April 1993. In the bookstall at Nice airport I notice a paperback with the title Le Chercheur d'or. It seems to be about a love affair and a search for hidden treasure at the turn of the 20th century. I have never heard of the author, Jean-Marie Le Clézio, but I buy it anyway.

Two days later I put the book down. It is the story of the pursuit by the narrator, Alexis, of his late father's obsession with finding the treasure of the so-called Unknown Corsair on the island of Rodrigues. But Alexis's search for the treasure is not what the book is really about. The narrative provides the framework for a series of bravura passages about beauty (of the sea and of the islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues), love (of family and obsessive romantic love) and grief.

Back in London I try to find out about the author. Nobody appears to have heard of him. The Institut Français has a few of his books but the librarian doesn't know much about him. There is no trace of him on the shelves at Grant & Cutler. He doesn't appear to be rated at all, yet his writing is so beautiful.

LRB 19 August 2010 | PDF Download