789. The Afternoon of a Writer

The Afternoon of a Writer
Peter Handke
1987
Around 90 pages

This will be a relatable story to any aspiring artist, as Handke spends 90 pages chronicling the afternoon of a writer crippled by writer's block. 

Handke does very well in this space, with self-sabotaging characters battling some deep internal struggle. And he always keeps it short and sweet, which is appreciated. Anybody who has experienced creative roadblocks should click with this story, and maybe find some inspiration there as well.

Unfortunately, this is the last Handke on the List. He's definitely an author I want to revisit, once I have shuffled off this mortal coil. I mean, ahem, finish the List.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

In 1973, he won the Georg Büchner Prize, the most important literary prize for German-language literature, but in 1999, as a sign of protest against the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, Handke returned the prize money to the German Academy for Language and Literature.

UP NEXT: The Radiant Way by Margaret Drabble

685. The Left Handed Woman

The Left Handed Woman
Peter Handke
1976
Around 90 pages

It has been a rough few entries, so I'm pleased that Handke is here to get us back on track. And I appreciate that he always keeps it short and bittersweet.

A woman's marriage is at the end, leaving her alone with her eight-year-old son. Which I guess isn't truly alone, but would still be lonely. Anyway, there is heavy emphasis on just how alone this woman is. I liked his subtlety here. In the end it is always a good thing to be out of an unhappy marriage, but Handke didn't go overboard celebrating her independence in a light-hearted way, because she's not a light-hearted character.

I also think the Left-Handed Woman is a brilliant title. It really captures the character well, who is just a little bit out of step with the world. And he left me wanting more, which is what you always want from a novel.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Handke directed the film adaptation.

UP NEXT: In the Heart of the Country by J.M. Coetzee

636. Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick

Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick
Peter Handke
1970
Around 125 pages

I knew about Peter Handke, having read a depressing book regarding his mother's suicide in undergrad. It was a positive, if not enjoyable, reading experience. So I was looking forward to this, and was relieved to find out that there wasn't much sport involved in the plot. I know I seem like a jock, but those stories really hold no interest for me.

A goalkeeper spends the night with a cashier and kills her. Then he wanders around. Another man committing violence against women, and we have to brood on his psychology for 125 pages. I know this is all just practice for what Bret Easton Ellis has in store for us. 

Handke doesn't do much to make his novel different in this well-tread genre. He's a glum writer, and portrays a glum Austrian town.There are definitely clever sentences in there, but I had no interest in following our main character around.

Of course, I was grateful it was short but part of the reason it failed to stand out was its brevity. Skippable, but I'm not giving up on Handke yet.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Adapted into a 1972 Wim Wenders film.

UP NEXT: The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison