Fiction in translation

Book SynopsisA Siberian Heart of Darkness Julian BarnesOn the far eastern borders of the Soviet Union, in the sunset of Stalin''s reign, soldiers are training for a war that could end all wars, for in the atomic age man has sown the seeds of his own destruction. Among them is Pavel Gartsev, a reservist. Orphaned, scarred by the last great war and unlucky in love, he is an instant victim for the apparatchiks and ambitious careerists who thrive within the Red Army''s ranks. Assigned to a search party composed of regulars and reservists, charged with the recapture of an escaped prisoner from a nearby gulag, Gartsev finds himself one of an unlikely quintet of cynics, sadists and heroes, embarked on a challenging manhunt through the Siberian taiga. But the fugitive, capable, cunning and evidently at home in the depths of these vast forests, proves no easy prey. As the pursuit goes on, and the pursuers are struck by a shattering discovery, Gartsev confrTrade ReviewMasterful . . . Makine has been justly compared with Tolstoy, but here I think the better reference is Joseph Conrad. -- James McNamara * Spectator. *Makine's customary clear-eyed vision and shimmering prose impart, yet again, the heavy knowledge that what is "essential" is experienced by few and obliterated by many. -- Kate Mcloughlin * Times Literary Supplement. *Pleasingly clever stuff . . . has an ambition of romantic grandeur that feels genuinely, soulfully Russian. -- David Mills * Sunday Times. *A powerful story of metaphysical adventure. -- Marianne Payot * L'Express *A thrilling manhunt through the taiga. -- Claire Devarieux * Libération *As good as Stendhal or Tolstoy . . . I would rather read him than anyone else now writing -- Allan Massie * Literary Review. *One of the significant novelists of our age. -- Stephanie Merritt * Observer. *Makine packs great steppes-full of history into compact, bejewelled boxes of prose. -- Boyd Tonkin * Independent. *Makine's wonderful economy of image and phrase convey far more than one could think possible about the Russian soul. -- Anthony Beevor * Daily Telegraph. *

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Book SynopsisWhat is history, undocumented? How do we archive censored lives? A poetic reflection on authorship and erasure, *A Book, Untitled* is an intimate and innovative approach to autofiction and the act of remembering. In her first novel, Armenian writer Shushan Avagyan tells the story of a fictional encounter between Shushanik Kurghinian and Zabel Yesayan, two early twentieth-century pioneers of feminist literature, whose legacies have been obscured in Armenian history. Their fictive meeting is interspersed with conversations between the author and her friend Lara, who are researching the work of Kurghinian and Yesayan. While sifting through censored documents, unpublished works, and unfinished drafts, they linger in speculation and piece together lives that have been overshadowed by the Tsarist and Stalinist regimes. At once electric and ephemeral, *A Book, Untitled* is a story of re-cognition otherwise—posthumous, imagined, and intricately powerful.Trade Review"The English-speaking world already owes Shushan Avagyan a tremendous debt for her essential translations of the Russian formalist Viktor Shklovsky. Now she has composed a brilliant novel of her own. A Book, Untitled is a powerful pastiche of voices and eras, as well as a feminist reclamation of Armenian women writers lost to time. For all its shifting, its purposeful resistance, its sharpness and darkness, I found this book simply delightful.”- Martin Riker, author of The Guest Lecture; "At once lyrical and theoretical, personal and protest, Avagyan’s singular approach fabricates a polyvocal palimpsest tinged with exile and opacity, distortion and estrangement. Authorship, and the hegemony from which it hails, will never be the same.” - Alex Brostoff, co-translator of Ailton Krenak's Life Is Not Useful

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Book SynopsisA moving novella about a misunderstood young girl, from the author of The Woman in the Purple Skirt - part of Pushkin's second Japanese Novella series Meet young Amiko. She's one of a kind-full of life and good intentions, but with no filter or boundaries. She happily inhabits a world of her own making, oblivious to offences given or taken. But when it comes to expressions of love, where conflicting signals are hard to grasp and a heart is easily broken, there can be unintended consequences. An aching, tender depiction of belonging and loss, This is Amiko, Do You Copy? is a portrait of childhood through the eyes of an irrepressible young girl.Trade ReviewImamura definitely has a rare talent for depicting people who are a little out of the ordinary -- Yoko Ogawa, author of 'The Memory Police'

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Book Synopsis"Tender, terrifying, and heart-rending . . . A must read" GEETANJALI SHREE, author of International Booker Prize-winning Tomb of SandA Fistful of Moonlight is a collection of fourteen stories that explore love, identity, politics, fantasy and a fresh take on an age-old fairy tale, transporting readers into the heart of contemporary writing from Assam.A man is so fascinated by shoes that he sees the world through the lens of footwear. A daughter's forced death sparks generations of trauma until the family confront their curse. A young girl is liberated when she chops away her long tresses and along with them the pain of several identities. The oilfield disaster at Baghjan claims a life and a community struggles to make sense of their loss. Social taboos prevent a love match leaving emotional wounds that will last forever. A family's future is at risk when they are forced to leave their home yet again.UNTOLD is a writer development programme for marginalised writers in areas of conflict and post-conflict. These stories are the culmination of a literary project led by Untold and BEE Books in Kolkata, and include four stories by more established Assamese writers. A companion volume to My Pen is the Wing of a Bird: New Fiction by Afghan Women, it introduces new and diverse voices to audiences worldwide.Trade ReviewTender, terrifying, and heart-rending, these are soulful tales of loss and suffering. Of women and men overwhelmed by societal and State tyranny and the relentless fury of Nature and the Corporates. Shot through with an ominous gloom, occasionally heightened by black humour, the tales permit no looking away from the urgency of the situation. The English translation carries well the flavour and spirit of the Assamese original. A must read. -- Geetanjali Shree * author of International Booker Prize-winning TOMB OF SAND *

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Book SynopsisPopulated by a cast of imagined con artists, holy fools, drag queens, and partisans – as well as some very factual politicians, priests, and generals – this novel started life as a pseudonymous blog written ‘live’ by ‘Shalash’ during and after the Second Iraq War. Never written to be published, all but lost save for disintegrating printouts treasured by its devotees, Shalash the Iraqi is here presented in its first authorised translation, with the blessing and commentary of ‘Shalash’ himself. The second U.S. invasion of Iraq began in the spring of 2003. By the autumn of 2005, though the Saddam Hussein regime had reached its bloody end, ordinary Iraqis were seeing little improvement in their daily lives. In the midst of this turmoil, a hero arose – or, rather, a jester. In a country where electricity was only intermittently available, a series of blog posts began to appear at a soon-to-be-defunct website and took Baghdad by storm. Individual entries were printed out and passed around for months, until the pages were nearly shredded. Where neither computers nor printers were available, the posts were retold aloud, then passed along at second- and third-hand. What could inspire such devotion? Signed ‘Shalash the Iraqi’, the posts proved to be nothing less than portions of a madcap serial novel thumbing its nose at Iraq’s new normal. From drunken monologues to prayers, from poetry to dirty jokes, from fairy tales and folk stories to pratfall humour, this novel delights readers and sheds light on Iraq in equal measure.

