VIVIAN
Christina Hesselholdt, trans. Paul Russell Garrett (Fitzcarraldo Editions)
Vivian Maier lived and died in relative obscurity, working as a nanny for middle-class families in Chicago and New York, with a personal hobby of taking photographs while out walking in the city. Shortly after she died in 2009, her extensive collection of pictures were discovered by chance, and she was hailed by critics as one of America’s most extraordinary street photographers. Now, Danish novelist Christina Hesselholdt examines Maier’s life through the lens of fiction, looking for the story behind the pictures – her dysfunctional upbringing, her conduct as a nanny, her eye for detail, and why she chose to remain quiet for so long. Skilfully told through multiple perspectives, confessions and thought fragments, Vivian is an outsider’s tale of creativity, urbanity and loneliness, written with sensitivity and intelligence.
Price: £12.99. Info: www.fitzcarraldoeditions.com
words Sam Pryce