Fiction: literary and general non-genre
Unnamed Press A Certain Hunger
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£12.65
Gallery Books Halo: The Cole Protocol
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£16.14
Simon & Schuster Tender Is the Flesh
Book SynopsisWorking at the local processing plant, Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans—though no one calls them that anymore.His wife has left him, his father is sinking into dementia, and Marcos tries not to think too hard about how he makes a living. After all, it happened so quickly. First, it was reported that an infectious virus has made all animal meat poisonous to humans. Then governments initiated the “Transition.” Now, eating human meat—“special meat”—is legal. Marcos tries to stick to numbers, consignments, processing. Then one day he’s given a gift: a live specimen of the finest quality. Though he’s aware that any form of personal contact is forbidden on pain of death, little by little he starts to treat her like a human being. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost—and what might still be saved.
£15.29
Belfond, Editions Mille Soleils Splendides
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£12.30
Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial Tan poca vida / A Little Life
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£27.31
Anagrama Muerte Subita
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£23.88
Edaf Antillas La Barca Sin Pescador
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£10.22
Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial La Biblia de Barro / The Bible of Clay
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£15.18
The American University in Cairo Press The Coffeehouse: A Novel
Book SynopsisMahfouz's last novel, an evocative depiction of life in Egypt in the twentieth century as told through the lives of a group of friends, is now available in paperback for the first time On a school playground in the stylish Cairo suburb of Abbasiya, five young boys become friends for life, making a nearby café, Qushtumur, their favorite gathering spot forever. One is the narrator, who, looking back in his old age on their seven decades together, makes the other four the heroes of his tale, a Proustian, and classically Mahfouzian, quest in search of lost time and the memory of a much-changed place. In a seamless stream of personal triumphs and tragedies, their lives play out against the backdrop of two world wars, the 1952 Free Officers coup, the defeat of 1967 and the redemption of 1973, the assassination of a president, and the simmering uncertainties of the transitional 1980s. But as their nation grows and their neighborhood turns from the green, villa-studded paradise of their youth to a dense urban desert of looming towers, they still find refuge in the one enduring landmark in their ever-fading world: the humble coffeehouse called Qushtumur. The Coffeehouse is a powerful and timeless novel of loss and memory from one of Egypt's most celebrated literary masters.Trade Review"The Arab world's foremost novelist"—The New York Times"Mahfouz's work is freshly nuanced and hauntingly lyrical."—The Los Angeles Times"A towering literary figure"—The Economist"Egypt's greatest living writer and one of the world's most humane literary figures"—Laila Lalami, The Nation"Timeless.' —New Statesman"A master of both detailed realism and fabulous storytelling"—The Guardian"Mahfouz is a storyteller of the first order in any idiom." —Vanity Fair"An affectionate evocation of lost youth and life's passage by a seasoned storyteller."—Kirkus
£13.67
HarperCollins These Violent Delights
Book SynopsisA Literary Hub Best Book of Year • A Crime Reads Best Debut of the Year • A Newsweek 25 Best Fall Books • A Philadelphia Inquirer 10 Big Books for the Fall • An O Magazine.com LGBTQ Books That Are Changing the Literary Landscape • An Electric Lit Most Anticipated Debut • A Paperback Paris Best New LGBTQ+ Books To Read This Year Selection • A Passport Best Book of the MonthThe Secret History meets Lie with Me in Micah Nemerever''s compulsively readable debut novel—a feverishly taut Hitchcockian story about two college students, each with his own troubled past, whose escalating obsession with one another leads to an act of unspeakable violence.When Paul enters university in early 1970s Pittsburgh, it’s with the hope of moving past the recent death of his father. Sensitive, insecure, and incomprehensible to his grieving family, Paul feels isolated and alone. When he meets the worldly Julian in his freshman ethics class, Paul is immediately drawn to his classmate’s effortless charm.Paul sees Julian as his sole intellectual equal—an ally against the conventional world he finds so suffocating. Paul will stop at nothing to prove himself worthy of their friendship, because with Julian life is more invigorating than Paul could ever have imagined. But as charismatic as he can choose to be, Julian is also volatile and capriciously cruel, and Paul becomes increasingly afraid that he can never live up to what Julian expects of him.As their friendship spirals into all-consuming intimacy, they each learn the lengths to which the other will go in order to stay together, their obsession ultimately hurtling them toward an act of irrevocable violence.Unfolding with a propulsive ferocity, These Violent Delights is an exquisitely plotted excavation of the depths of human desire and the darkness it can bring forth in us.
