Tremor

Teju Cole's "Tremor" invites readers into the contemplative world of Tunde, a West African photography teacher at a New England university. Through his eyes and ears, we experience a life woven from seemingly disparate moments: an antiquing trip shadowed by colonial atrocities, a casual racist encounter during a dusk stroll, and the subtle tensions within a loving marriage. Tunde, a voracious reader and listener, collects stories—from history, epic poems, friends, family, and strangers, found in books and films—which coalesce to form his days and, in aggregate, his life. The novel masterfully explores profound questions of what constitutes a meaningful existence amidst a violent world, engaging brilliantly with literature, music, race, and history. It's a startling work of realism and invention that confronts human survival against "history's own brutality," yet also stands as a testament to the enduring possibility of joy and the imperative to dance, both literally and in the telling of life's experiences.