Yes I read them both last year when they were published. I thought they were great books.
The Passenger reminded me a bit of the style of Suttree, I enjoyed it tremendously and there is some really beautiful writing in it.
Stella Maris is very different, an extended discussion between the sister of the main character of The Passenger and her psychiatrist. It reminded me of a Beckett play in places. It’s a short and fascinating book.
I’m glad he lived long enough to get these finished they are worthy of his canon. Well worth a read, as is everything he wrote. There really was no one else like him. I believe a massive mistake by the Academy in not awarding him the Nobel, although as someone else said I believe he couldn’t have cared less and probably would not have showed up at the ceremony anyway.