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Book SynopsisFamily, obsession, and privilege boiled down by the icy-hot Swiss-Italian master stylist Fleur Jaeggy. Even among Jaeggy’s singular and intricate works, The Water Statues is a shiningly peculiar book. Concerned with loneliness and wealth’s odd emotional poverty, this early novel is in part structured as a play: the dramatis personae include the various relatives, friends, and servants of a man named Beeklam, a wealthy recluse who keeps statues in his villa’s flooded basement, where memories shiver in uncertain light and the waters run off to the sea.Fleshed out with Jaeggy’s austere yet voluptuous style, The Water Statues delivers like a slap an indelible picture of the swampiness of family life. ‘Reading Jaeggy is not unlike diving naked and headlong into a bramble of black rose bushes, so intrigued you are by their beauty: it’s a swift, prickly undertaking, and you emerge the other end bloodied all over’ -Daniel Johnson, The Paris ReviewTrade Review‘Stark, surprising prose. It’s hard to capture in a line or two the strange precision of Jaeggy’s prose. Darkness seems never far away.’ Martin Riker, New York Times Book Review ---- ‘It is hard not to be impressed by Jaeggy’s own spiritual and aesthetic grandeur, which casts her stories in such a compellingly cool light. She, too, has a startling ability to go beyond: beyond the sentimental heart, the writerly niceties, the conventions that bind us, and the messy effusions of contemporary life. She once said, in an interview, “One should be in one’s own void. Void is silence. Solitude. An absence of relationships. . . . The void is a plant that must continually be watered.” It is our good fortune that she sits at her swamp-green typewriter, watering it.’ Sheila Heti, The New Yorker ---- ‘Jaeggy’s astute compression of narrative detail is at once serene and startling. Beneath a placid, opalescent surface lurks a threat of violence that may or may not be realised, but which contributes to the profound impression that people and their lives are unpredictable, coursing with icy, barren wildness.’ Emily Labarge, Los Angeles Review of Books ---- ‘Jaeggy seems to have crushed a glass in her palm and tweezed out a few shards for the page. Her prose is indeed extraordinary – it is also frightening.’ The Rumpus ---- ‘Reading Jaeggy is not unlike diving naked and headlong into a bramble of black rose bushes, so intrigued you are by their beauty: it’s a swift, prickly undertaking, and you emerge the other end bloodied all over.’ Daniel Johnson, The Paris Review ---- ‘It is thrilling to live in Jaeggy’s worlds, which are so intense they threaten to boil over.’ Publishers Weekly ---- ‘A beautiful but inscrutable book about disconnection and the passage of time.’ Kirkus ---- ‘In this strange and shimmering nonlinear text from Swiss writer Jaeggy, the lonely children of the wealthy and their eccentric employees negotiate the boundary between companionship and solitude...In short, enjoyably expressionistic sections, Jaeggy sketches the emotional lives of people marooned but not content to remain entirely alone. What emerges is a fascinating and memorable portrait of a milieu obsessed with the passing of time.’ Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisAfter their successful solving of three cold cases and exposing corruption at the very highest level of the Paris police force, Anne Capestan''s squad of misfits and no-hopers should be in a celebratory mood. However, now despised by their colleagues at 36 quai des Orfèvres and worried for their future, morale has never been lower among the members of the Awkward Squad.Capestan does her best to motivate her troops, but even she cannot maintain a cheerful façade when she has to investigate the murder of Commissaire Serge Rufus, the father of her ex-husband. Worse, it soon appears that his murder is linked to two other victims, both of whom were warned by the killer before they struck . . .

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Book SynopsisThis second volume of A.H. Tammsaare's monumental pentalogy portrays the education of Indrek who emerges here as the protagonist and will remain so throughout the next three volumes. This is a story of moving to the polyglot city and abandoning the countryside which at that time was the heartland of the Estonian language. This new environment is a vortex of prejudices and national rivalries nevertheless held together in practice by a strange and very human tolerance. Here Tammsaare writes with his trademark wit and deep understanding of human nature, and we find ourselves in the company of a vast gallery of larger-than-life characters who jostle, scheme and argue over both trivialities and the great issues of the human condition. They may do the latter out of their own intellectual narcissism or simply for the joy of debate, but the ensuing dialogues rival those of the great Russian novelists. The boarding school is as dysfunctional as any Dickensian one, but it is a great deal more benevolent. Russians, Germans, Poles, Latvians and Caucasians mix with the Estonian majority, speaking in a mix of Russian, German and Estonian, and somehow compromises are nearly always arrived at in spite of, or possibly because of some extraordinary theatrics, in which Mr Maurus must outperform not only all the other characters in the book but very probably all other celebrated headmasters created by European literature over the centuries. Indrek not only has to come to terms with this world so utterly unsuited to his shy and innocent rural upbringing, but he also has to deal with his first encounters with love and death.

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Book SynopsisFlorence, 1429 Giovanni de' Medici is dead. A lifetime of shrewd investment, strategic alliance and sly manipulation saw Giovanni climb from mere money-lender to the top echelon of Florentine society. But success has left a slew of bitter enemies in his wake – and there are whispers his untimely demise wasn't accidental. Florence is a nest of vipers, and with the Medici family's wealth in the hands of Giovanni's untested sons, Cosimo and Lorenzo, there are those who feel that now is the time to strike, to destroy the upstarts and seize their holdings. First in an award-winning, bestselling quartet charting ten generations of rise to power. Praise for Matteo Strukul: 'Strukul has a brilliant style and a rare imagination' TIM WILLOCKS 'One of the most important new voices in Italian crime fiction' JOE R. LANSDALETrade ReviewPRAISE FOR MATTEO STRUKUL: 'Matteo Strukul is one of the most important new voices in Italian crime fiction' Joe R. Lansdale, Edgar Winner for The Bottoms. 'Strukul has a brilliant style and a rare imagination' -- Tim Willocks, bestselling author of Green River Rising

