very labyrinthian in structure and content and I think the author's interviews can be especially welcome while still sorting the impressions.

- Interview with Jeffrey Zuckerman for the BOMB Magazine http://bombmagazine.org/articles/geor...
- Gospodinov’s reflections about his novel, ca. 10-minutes, for the Louisiana Channel (Denmark)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zMWK...

It could be interesting to take a look at a couple of animated short films based on the author's works, both by Theodore Ushev.
- This one is inspired by the novel, from 2019 (23 min.), thanks to Whitney who discovered it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H_KV...
- Even a shorter animation (8-9 min.) from 2016 is based on a Gospodinov's short story (not in this novel), it was nominated for an Oscar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxZfg...

A few reviews:
- The New Yorker by Garth Greenwell whose recent novels were based in Bulgaria
https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-...
- Asymptote
https://www.asymptotejournal.com/crit...
- The Los Angeles Review of Books
https://losangelesreview.org/book-rev...

Five of our members voted for this novel and I hope others will join as well!

[Hugh]

Thanks Vesna - I am more than halfway through and should finish it tonight and look forward to the discussion. Must get some reviews written - I already have five others to do before this one.

[Whitney]

Currently reading, and hope to be done in the next week or so.

[Vesna]

Thank you, Hugh and Whitney. I look forward to it.

[Ginny]

I'm just getting a good start, and am finding it absolutely delightful. I didn't expect it to be a page-turner full of warmth and humour.

[James]

Thanks Vesna for all the links above. I've made a good start to the book but found its anecdotal nature a bit unsettling. Your links have been very helpful already.

[Mark]

I'm in! I am enjoying the way the narrative dives into one character after another. Some parallels to Jonathan Froer's Everything Is Illuminated (both book and movie).

[Catherine]

Just started. So far a nice surprise.

[Vesna]

Welcome aboard, all! Since the novel is in a hybrid genre with the maize-like structure of vignettes, it will be exciting to see different responses to it.

I'm glad, James, that you found the links helpful. Ginny and Mark, I shared your enthusiasm while reading the novel but if at any point you feel like a reader can get lost as if in a labyrinth (I experienced it a couple of times and I'm wondering if it was intentional), then you might benefit from a 10 minute interview with Gospodinov on the above link. I watched it only after I was done reading but I think he made a succinct guide through some of the ideas that might enhance the reading.

[Vesna]

Catherine, we posted at the same time and I didn't see your comment until I posted mine. Welcome!

[Stephen]

I'm reading this book for my online bookclub which meets on Monday. We hope to be joined for part of our meeting by Georgi.

[Vesna]

Stephen, what a coincidence! Please do chime in on our discussion thread with your impressions from the author meet-up and, of course, your own thoughts about the novel.