• Skip to content

The Lesbian Romantic Store

  • TLR Merch
  • Books
    • All books
    • Lesbian Romance
    • Muriel’s Book Corner
    • I’m currently reading
  • Tools & Things
  • Gear
  • About this website
You are here: Home / Books / Muriel’s Book Corner: February Pick

Muriel’s Book Corner: February Pick

Muriel’s Book Corner: February Pick

posted on

When I read The House of Sleep for the first time almost 20 years ago, it had me ricocheting between hysterical fits of laughter and heartfelt sobbing.

This is not how I operate in daily life. I admit: I was not in a good place when I first read it. I’d finished university, was totally lost about what to do next in love and life, and had just turned down a job, much to the chagrin of my parents.

So there I was, living at home, and supposedly writing application letters by the score up in my bedroom, but not at all doing so, because I was obsessively reading The House of Sleep. 

I don’t remember all the intricacies of the plot, but I do know that – if you have ever loved someone who was hopelessly out of your reach – this book is going to hurt because it totally captures what that feels like.

Coe calls The House of Sleep a dark comedy, and that is also true: it’s a story that hurts, but the funny moments – and there are quite a few, thank God – are so wildly funny, you will bang your head against the radiator laughing (I know I did!). Bonus: It features a cat called Muriel.

Here’s a picture of my signed copy of The House of Sleep. The first UK edition is very handsome, with a semi-transparant dustjacket, which I thought quite nifty at the time.

I had the good fortune of meeting Jonathan Coe some years later during a tour. When I nervously walked up to him to have my copy of The House of Sleep signed, I told him my name and then that this book had a cat called Muriel in it (which was bovinely stupid of me: he wrote it, he knew that!) to which he graciously replied: “That’s absolutely right. And I have never signed this for a Muriel before.” Such a kind man, I almost hugged him on the spot. 

Jonathan Coe has written quite a body of work. I haven’t read it all (yet), but the following books also come warmly recommended: What a Carve Up (hilariously funny, banging-head-against-radiator stuff) and Like A Fiery Elephant (a biography on the experimental novelist B.S. Johnson, which is captivating even if you haven’t read any Johnson). His latest novel is Middle England. And he’s coming to Brussels in March 2019! 

Buy at Amazon

Filed Under: Books, Muriel's Book Corner

Disclaimer

The Lesbian Romantic Store website contains links and references to products and services that may include affiliate programs, sponsorships or other business relationships.

What does that mean?

Simply said, it means that the links on my website link to a store. Whenever you buy a product or service at that store, I may get a small percentage of its price. To let the store know who sent you, a cookie will be placed in your browser when you click a link.

I’m an Amazon Associates participant

Cheesecakemedia BVBA, my company, is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

  • Cookie policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Privacy statement (EU)
  • Privacy statement (US)
  • Disclaimer

Copyright © 2023 · Academy Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in