Mr. Thundermug

Author: Cornelius Medvei

First line: One rainy night not long ago, a curious report appeared in the late edition of our city's evening newspaper.

Why you should read this book: In the deep spirit of magical realism, Medvei creates a tangible world of decay and rebirth, fallen straight from the pages of Italo Calvino and peopled with willfully ignorant humans, then drops a sentient, eloquent baboon onto its streets. The travails of Mr. Thundermug as he does battle with the council for the right to inhabit his own peculiar niche between animal and human (or perhaps, a step above either) are set down with quiet humor and extremely graceful prose. Whether this is a love story, a tale about freedom of expression in an oppression society, or a commentary on the follies of humanity, it's a delicious modern fairy tale.

Why you shouldn't read this book: Your job entails harassing squatters.