The Photo Album

"The clich s of beauty are irresistible. It is usually (although I have to concede not always) some sort of affectation to pretend otherwise." A quirky catalogue of imaginary photographs K. B. Dixon's new novel, The Photo Album, is an idiosyncratic mix of character study and meditation-a glimpse into the life of a peculiar photo-enthusiast named Michael Quick and a questioning, if somewhat cursory, examination of his present obsession. It is a portrait not just of the photographer, but of the time and space around him. Also the people-his camera-shy wife Amy; his friend, the writer Ryan Richardson; his neighbors the Moores, whose son is mysteriously missing. A concise and unconventional wander, it is as much a comic adventure as a contemplative one.