The Tenant and the Motive

by Javier Cercas (Author), Anne McLean (Author)

• Used

  Hardcover
  2005

  $3.47

  The Tenant and the Motive are two darkly humorous novellas from the award-winning author of Soldiers of Salamis. Written with the lightest of touches and layered with sardonic wit, they are masterpieces of understatement that linger long in the memory. The Tenent is a mischievous take on the American campus novel, delivering Kafkaesque twists on a theme of academic rivalry and backstabbing. Out jogging one day visiting linguistics professor, Mario Rota, twists his ankle and from then on his life starts to unravel. A rival professor appears at the university, takes over his classes and bewitches his girlfriend. Where will Rota's nightmare end? More important, where did it begin? The Motive is a perfectly judged satire about a writer who takes literature much more seriously than he does life. Alvaro becomes obsessed with finding the ideal inspiration for his novel. First he begins spying on his neighbours, then he starts leading them on. The result is a reversal of the usual maxim that art follows life, with dire consequences for those around him, not least himself.

• Used

  Paperback
  2006

  $6.31

  The Tenant and The Motive are two darkly humorous novels from the award-winning author of Soldiers of Salamis . The Tenant is the mischievous story of Mario Rota, a linguistics professor whose life starts to unravel after he twists his ankle while out jogging one day. A rival professor appears, takes over his classes and bewitches his girlfriend. Where will Rota's nightmare end - and where did it begin? The Motive is a satire about a writer, Alvaro, who becomes obsessed with finding the ideal inspiration for his novel. First he begins spying on his neighbours, then he starts leading them on, creating a reversal of the maxim that art follows life, with some dire consequences. Written with a supremely light touch, these witty novels are enjoyable masterpieces that linger long in the memory.