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Book SynopsisA murderous game. The killer makes the rules. Death hangs on the roll of the dice. In murder investigations, it pays to keep things simple: motive, method, opportunity. But the case in front of Detective Fabian Risk is a nightmare. A killer who strikes out of nowhere. No apparent motive. No consistent method. Victims are tortured, strangled, burned, dismembered – each grisly killing carried out with savage precision, as if following the rules of a hellish game. Fear and chaos have spread through the seaside town of Helsingborg. While Fabian Risk hunts the killer, his life is falling apart: a son on the run from the law; a daughter gravely injured; a colleague with dark secrets of his own. But there's no turning back now. The game of death is on, and Fabian Risk must play to win. After all, there are many ways to die... This explosive thriller from Scandinavia's most inventive storyteller concludes the epic events of Motive X. Reviews for Stefan Ahnhem: 'Atmospheric and complicated... with great cop characters and some imaginatively grisly perps' Sunday Times (star pick) 'More gripping than Jo Nesbo, blacker than Stieg Larsson and more bleakly human than Henning Mankell' Tony Parsons 'Epic in scale and ambition' Daily Mail 'An intense journey, with an intricate plot... Ahnhem has mastered atmosphere, pacing and intrigue' Crime Review 'Masterly plotting, grisly murders and chilling suspense: Stefan Ahnhem keeps the threads of this complex, two-country narrative pulled tense' Better ReadingTrade ReviewA tense, atmospheric rollercoaster with multiple strands criss-crossing like a complex piece of knitting... With a plethora of twists and turns and unexpected events and incidents, with a dialogue that sparkles and with well-developed, believable characters the suspense is never ending and, like one of those old black and white cowboy and injun movies, the action is relentless and doesn't disappoint. If one is looking for an intricate, multi-layered, edgy, high calibre read, this book has it in spades. Highly recommended' * Promoting Crime Fiction *PRAISE FOR STEFAN AHNHEM: 'More gripping than Jo Nesbo, blacker than Stieg Larsson and more bleakly human than Henning Mankell' Tony Parsons. 'Atmospheric and complicated... with great cop characters and some imaginatively grisly perps' Sunday Times. 'Epic in scale and ambition' Daily Mail. 'An intense journey, with an intricate plot... Ahnhem has mastered atmosphere, pacing and intrigue' Crime Review. 'Masterly plotting, grisly murders and chilling suspense: Stefan Ahnhem keeps the threads of this complex, two-country narrative pulled tense' * Better Reading *

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Book SynopsisJunichiro Tanizaki was one of Japan's greatest twentienth century novelists. Born in 1886 in Tokyo, his first published work - a one-act play - appeared in 1910 in a literary magazine he helped to found. Tanizaki lived in the cosmopolitan Tokyo area until the earthquake of 1923, when he moved to the Kyoto-Osaka region and became absorbed in Japan's past.All his most important works were written after 1923, among them Some Prefer Nettles (1929), The Secret History of the Lord of Musashi (1935), several modern versions of The Tale of Genji (1941, 1954 and 1965), The Makioka Sisters, The Key (1956) and Diary of a Mad Old Man (1961). He was awarded an Imperial Award for Cultural Merit in 1949 and in 1965 he was elected an honorary member of the American Academy and the National Institute of Arts and Letters, the first Japanese writer to receive this honour. Tanizaki died later that same year.Trade ReviewA chilling climax. Tanizaki is a master of ambiguity in his own language and the subtle flavour of the work is skilfully preserved in this translation * The Times *One of Japan's most popular writers in this century. In this and his other books, he pulls aside the shoji that screens Japanese home life to eavesdrop on what people are really saying and thinking behind their polite facades * New York Times *It is important that the British public should become acquainted with this great twentieth-century Japanese fiction writer -- Anthony Burgess

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Book SynopsisFrom the reign of the Tsars in the early nineteenth century to the collapse of the Soviet Union and beyond, the short story has long occupied a central place in Russian culture. Included here are pieces from many of the acknowledged masters of Russian literature—including Pushkin, Turgenev, Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, and Solzhenitsyn—alongside tales by long-suppressed figures such as the subversive Kryzhanowsky and the surrealist Shalamov. Whether written in reaction to the cruelty of the bourgeoisie, the bureaucracy of communism, or the torture of the prison camps, they offer a wonderfully wide-ranging and exciting representation of one of the most vital and enduring forms of Russian literature.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. ReaderTrade Review“A smartly executed bid . . . to broaden our view of Russian literature and life.” —The Independent“As one might expect from one of UK’s leading translators, [Chandler’s] translations . . . are both accurate and highly readable.” —The East-West Journal“[An] entirely authoritative and marvellous collection.” —The Guardian

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Book SynopsisPreviously published as L''assommoir (The Dram Shop), Emile Zola''s The Drinking Den is an unflinching study of a desperate young woman struggling against the ravages of vice. This Penguin Classics edition is translated from the French with an introduction by Robin Buss.Abandoned by her lover and left to bring up their two children alone, Gervaise Macquart has to fight to earn an honest living. When she accepts the marriage proposal of Monsieur Coupeau, it seems as though she is on the path to a decent, respectable life at last. But with her husband''s drinking and the unexpected appearance of a figure from her past, Gervaise''s plans begin to unravel tragically. The Drinking Den caused a sensation when it was first published, with its gritty depiction of the poverty and squalor, slums and drinking houses of the Parisian underclass. The seventh novel in Zola''s great Rougon-Macquart cycle, it was the work that made his reputation. And, in his movi

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Book SynopsisTolstoy's powerful semiautobiographical stories based on his time spent in the Russian army, part of our series of fresh new Tolstoy translations In 1851, at the age of twenty-two, Tolstoy joined the Russian army. The four years he spent as a soldier were among the most significant in his life and inspired the tales collected here. In The Cossacks, Tolstoy tells the story of Olenin, a cultured Russian whose experiences among the Cossack warriors of Central Asia leave him searching for a more authentic life. The Sevastopol Sketches bring into stark relief the realities of military life during the Crimean War. And Hadji Murat paints a portrait of a great leader torn apart by divided loyalties. In writing about individuals and societies in conflict, Tolstoy has penned some of the most brilliant stories about the nature of war.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700Table of ContentsThe Cossacks and Other StoriesChronologyIntroductionA Note on the TextsMapsThe CossacksSevastopol StoriesSevastopol in DecemberSevastopol in MaySevastopol in August 1855Hadji MuratNotesGlossary

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Book SynopsisSwann in Love is the story of Charles Swann and his infatuation with Odette de Crécy and the revealing psychological turmoil his relations with her involves. A study in jealousy and the indirections of desire; it is here that Proust first works through his devastating theory of love.Trade ReviewAs well as extensive notes at the back of the book, there is also a highly readable introduction by Adam Watt. * Lisa Hill, ANZ LitLovers *[An] excellent introduction (supplemented by copious notes) [by] the Proust specialist Adam Watt. * Adrian Tahourdin, Times Literary Supplement *[...] this new translation which concentrates on [Swann's] infatuation for Odette is a gentle and accessible introduction to Proust's monumental oeuvre, being quite self-contained and not nearly so daunting a read. * Robert Tanitch, Mature Times *Table of ContentsIntroduction Translator's Note Select Bibliography A Chronology of Marcel Proust SWANN IN LOVE Explanatory Notes

