Old Filth by Jane Gardam

Old Filth is the story of Sir Edward Feathers, a lawyer, who as a young child was sent from Malaya to England to be raised properly. His father fading into the background, his school friend killed in the war and the death of his wife, have left Edward alone. After a certain number of losses Edward stops creating new connections.

What struck me about this novel is that everything in his life was designed to train him for the moment when he is alone and must carry on. Although on the surface this is a quiet novel where "not much happens", watching endless repetitions of loss resulted in this being one of the saddest books that I have read this year.

The Rug Merchant by Meg Mullins

The Rug Merchant is a lovely, slow moving novel that beautifully mirrors the profound alienation that Ushman Kahn feels living in the United States.

The main character comes to American planning to work and eventually send for his beloved wife when he had created a good life for her. As he lives an isolated lifestyle selling carpets and saving money, his wife has become pregnant and quietly divorced him. In his grief and loneliness he wanders the airport late at night and one night he meets the young, beautiful, very American, Stella. He is drawn to her youth and sense of belonging and soon is having an affair with her. Unfortunately, the very qualities that attracted him in the beginning soon leave him feeling more isolated than ever.

I did enjoy this novel but in the end, nothing has been resolved. In the end he remains alienated.