There is something false about these letters between JM Coetzee and his younger friend Paul Auster. Formal and full of the kind of detail most people would not include in letters, they appear written for others to read. But whether or not the missives (faxed back and forth as late as 2011) were always intended for publication, they are entertaining. The letters begin with the subject of friendship: Coetzee finds it surprising so little has been written on the subject of why people become and remain friends. Why these two are epistolary pals is clear, though, when you see how much they have in common, apart from the fact both are writers. The two discuss watching sport, the credit crisis, their work, mother-tongue language, travel, books they've read, and so on. Of the two, Auster seems warmer (at least in the way he signs off, with "Warmest best" and the like), although it is surprising to see an openness to Coetzee, who is well known for being a loner and intensely private. The pair's narration adds much to the book's appeal.