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Book SynopsisHoffmann is among the greatest and most popular of the German Romantics. This selection, while stressing the variety of his work, puts in the foreground those tales in which the real and the supernatural are brought into contact and conflict. The humour of these tales is a result of the incongruity of supernatural beings at large in an ostentatiously everyday world. They include The Golden Pot, recognized as Hoffmann''s masterpiece by himself and posterity; its spine-chilling companion tale, The Sandman, which Offenbach drew on for his opera Tales of Hoffmann, and which Freud examines in his essay `The Uncanny''; two longer and more elaborate fantasies, set respectively in Germany and Italy; and the late story, My Cousin''s Corner Window, which shows the powers of the imagination being applied to everyday urban life, and marks a transition in European literature generally from Romanticism to Realism.Ritchie Robertson''s detailed introduction places the stories in their intellectual andTable of ContentsThe Golden Pot ; The Sandman ; Princess Brambilla ; Master Flea ; My Cousin's Corner Window

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Book SynopsisThe first of Chekhov''s works to be published in a serious literary journal, `The Steppe'', with its masterly account of a spectacular thunderstorm, signifies his maturation as a writer of short stories. While the majority of his tales focus on the privileged classes, this selection shows that Chekhov never forgot his origins as the son of a failed provincial grocer, and characters as varied as the brutal soldier in `Gusev'', the downtrodden old constable in `On Official Business'', and the bemused peasants in `New Villa'' testify to the power and flexibility of his art. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Table of ContentsThe Steppe ; An Awkward Business ; The Beauties ; The Cobbler and the Devil ; The Bet ; Thieves ; Gusev ; Peasant Woman ; In Exile ; Rothschild's Fiddle ; The Student ; The Head Gardener's Story ; Patch ; The Savage ; In the Cart ; New Villa ; On Official Business ; At Christmas ; Fragment ; The Story of a Commercial Venture ; From a Retired Teacher's Notebook ; A Fishy Affair

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Book Synopsis''He had become the dandy of the unpredictable.''A quest for new sensations, and an avowed desire to shock possessed the Decadent writers of fin-de-siècle Paris. The years 1880-1900 saw an extraordinary, hothouse flowering of talent, that produced some of the most exotic, stylized, and cerebral literature in the French language. While ''Decadence'' was a European movement, its epicentre was the French capital. On the eve of Freud''s early discoveries, writers such as Gourmont, Lorrain, Maupassant, Mirbeau, Richepin, Schwob, and Villiers engaged in a species of wild analysis of their own, perfecting the art of short fiction as they did so. Death and Eros haunt these pages, and a polymorphous perversity by turns hilarious and horrifying. Their stories teem with addicts, maniacs, and murderers as they strive to outdo each other.This newly translated selection brings together the very best writing of the period, from lesser known figures as well as famous names. Provocative and unsettling,Trade Review[A] beautifully translated anthology * Graham Robb, TLS *Table of ContentsJULES BARBEY D'AUREVILLY (1808-89) ; Don Juan's Crowning Love Affair ; LEON BLOY (1846-1917) ; A Dentist Terribly Punished ; The Last Bake ; The Lucky Sixpence ; GUSTAVE GEFFROY (1855-1926) ; The Statue ; REMY DE GOURMONT (1858-1915) ; Danaette ; Don Juan's Secret ; The Faun ; On the Threshold ; JULES LAFORGUE (1860-87) ; Perseus and Andromeda ; JEAN LORRAIN (1895-1906) ; An Unidentified Crime ; The Man with the Bracelet ; The Student's Tale ; The Man Who Loved Consumptives ; PIERRE LOUYS (1870-1925) ; A Case without Precedent ; GUY DE MAUPASSANT (1850-93) ; At the Death-Bed ; The Night ; A Walk ; The Tresses ; CATULLE MENDES (1841-1909) ; What the Shadow Demands ; GUSTAVE MIRBEAU (1848-1927) ; The Bath ; The First Emotion ; The Little Summer-House ; On a Cure ; JEAN RICHEPIN (1849-1926) ; Constant Guignard ; Deshoulieres ; Pft! Pft! ; GEORGE RODENBACH (1855-98) ; The Time ; MARCEL SCHWOB (1867-1905) ; The Brothel ; The Sans-Gueule ; 52 and 53 Orfila ; Lucretius, Poet ; Paolo Uccello, Painter ; VILLIERS DE L'ISLE ADAM (1838-89) ; Sentimentalism ; The Presentiment ; The Desire to be a Man

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Book Synopsis''For certain men the stronger their desire, the less likely they are to act.''With his first glimpse of Madame Arnoux, Frédéric Moreau is convinced he has found his romantic destiny, but when he pursues her to Paris the young student is unable to translate his passion into decisive action. He also finds himself distracted by the equally romantic appeal of political action in the turbulent years leading up to the revolution of 1848, and by the attractions of three other women, each of whom seeks to make him her own: a haughty society lady, a capricious courtesan, and an artless country girl.Flaubert offers a vivid and unsparing portrait of the young men of his generation, struggling to salvage something of their ideals in a city where corruption, consumerism, and a pervasive sense of disenchantment undermine all but the most compromised erotic, aesthetic, and social initiatives. Sentimental Education combines thoroughgoing irony with an impartial but unexpectedly intense sympathy in a Trade Reviewa very fine translation by Helen Constantine, and IMO Sentimental Education deserves its place in 1001 Books * ANZ Lit Lovers Blog *It's a fascinating novel & it's good to be able to read more Flaubert who is mostly remembered now for just one book, Madame Bovary. * I Prefer Reading *

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Book Synopsis''Compelling, remorseless, brilliant'' John Gray ''The palm trees around the railway station were motionless, fixed in a Saharan sun . . . It really felt as if they were stepping into another world, and they were embarrassed to be entering it in the dark clothes that had been suited to the rainy streets of Paris the evening before.''An officer from Scotland Yard is studying Maigret''s methods when a call from an island off the Côte d''Azure sends the two men off to an isolated community to investigate its eccentric inhabitants.Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations.''His artistry is supreme'' John Banville''A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness'' IndependentTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewOne of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories * Guardian *A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness * Independent *The most addictive of writers . . . a unique teller of tales * Observer *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAn especially irresistible psychological thriller . . . so tightly wound that there's no natural place to put it down -- Amanda Whiting * Independent *One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories * Guardian *A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness * Independent *The most addictive of writers . . . a unique teller of tales * Observer *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)

