Mercedes-Benz

his was a lovely short novel.It is part of a series that Huelle wrote as letters to the Czech writer Bohumil Hrabal. In it, he tells the stories of his driving lessons. Undertaken later in life, he relaxes during them by telling his instructor wonderful stories about his family history, particularly how their cars have shaped their, and Poland's, history. The stories are largely bittersweet, ranging from the comic car accident that thrust his grandparents to national prominence to the absurd 'fox' hunt where drivers follow a balloon with a fox tail pinned to it, only for a freak wind to lead to many of their deaths in Soviet and German internment camps.

The stories are told fondly, and the relationship between the driver and his (female) instructor is portrayed as beautiful and happy moments. The whole book has the feel of leafing through somebody else's family photos, and there are black and white photos sprinkled throughout the text. However, many of the comic tails have dark endings, reminding us that Huelle's book is not just about this one family, and their cars, but is about Poland and its people in the twentieth century. It is a book with both lightness and depth, and the balance between the two is perfect. My only complaint is that all I needed to enjoy this book was the driver and the instructor, and Huelle eventually takes us beyond the car and into the real worlds of these people, something I felt added nothing to the story. Nevertheless, this is one to keep an eye out for.

Excellent ( )

What a lovely book! Partially a tribute to Hrabal, partially a tribute to his own family, a compelling narrative on cars, history and politics. ( )