"Dans la nuit Mozambique" by Laurent Gaude *****

• En Francais
• French author
• Originally published in 2007
• "Sang Negrier":
• Dedication:  "Je sais tout ce que mes livres te doivent."
• A slave ship captain is haunted by a night of savagery
• Je n'etais pas seule cette nuit-la; et je sais que le plaisir de la sauvagerie, nous l'avons tous partage."
• "Elles sont si etranges qu'elles font perdre la raison a ceux qui en sont temoins mais ils ne les inventent pasparce qu'ils sont fous, ils sont fous de les avoir vues."
• "Gramercy Park Hotel":
• Dedication:  "Aux amis de ma generation qui n'ont pas voulu vivre plus loin."
• A bittersweet reunion of spirits in the location of their recognition of love, haunted by love
• "Le Colonel Barbaque":
• Dedication:  "Que la terre te soit douce et legere."
• A man haunted by his acts of savagery during war
• "Dans la nuit Mozambique":
• Dedication: "Ami du toujours, avec qui j'ai ete si souvent au Mozambique, le temps d'une soiree."
• The characters and the reader are left longing for more of Mozambique
• A storyteller's story within a story
• Review: I love this collection of short stories.  The first three share themes of being haunted by past acts, of shame, of living with the consequences of one's actions.  The fourth story, "Dans la nuit Mozambique", shares these themes but is pointed directly at the consumer of tales, stories, and this collection itself.  The reader is left hanging, the characters are left hanging, and it winds up with an incredibly poignant moment.  Absolutely wonderful.  My only disappointment is that I do not believe it is available in an English translation, so that I would be able to share it with non-French speaking friends!