Airmail is one of the most engaging, thought provoking novellas I’ve ever read. In short order, Naomi Bulger delves into the possibilities of story telling. This quirky, left of center story sucks the reader into a sometimes magical world that seems to balance between the possible and impossible. Those of you who, like me, have enjoyed work from Through the Looking Glass to Donnie Darko will immensely enjoy Airmail. In some ways it reminded me a bit of the movie Mary and Max.

GL Solomon leads a life of solitude in Sydney, Australia, except for the days when the postman delivers letters from a strange woman, Anouk, in NYC via airmail. The chaotic letters become both part of his routine and a stressor. As her paranoia about a stalker in a pink tracksuit increases, her letters become more alarming. Eventually, when the woman claims that she is writing him from The Other Side, he decides to use his as-yet-stampless passport to travel to New York.

Bulger’s narrative prowess is a wonderful addition to the magic realism genre. I look forward to more from her in the future. I highly recommend Airmail. For a little preview, listen to Bulger read the first chapter.

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