Flaubert's Parrot - Vintage International Author:Julian Barnes A kind of detective story, relating a cranky amateur scholar's search for the truth about Gustave Flaubert, and the obsession of this detective whose life seems to oddly mirror those of Flaubert's characters.
Quirky and engaging even without knowing much of Flaubert's writing (though I suspect I'd have enjoyed it more if I'd read more Flaubert). Barnes' style pulled me in and wouldn't let go.
Very interesting, possible my first anti-novel, but funny and included quite a few musings on art and life and relationships that I'll carry with me for a while.