The Memoirs of Bambi Goldbloom, Or, Growing Up in New Jersey: Or, Growing Up in New Jersey

First published in Belgium in 1892 and appearing in the U.S. for the first time, this story of ""the dead city'' is considered the masterwork of symbolist author, poet and playwright Rodenbach. For main character Hugues Viane, the dreary town of Bruges represents his late wife, who remains unnamed through the story. Viane is so morbidly attached to the woman's memory that he venerates a length of her hair and has other relics in the house. When he begins an affair with a dancer who resembles his lost love, the mementoes become a catalyst for tragedy. Mosley's direct, accessible introduction contains engrossing information about Rodenbach and his associates. The novel's prose is mannered but charged with emotions to which the reader feels compelled to respond. (February)