The Amnesiac, By Sam Taylor

James Purdew, the protagonist of this awkward novel, is bedevilled by two serious problems: large gaps in his memory and an author who can't resist foisting his influences on his readers. Losing yourself in a story is hard work when the main character very quickly finds a collection of stories by the same author quoted at the start of the novel (in this case Borges, and if you've ever read Borges you'll have a very good idea where the book is heading).

To begin with, James is living a lackadaisical life in Amsterdam with his long-time girlfriend. After they split, however, he is at liberty to find out why he's forgotten his university years in an English city referred to simply as "H". His diaries from that period are locked in a safe under his bed, but he's lost the key – so, in an effort to remember, he starts writing the story of his life, in reverse. Finally he sets off for H, where his detective work leads ultimately to a clumsy, misogynistic ending.

If you're going to write about the mind, it's wise to start by reading some Freud.

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