Tim Dowling: I love books – but can’t remember anything about the ones I’ve just read

In bed I lie awake, staring at the books on my nightstand, trying to remember a single salient fact about any of them

The oldest one is recommending the book he’s just finished to me.

“You should read this,” he says, handing me a well-thumbed paperback, which I turn over in my hands.

“Blue,” I say.

“The cover’s blue, yeah,” he says. “It’s a translation, and not much happens, but it’s good.”