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Book Synopsis''His artistry is supreme'' John Banville''He had seldom been so perplexed by human beings. Would a psychiatrist, a teacher or a novelist...have been better placed to understand characters who had suddenly materialized from another century?''Maigret is called to the home of Armand de Saint-Hilaire, a highly respected official who has been found shot dead in his study by his housekeeper. After interviewing everyone concerned Maigret is at a loss to the identity of the perpetrator until he comes across a series of letters from the past fifty years between the victim and a recently widowed woman. As Maigret uncovers the details behind the two''s relationship he gets closer to discovering the tragic truth behind the official''s demise.This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret in Society.''One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories'' GuardianTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)

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Book Synopsis''His artistry is supreme'' John Banville ''Why all of a sudden did this shock him? He was annoyed with himself for being shocked. He felt as if he had been sucked into the bourgeois, almost edifying, atmosphere that surrounded those epeople, ''good people'' so everyone kept telling him.''A retired manufacturer has been shot dead by his own pistol, last seen alive by his son-in-law. In this seemingly motiveless murder, Inspector Maigret must rely on his famous intuition to discover the truth. This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret and the Black Sheep.''One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century '' GuardianTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)

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Book Synopsis''Compelling, remorseless, brilliant'' John Gray Inspector Maigret is followed home one evening by a man who reveals his intention to kill his wife and her lover. Maigret intervenes and speaks to the man daily but when the calls suddenly stop Maigret finds a murder on his hands.''One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories'' Guardian ''A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness'' IndependentTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewOne of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories * Guardian *A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness * Independent *The most addictive of writers . . . a unique teller of tales * Observer *

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Book SynopsisThe Second World War. Poland. Our narrator has no intention of being a hero. He plans to survive this war, whatever it takes.Meticulously he recounts his experiences: the slow unravelling of national events as well as uncomfortable personal encounters on the street, in the café, at the office, in his love affairs. He is intimate but reserved; conversational but careful; reflective but determined. As he becomes increasingly and chillingly alienated from other people, the reader is drawn into complicit acquiescence. We are forced to consider what it means to be heroic and how we ourselves would behave in the same circumstances.Written in 1961, this is the masterpiece of one of the great Polish writers of the twentieth century.Trade Reviewprovocative, troubling, awkward . . . a proper classic * The Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewIf you're in the market for something beautiful and deep, The Penguin Book of French Short Stories is a sumptuous treat for any book lover. -- Martin Chilton * The Independent *Tales with a certain ooh la la ... an eclectic, often steamy collection charting the history of the French short story [with] some gems by less famous figures ... high marks for quality and variety. -- Matthew Reisz * The Observer *A French version of The Thousand and One Nights ... Both volumes tell us something new about writing in French ... Such a creative arrangement forces us to rethink what we expect a short story to be or do ... Perhaps all short fiction reminds us that the end is nigh, in which case not the least of Patrick McGuinness's achievements is that of showing us how to read and live accordingly. -- Annabel Kim * Times Literary Supplement *It's hard to imagine a better introduction to French literature than this glorious two-volume bran tub of short fiction ... outstanding masterpieces all ... There's a welcome playfulness throughout. -- John Self * The Guardian *Patrick McGuinness's magisterial anthology teems with universes from each of its 84 authors ... There is so much to discover in these stories - both history and food for short story lovers everywhere. * Irish Times *Impeccably edited by Patrick McGuinness. The first volume stretches from the 16th century to the early 20th century ... Volume two takes us from there to the early 21st century, featuring more women and non-white authors than the first volume. Treat yourself: buy both. -- Tomiwa Owolade * Sunday Times *What a collection it is ... Both volumes fizz with the enthusiasm with which McGuinness has assembled stories that range across centuries and continents ... This will surely turn out to be the definitive anthology of French-language short fiction. -- Charlie Connelly * The New European *

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Book SynopsisThe short story collection that launched Tabucchi to fame, reflecting on the uncertainties, memories, mistakes and mysteries of life Eleven short stories pivoting on life''s ambiguities and the central question they pose in Tabucchi''s fiction: is it choice, fate, accident, or even, occasionally, a kind of magic that plays a decisive role in the protagonists'' lives? Set in Paris, Lisbon, Madras and New York and blended with the author''s wonderfully intelligent imagination, Tabucchi reflects on the elemental aspects of the human experience, exploring grief, uncertainty, adventure, memory and love.''One of the most admired Italian writers of his generation'' The TimesTrade ReviewTabucchi writes with what Italo Calvino, who shared the same translator, called "quickness" - an agility of mind and economy of narrative that pulls the reader along * Guardian *Elegant ... amusing ... the magic of language, artfully used ... Tabucchi manages to play simultaneously in the treble and in the bass * Los Angeles Times *Meticulously crafted stories marked by wit, emotion, memory and lost grandeur * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisAn epic novel of postwar, nuclear-age Japan, by the author of Territory of LightMitch and Yonko haven't spoken in a year. As children, they were inseparable, raised together in an orphanage outside Tokyobut ever since the sudden death of Mitch's brother, they've been mourning in their private ways, worlds apart. In the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe, they choose to reunite, finding each other in a city undone by disaster.Mitch and Yonko have drifted apart, but they will always be bound together. Because long ago they witnessed an unspeakable tragedy, a tragedy that they've kept secret for their entire lives. They never speak of it, but it's all around them. Like history, it repeats itself.Yuko Tsushima's sweeping and consuming novel is a metaphysical saga of postwar Japan. Wildcat Dome is a hugely ambitious exploration of denial, of the ways in which countries and their citizens avoid telling the trutha tale of guilt, loss, and inevitable reckoning.''Tsushima evades any label, her fiction transcends gender to focus on the existential loneliness that is at the heart of humanity.'' Japan Times

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Book Synopsis''One of Japan''s most venerated writers'' David MitchellIn this unnerving fable from one of Japan''s greatest novelists, a recluse known as ''Mole'' retreats to a vast underground bunker, only to find that strange guests, booby traps and a giant toilet may prove even greater obstacles than nuclear disaster.''As is true of Poe and Kafka, Abe creates an unexpected impulsion. One continues reading, on and on'' New Yorker''Abe''s depiction of the deadly game of survival is hilarious but at the same time leaves us with a chilling sense of apprehension about the brave new world that awaits us'' Los Angeles TimesTranslated by Juliet Winters CarpenterTrade ReviewA large, ambitious work about the lives of outcasts in modern Japan and such troubling themes as ecological destruction, old age, violence and nuclear war * The New York Times Book Review *Abe's depiction of the deadly game of survival is hilarious but at the same time leaves us with a chilling sense of apprehension about the brave new world that awaits us * Los Angeles Times *As is true of Poe and Kafka - two writers whose influence does seem apparent - Abe creates on the page an unexpected impulsion. One continues reading, on and on * New Yorker *

