On the Calculation of Volume I cover art

On the Calculation of Volume I

On the Calculation of Volume, Book 1

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On the Calculation of Volume I

By: Solvej Balle, Barbara J. Haveland - translator
Narrated by: Elizabeth Liang
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About this listen

It seems so odd to me now, how one can be so unsettled by the improbable. When we know that our entire existence is founded on freak occurrences and improbable coincidences. That we wouldn't be here at all if it weren't for these curious twists of fate.

Tara Selter has slipped out of time.

Every morning, she wakes up to the 18th of November. She no longer expects to wake up to the 19th of November, and she no longer remembers the 17th of November as if it were yesterday.

She comes to know the shape of the day like the back of her hand—the grey morning light in her Paris hotel; the moment a blackbird breaks into song; her husband's surprise at seeing her return home unannounced. But for everyone around her, this day is lived for the first and only time. They do not remember the other 18ths of November, and they do not believe her when she tries to explain.

As Tara approaches her 365th 18th of November, she can't shake the feeling that somewhere underneath the surface of this day, there's a way to escape.

©2025 Solvej Balle (P)2025 Faber & Faber Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Psychological
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I like the premise of this book but not the execution. This could have been really interesting but it was the same thing again and again lacking any plot or drive. Definitely a character driven book but I still didn’t read any forward motion.

Repetitive

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This audio, perfectly well performed, is of the US edition. As such the translation (which was writen originally in UK English as printed in the Faber edition by the translator, Barbara J. Haveland, who is Scottish) is here the Americanized version of the New Directions edition. This fits the vocal performance, which is by an American voice actor, but has the disadvantage of making the book sound more American than European to a British ear.

Not the Faber version

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I picked it up after seeing it shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and the first two chapters absolutely captivated me. The precision in the writing, the tension, the detail—it all felt razor-sharp and immersive. I was pulled in immediately, caught by the strange and fascinating premise, and the author’s ability to craft such an intimate atmosphere around something as abstract as time.

As the story progressed, however, my engagement began to waver. It didn’t quite build to the grand, climactic experience I was hoping for. That said, Balle’s thematic exploration still made a lasting impact. She raises profound questions about the nature of time, consumption, and human presence—what she refers to as the “pests of time.” From what we eat to how we spend, we’re constantly accumulating. And if the world stood still, what would that accumulation look like? Who would we become in the absence of constant motion?

This book made me reflect in surprising ways. It invites you to slow down, to truly notice the world again. It made me ask myself: When was the last time I paid attention to the weather? To the birds in my garden? To the sounds of a summer evening? In a culture so fixated on speed and productivity, Balle offers a rare and quiet counterpoint: what if stillness is not a void, but a mirror?

I find myself wanting to move more slowly now—to be more present, to stop trying to outrun time and instead, learn to live alongside it. This book may not offer a traditional payoff, but its power lies in the questions it leaves behind.

I’m curious to see where Book Two will take us.

power lies in the questions it leaves behind

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Time loops are some of my favorite stories, and this book blew me away. I love the grounded and poetic approach to such a story, and I could not stop thinking about it. The words are woven together beautifully, and I love all the ways Tara reflects upon her situation. The added element of a “monster” was also a very fresh take.

I am very excited for the rest of the series, and I am sure that the journey will be a joy to experience.

Absolutely marvelous!

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