Will I love The Course of the Heart?

A prime example of Weird Fiction, where uncanny events occur as if occurring naturally. The main characters are three friends from university and a nameless narrator, who are subjected to strange experiences but do not necessarily question them. They live in substandard accommodation, just above the poverty line. The weather is constantly poor. To endure the monotony of their aimless lives, Pam and Lucas debate an imagined history of Europe, allegedly documented by the fictitious Michel Ashman, who travels through pre-war Europe searching for a lost kingdom, which acts as a bridge to the Pleroma, a spiritual realm representing the… show more.

I’ve loved this book since the day I unwrapped it in that bookstore I used to work at in 1992. Over the years I’ve re-read it several times and found it reveals more of itself the older I get. Harrison’s writing is hugely influential for a lot of writers, not only for his exquisite way with prose but also because he uncovers complex truths and epiphanies hiding inside ordinary people who find themselves occasionally touched by the fantastical. 

The heart of this novel is a fictional book—the imaginary memoirs of a travel writer traversing Europe in pursuit of a magical… show more.