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Book SynopsisA Swedish crime writer as thrilling as Mankell, a detective as compelling as Wallander . . . Chief Inspector Van Veeteren delves into a dark family mystery in the sixth book in Håkan Nesser's Van Veeteren series, The Unlucky Lottery. Four friends celebrate winning the lottery. Just hours later, one of them - Waldemar Leverkuhn - is found in his home, stabbed to death. With Chief Inspector Van Veeteren on sabbatical, working in a second hand bookshop, the case is assigned to Inspector Münster. But when another member of the lottery group disappears, as well as Leverkuhn's neighbour, Münster appeals to Van Veeteren for assistance. Soon Münster will find himself interviewing the Leverkuhn family, including the eldest - Irene - a resident of a psychiatric clinic. And as he delves deeper into the family's history, he will discover dark secrets and startling twists, which not only threaten the clarity of the casTrade ReviewOne of the best of the Nordic Noir writers. * Guardian *The godfather of Swedish crime. * Metro *One of Sweden’s best crime writers. * Mail on Sunday *A master of suspense. * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisIn a snowbound railway station deep in the Soviet Union, a stranded passenger comes across an old man playing the piano in the dark, silent tears rolling down his cheeks. Once on the train to Moscow he begins to tell his story: a tale of loss, love and survival that movingly illustrates the strength of human resilience. ''A novella to be read in a lunch hour and remembered for ever'' Jilly Cooper, Books of the Year, Sunday TelegraphTrade ReviewWhen I describe Andrei Makine as a great writer, this is no journalistic exaggeration but my wholly sincere estimate of a man of prodigious gifts. In his combination of clarity, concision, tenderness and elegiac lyricism, he is the heir to Ivan Bunin, the first Russian ever to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. * Francis King, Spectator *Makine here is as good as Stendhal - or Tolstoy ... [he is] storyteller, teacher, and enchanter most of all. I would rather read him than anyone else now writing, and then reread him. I think this is his best book so far. * Allan Massie, Literary Review *Makine's novellas are short in length but beautifully paced and filled with a lyricism that weaves reality and fantasy into a far bigger picture. Little wonder, then, that he's frequently likened to other Russian greats such as Nabokov and Chekhov ... an engrossing story of love, tragedy, betrayal and loss. Moving the plot forward effortlessly, he creates a mythic portrait of Communist Russia. * Scotsman *Beautifully paced and filled with a lyricism that weaves reality and fantasy into a far bigger picture ... engrossing * Scotsman *Geoffrey Strachan's strong and graceful translation of a novel written in French manages to let its Russian soul shine through. "A Life's Music" exchanges the lushness of Makine's earlier work ... for the fiercer pleasures of concise storytelling. This is Makine's art * Ann Harleman, New York Times *A Life's Music would make a terrific Tom Hanks movie. The tagline could be lifted straight from the book's jacket. A tale of war, heartbreak and survival. Both powerful and graceful, it has...depth and scope. * Scotland On Sunday *With matchless delicacy and economy ... Makine presents a movingly detailed history of survival, adaption and bitter disillusionment ... perfectly conceived and controlled. Its graceful narrative skilfully blends summarized action with powerfully evocative images charged with strong understated emotion ... masterly * Kirkus Reviews *[An] elegant, heart-rending little gem of a work ... entirely fresh and necessary. Highly recommended. * Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal (New York) *A Life's Music again proves Makine to be a very fine craftman. * Times Play *Makine makes fresh images that are also profound and poignant, and this gives his portrait of a life derailed by history an irresistible authority. * Sam Thompson, Times Literary Supplement *A tale of war, heartbreak and survival. Both powerful and graceful, it has...depth and scope. * Scotland On Sunday *True to Makine's exquisite and haunting work, with its characteristic atmosphere born of pain and philosophy, this magnificent elegy of loss evokes the sheer size, mystery and chaos that is Russia. * Irish Times *The writing remains both poignant and subtle with the nuances of living a secret life given both colour and gravitas. A Life's Music makes for a fascinating - if all too brief - read. * Big Issue *This is truly a book to treasure. * Good Book Guide *No contemporary writer has expressed his simultaneous love of Russia and hatred of Communism as eloquently as Andrei Makine, and this exquisite, poignant novella is one of his most satisfying works * Sunday Telegraph *An unforgettable testament to the indestructibility of the human spirit. * Simon Shaw, Mail on Sunday *Avoiding a heavy-handed treatment of Russian history, in little more than 100 pages Makine succeeds not only in condensing the life and loves of one man, but in capturing the fear that pervaded everyday life in Stalin's Soviet Union. It is the perfect riposte to anyone who believes that great Russian literature must be unwieldy and crammed with a cast of thousands * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisINTRODUCED BY STUART EVERS: ''A genuine, fully fledged masterpiece of the twentieth century; one that remains just as terrifyingly relevant and truthful in the twenty-first''An existential, political, literary thriller first published in 1944, Transit explores the plight of the refugee with extraordinary compassion and insight. Having escaped from a Nazi concentration camp in Germany and a work camp in Rouen, the nameless narrator finds himself in the dusty seaport of Marseille. Along the way he was asked to deliver a letter to Weidel, a writer in Paris whom he discovered had killed himself as the Nazis entered the city. Now he is in search of the dead man''s wife. He carries Weidel''s suitcase, which contains an unfinished novel - and a letter securing Weidel a visa to escape France.Assuming the name Seidler - though the authorities think he is in fact Weidel - he goes from cafe to cafe looking for Marie, who is in turn anxiously searching for her husband. As Seidler converses with refugees over pizza and wine, their stories gradually break down his ennui, bringing him a deeper awareness of the transitory world they inhabit as they wait and wait for that most precious of possessions: transit papers.''This novel, completed in 1942, is in my opinion the most beautiful Seghers has written . . . almost flawless'' - Heinrich BollTrade ReviewIn political, cultural and artistic terms, Transit offers a vital reading experience: one that is more than just a keen-eyed depiction of a dark and desperate time, but a radical, constantly evolving narrative that delves to the heart of what it is to be human in an inhuman society . . . a genuine, fully fledged masterpiece -- Stuart EversTransit belongs to those books that entered my life, and which I continue to engage with in my writing, so much so that I have to pick it up every couple of years to see what has happened between me and it -- Christa WolfThis novel, completed in 1942, is in my opinion the most beautiful Seghers has written . . . I doubt that our post-1933 literature can point to many books that have been written with such somnambulistic sureness and are almost flawless -- Heinrich BollNo reader will question the author's sincerity as she strives to anatomize the refugee mind -- New York Times Book ReviewOne the most respected and important German authors of the 20th century . . . an important untold story of the refugee situation in Second World War-era Europe . . . A masterpiece -- Joe Winkler * Vol. 1 Brooklyn *What makes Seghers's story so convincing is the human authenticity of her characters, and the masterly panorama of Vichy Marseille, that 'tiny spigot through which the world flood of Europe's fleeing thousands sought to pour.' Often as that heart-choking picture has been drawn before, both in factual reports and fiction, Seghers's presentation will stir the reader's imagination to its depth * Saturday Review *Transit is an eerily poignant read some eighty years after it was first published . . . It is a thriller, yes, but it is a strange one. It might also be called a tragicomedy. Its brilliance has to with this unpindownable-ness. It has to do with the contrast between the genre elements of the novel and the stark, autobiographical realism grounding the narrative. With the way that Seghers artfully renders her characters - comically, tenderly, at times unsympathetically. In big and small ways, the novel resonates -- Lauren Aimee Curtis * Granta Magazine *

