The Book of Hrabal

A New York Times Book Review Notable Book of the YearFrom Library Journal -Anna is a Hungarian housewife and mother of three who finds herself pregnant and wanting an abortion. Her husband is a writer whose current subject is the Czech author Bohumil Hrabal. Anna’s reflections on her condition, her country’s condition, her family, and her marriage are addressed to Hrabal, who becomes Anna’s confidant. God is also a player in this freely associative novel, for He sends two angels, disguised as secret police, to watch over Anna and prevent her from aborting the child. Toward the end, with the outcome in doubt, God takes saxophone lessons from Charlie Parker in an attempt to woo the blues-loving Anna into keeping the baby. Difficult, complex, and fascinating, this 16th novel from Hungarian playwright and essayist Esterhazy will appeal to serious readers of literature.Ruth M. Ross, Olympic Coll. Lib., Bremerton, Wash.Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.