Nikolski, a novel by Nicolas Dickner

…and I finished the book.

I am now highly caffeinated, and deliciously taken away. It’s Sunday morning, the dawn of my weekend, and since the dogs push me out of the house very early in the day, I was able to brew up a bodum of dark coffee and settle under the covers with my new book, “Nikolski”.

Recommended by Stef (read her review here), this book is pure magic. It’s an English translation from the Québecois born Nicolas Dickner. It’s about three people, leading separate but slightly connected lives. It’s about ‘getting up and going’, travel, maps, searching, self discovery, chance, coincidence, Canada, and much more. The language is always a surprise. Dramatic, witty, well-informed.

The book design is scrumptious – just take a look at the cover. But inside is just as good. The pages are velvety soft, and smell fresh and bright like an unopened magazine. I love the wide margins on the outsides of the page, with pagination shifted a quarter of the way down and to the side. At the start of each part is a spread simply adorned with the year to date, and an illustration of a fish.

Inside "Nikolski", a novel by Nicolas Dickner

Join the debate on CBC Radio One for Canada Reads 2010. Nikolski is one of the five books chosen for debate between five panelists backing up their favourite Canadian read. I’m hoping Nikolski comes out a winner.