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Book SynopsisDeath and detection . . . the perfect mix.' The TimesAn excellent page turner . . . the best so far.' 5* reader reviewNordic noir at its best.' PeopleAs the spring warmth melts the ice, divers search the wreckage at the bottom of the Ångermanland River but the murdered man they recover was put there much more recently than the historic artefacts they were seeking. Local Detective Eira Sjödin, newly pregnant and not talking about it, is proud to be put in charge of the investigation until she discovers the man's identity, and the evidence begins to point towards her own family. As Eira works to piece together the truth from the long-buried evidence and her mother's fragmented memories, she isn't sure she is prepared for the revelations this truth might unleash.Readers love Tove Alsterdal:A brilliant story with a very likeable police detective as the focus of all the twists and turns.' 5* reader review<

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Book SynopsisA new selection of 30 tales to mark the 200 year anniversary of Andersen''s birth in 2005. Tiina Nunnally''s sparkling translation captures the rawness and immediacy of Andersen''s style, for the first time enabling English readers to be as startled and amazed as his original readers were, and revealing the unique inventiveness of Andersen''s genius.At a time when children''s stories were formal, moral and didactic, Hans Christian Andersen revolutionized the genre, giving an anarchic twist to traditional folklore and creating a huge number of utterly original stories that sprang directly from his imagination. From the exuberant early stories such as ''The Emperor''s New Clothes'', though poignant masterpieces such as ''The Little Mermaid'' and ''The Ugly Duckling'', to the darker, more subversive later tales written for adults, the stories included here are endlessly experimental, both humorous and irreverent, sorrowful and strange. This book - beautifully illustrated with a selection of Andersen''s amazing paper cut-outs - will bring these magical tales to life for readers of any age.

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Book SynopsisHave you ever just clicked with someone?Is there a safer space for secret desires than virtual reality? Just what you need WENDY HOLDENIt begins by chance: Leo receives emails in error from an unknown woman called Emmi. Being polite he replies, and Emmi writes back. A few brief exchanges are all it takes to spark a mutual interest in each other, and soon Emmi and Leo are sharing their innermost secrets and longings. The erotic tension simmers, and it seems only a matter of time before they will meet in person. But they keep putting off the moment - the prospect both unsettles and excites them. And, after all, Emmi is happily married. Will their feelings for each other survive the test of a real-life encounter?Translated from German by Jamie Bulloch and Katharina BielenbergTrade Review'Just what you need' Wendy Holden, Daily Mail. * Daily Mail *'Short, striking and snappily written, Love Virtually explores the brilliant premise of love by accidental e-mail' Henry Sutton, Daily Mirror. * Daily Mirror *'Perhaps the first great romantic novel of the internet age' Sunday Express. * Sunday Express *'A modern romance that feels both fresh and traditional' Rebecca Wilson, Sunday Times. * Sunday Times *'I couldn't put it down ... like a jilted lover, when I reached the end I wanted more' Danielle Goldstein, Time Out. * Time Out *'it is tense and brilliantly paced' Independent on Sunday. * Independent on Sunday *

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Book Synopsis Officer Anne Capestan''s team of misfits will have to work together to investigate a decades-old unsolved murder . . . and in the process uncover a trail of corruption that leads to the top of the Paris police force.Marvelous . . . An absorbing, sometimes laugh-out-loud mystery. --New York Journal of BookA delightful creation. --The TimesQuirky and interesting . . . Much to savor. --Library JournalWas the old lady murdered seven years ago really just the victim of a botched robbery? Who was behind the dead sailor discovered in the Seine with three gunshot wounds? And why does there seem to be a curious link with a ferry that was shipwrecked off the Florida coast many years previously?Suspended from her job as a promising police officer for firing one bullet too many, Anne Capestan is expecting the worst when she is summoned to HQ to learn her fate. Instead, she is told that she will head up a Trade ReviewThis summer's crime read * Cosmopolitan *You will not want to tear yourself away ... Extremely original -- Jean-Louis Debré * Le Point *A scintillating read ... we are already hooked * Elle *From her first novel, Sophie Hénaff proves that she can really pull the trigger * Paris Match *Original and amusing, it's French noir with a sly smile. * The Times *

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Book SynopsisThe acclaimed, worldwide bestselling second book in the Brigade Criminelle Trilogy, reissued in a stunning new package to tie in with Lemaitre's standalone thriller Blood WeddingTrade ReviewAlex had me gripped more than almost any book I can remember, with one shout-out-aloud knockout twist after another * Peter James *MacLehose has done it again . . . in Pierre Lemaitre he has unearthed another master of crime fiction destined to become a household name. -- Adam Sage * The Times. *Grippingly original . . . It enthralls at every stage of its unpredictability. -- Marcel Berlins * The Times. *Moves from read-as-fast-as-you-can horror to an intricately plotted race to a dark truth . . . Alex is about thrills. -- Alison Flood * Observer. *An invigoratingly scary, one-sitting read. -- Laura Wilson * Guardian. *'An absolute gem' * Eurocrime *'Brutal crime writing with a tinge of Gauloise ... brilliant' * Daily Mail *'Relentlessly gripping, Lemaitre is worthy of all the fuss' * Independent *'Hailed as the most important crime novel in translation since Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Alex similarly features as an intriguingly flawed feminist heroine bent on vengeance, and will likely prove a sensation of the crime fiction year' Irish Times. * Irish Times *'Moves from read-as-fast-as-you-can horror to an intricately plotted race to a dark truth' Alison Flood, Observer. * Observer *'It enthrals at every stage of its unpredictability. Grippingly original' The Times. * The Times *'Brutal crime writing with a tinge of Gauloise ... brilliant' Daily Mail. * Daily Mail *'A literary explosion' Marine Landrot, Télérama. * Télérama *'Powerful' Alain Beuve-Mery, Le Mond. * Le Mond *'Intelligent, complex, with a gripping plot and deeply intriguing characters. The author's early death is a great loss' Philip Pullman. * Philip Pullman *'What a cracking novel! I haven't read such a stunning thriller debut for years. Brilliantly written and totally gripping' Minette Walters. * Minette Walters *'I doubt you will read a better book this year' Val McDermid. * Val McDermid *'As good as crime writing gets' Times Literary Supplement . * Literary Supplement *

