The Photo Album

"The clichés 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.