The latest offering from acclaimed author Mark Haber, “Lesser Ruins,” is a provocative and intimate novel that defies genre classification. At its center is a narrator who is both lovable and infuriating, a self-proclaimed “idiot” who is struggling to come to terms with the recent death of his wife.
The book opens with a jarring announcement: “Anyway, I think, she’s dead, and though I loved her, I now have both the time and freedom to write my essay on Montaigne.” This unapologetic, even careless, tone sets the stage for the rest of the novel, as the narrator careens through a series of digressions on art, history, and, above all, grief.
Through his writings, the narrator reveals a world of fascinating depth and complexity, drawing parallels between the creative process and the human experience. He ruminates on the connection between art and music, citing the works of electronic musician Marcel, whose perfect tracks are akin to “a journey, as well as a fable, that swells and unfurls, collecting details the way an avalanche or landslide collects pebbles and soil as it charges down a mountain.”
Throughout the book, Haber’s narrator is obsessed with coffee, pouring over his coffee beans like a coffee connoisseur, and his dependence on it is mirrored in his torrents of coffee-fueled thought. He rambles about everything – art, literature, history, and even his own life – in a way that is both exhaustive and exhausting, like a never-ending stream of consciousness.
The reader is transported on a journey of hilarious misadventures, from the narrator’s failed attempts to write a book-length essay on the French philosopher Michel de Montaigne to his infatuation with a sculptor named Kleist, whose works he sees as a testament to the power of art to transcend national borders. The narrator’s prattle is a jumble of esoteric references, ridiculous anecdotes, and poignant observations, making it possible for the reader to become lost in the whirlwind of his inner world.
As the narrator careens through his grief, he draws parallels between the artistic process and the human experience, citing the wisdom of Walter Pater, who wrote that “all art constantly aspires towards the condition of music.” Throughout his digressions, Haber’s narrator is acutely aware of the ways in which art can transcend boundaries, evoke emotions, and create a sense of community.
Ultimately, “Lesser Ruins” is a novel about the search for meaning in the face of loss, and the ways in which art can both reflect and transcend the human experience. It is a work of remarkable erudition, wit, and intelligence, one that rewards close attention and repeated readings.