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Book Synopsis MEET COMMANDANT CAMILLE VERHOEVEN OF THE PARIS POLICE WITH NOTHING ELSE TO LOSEAnne Forestier finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time when she blunders into a raid on a jeweller''s on the Champs-Élysées. Bludgeoned beyond recognition, she is lucky to survive. But her ordeal has only just begun.HE CAN BREAK ALL THE RULESLying helpless in her hospital bed, with her assailant still at large, Anne is in mortal danger. Only one thing gives her hope: Commandant Camille Verhœven.TO PROTECT THE WOMAN HE LOVES For Verhœven it''s a case of history repeating itself. He cannot lose Anne as he lost his wife. This time he faces an adversary whose greatest strength appears to be Verhœven''s matchless powers of intuition.Winner of the 2015 C.W.A. International DaggerTrade ReviewLemaitre is worthy of all the fuss. -- Barry Forshaw * Independent. *Crime fiction of the highest class. -- Geoffrey Wansell * Daily Mail. *Superior crime fiction, worthy of the international attention it has received. -- Patrick Anderson * Washington Post. *A satisfying finis to the trilogy. -- Barry Forshaw * Independent. *This original and poignant story is the final instalment in a trilogy that has been a dazzling success. -- Jessica Mann * Literary Review. *Delivering more than its fair share of twists and turns, Camille is also a beautifully naunced portrait of a most unlikely hero, and one who's absence - if this truly is the last we'll see of Commandant Verhœven - will be keenly felt. -- Declan Burke * Irish Times. *A really excellent suspense novelist. -- Stephen King.

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Book SynopsisSlick, sick and not for the faint-hearted. It will make you cry out (for more) - Mark Sanderson, The TimesExhilarating . . . This is not conventional crime Barry Forshaw, Independent Introducing Olivier Norek: Former police officer, writer on Spiral and an award-winning, million-copy bestseller.A corpse that wakes up during the autopsy. A case of spontaneous human combustion. There is little by the way of violent crime that Capitaine Victor Coste has not encountered in his fifteen years policing France''s most notorious suburb - but nothing like this. As he struggles to find a link between the cases, he receives a pair of anonymous letters highlighting the fates of two women whose deaths were never explained - two more blurred faces among the ranks of the lost and the damned.Why were their murders not investigated? Coste is not Trade ReviewNorek displays the mastery and assurance of an old hand. -- Bruno Corty * Figaro. *The French crime-writing revelation of the year. -- Barnard Lehut * R.T.L. *The suspense is sustained until the final page. A masterful crime novel. * L'Express. *Spiral obsessives will recognise the same gritty northern Paris suburb, Seine-Saint-Denis, with is no-go drug estates, as well as the wearily nonchalant detectives and city bigwigs shepherding their own crooked agendas. * Strong Words *The Lost and the Damned hits the ground running and never lets up . . . This impressive debut is slick, sick and not for the faint-hearted. The first 30 pages contain what must be one of the most shocking scenes ever committed to paper. It will make you cry out (for more). -- Mark Sanderson * The Times Crime Book of the Month *This is not conventional crime. Reading this full-throttle piece is a both a troubling and an exhilarating experience. -- Barry Forshaw * Financial Times. *

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Book SynopsisGripping . . . everything he writes is thrilling Literary ReviewHits the ground running and never lets up . . . Slick, sick and not for the faint-hearted . . . It will make you cry out (for more) - Mark Sanderson, The Times on The Lost and the DamnedOlivier Norek: Former police officer, writer on SPIRAL and a million-copy bestsellerThe summary execution of three dealers - one murdered in full view of a police surveillance team - is the signal for hell to be unleashed in France''s most notorious suburb. Now there''s a new kingpin in charge, using his ruthless teenage enforcer to assert an iron grip on his territory. And the local mayor, no stranger to the criminal underworld, is willing to make a pact with the devil if it will secure her a third term.Enter Capitaine Coste and his team, ready to break the rules to prevent the drugs squad from throwing an elderly stashTrade ReviewFans of the French TV series Spiral (with its unvarnished vision of urban crime) will find Olivier Norek's Turf Wars a pungent addition to his Banlieues Trilogy . . . As bracingly authentic as its predecessor. -- Barry Forshaw * Financial Times *Former cop Olivier Norek was one of the writers on the crime drama Spiral . . . there's no denying the visceral excitement and latent compassion of this policier par excellence -- Mark Sanderson * The Times *Norek served in the Seine-Saint-Denis Police Judiciaire for eighteen years and everything he writes is thrilling. This is a prime example of crime fiction as social history, but it is far more gripping - and moving - than any work of history * Literary Review *France makes moody crime films and TV, and Norek's latest Euro bestseller sizzles with similar noir atmosphere * Peterborough Telegraph *Dark, gripping and exciting . . . There is not only a great sense of place but also of characterisation * Shots Magazine *You will have to go a long way to find a better hard-boiled policier * Mark Ripley Books of the Month *

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Book SynopsisThe winner of the Danish Crime Novel of the Decade is a unique, deeply compelling crime novel that interweaves a murder investigation with the central mystery of the theory of evolution.Trade Review'A top-flight thriller - smart and outrageously entertaining' Christopher Fowler, Financial Times. * Financial Times *'Intelligently plotted and psychologically believable' The Times. * The Times *'Simply first class' Jyllands-Posten. * Jyllands-Posten *'Sissel-Jo Gazan has mastered the arts of suspense and revelation' Kristeligt Dagblad. * Kristeligt Dagblad *'Sissel-Jo Gazan's novel has by far outdone, not to say outshone, all other crime novels published this year' Politiken. * Politiken *

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Book SynopsisA glorious evocation of childhood in the early sixties.Trade Review'[An] intricately worked novel, as rich in detail and implication as it is classical in construction and stylistic restraint' Paul Binding, Independent. * Independent *'A gloriously intelligent novel that is so rewarding, funny, sad and human that the only advice to be given is to read it' Eileen Battersby, Irish Times. * Irish Times *'The kind of novel that never leaves you' Kristin Ewins, Times Literary Supplement. * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisFeatures a benign old monk who listens to a prospective novice's tale of depravity, violence, and carnivorous excess while a nice little family drama - in which nearly everyone dies - unfurls. In this title, the author also treats us to a cornucopia of cooked animal flesh - ostrich, camel, donkey, dog, as well as the more common varieties.Trade Review"Mo the public figure is careful with words. But Mo the novelist slips past the censors by dressing up his cutting realism in absurd and fantastic clothing. In doing so, he's embracing a long tradition that stretches from Cervantes to the German novelist Gunter Grass.... Mo's skill makes POW! a wild, unpredictable ride-a work of demented and subversive genius." (Los Angeles Times)"

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