£20.99
Coach House Books The Eyelid
Book SynopsisIn Greater America, with sleep under siege, this lucid and prophetic novel of ideas depicts the end of human reverie. An unnamed, unemployed, dream-prone narrator finds himself following Chevauchet, diplomat of Onirica, a foreign republic of dreams, to resist a prohibition on sleep in near-future Greater America. On a mission to combat the state-sponsored drugging of citizens with uppers for greater productivity, they traverse an eerie landscape in an everlasting autumn, able to see inside other people’s nightmares and dreams. As Comprehensive Illusion – a social media-like entity that hijacks creativity – overtakes the masses, Chevauchet, the old radical, weakens and disappears, leaving our narrator to take up Chevauchet's dictum that "daydreaming is directly subversive” and forge ahead on his own. In slippery, exhilarating, and erudite prose, The Eyelid revels in the camaraderie of free thinking that can only happen on the lam, aiming to rescue a species that can no longer dream. "S. D. Chrostowska's The Eyelid is a brilliant, visionary satire on the digital mindscape of twenty-first-century late capitalism embodied in the new global state of Greater America. Insomnia is in; dreams are seditious; sleep is outlawed. Lulled by false fantasies projected by Artificial Intelligence (CI in the book), video games, and media collaborators, humans drug themselves to stay awake so they can slave through the now standard twenty-hour work days. Witty, oracular, Surreal, trenchant, politically astute, and often hilarious, The Eyelid is a throwback to the classics of the genre, Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels and Samuel Butler's Erewhon. We are turning into a race of sleep-deprived automatons, Chrostowska warns, increasingly unable to mount political opposition or even dream a different future." —Douglas GloverTrade Review"Determined readers will revel in the sheer fecundity of ideas in this fiercely imaginative acid trip of an allegory." –Publishers Weekly"A slight but quick-witted and thoughtful philosophical parable that falls somewhere between Camus and Gaiman’s Sandman universe." –Kirkus Reviews“The Eyelid spins a rich and rewarding political fantasy out of this anxiety over the colonization of dreams and the subconscious by corporate power.” –Toronto Star"This is a novel of ideas and warnings, not a simple theoretical thriller that blooms in the mind as an ephemeral bottle rocket only to fizzle and leave the reader seeking the next entertainment." –The Rupture"S. D. Chrostowska’s The Eyelid is an exquisite piece of literature which might well become an instant cult book until it makes its way to a much deserved place at the top of any list of utopian-dystopian fiction masterworks." –Full Stop"S. D. Chrostowska achieves unexpected buoyancy in spite of the intensity of her material. Permission, certain to be among the most formally adventurous books published this year, will thrill readers of fearless stylists like Blanchot, Barthes, and Anne Carson. In its obsessive intricacy, it evokes even earlier forbears: those wonderfully melancholy European humanists, Thomas Browne and Robert Burton.' Every Library is a haunted cemetery,' writes F. Wren, the narrator of Permission. This fine and perplexing novel is itself something between a library and a cemetery, spinning around the hauntings of desire, the confusions of memory, the ambiguities of solitude and, above all, the mystery of writing." –Teju Cole"Always provocative, Chrostowska investigates the notion that dreaming itself can be a subversive act." –Steven W. Beattie, Quill & Quire
£12.34
Coffee House Press Reinhardt's Garden
Book SynopsisAt the turn of the twentieth century, as he composes a treatise on melancholy, Jacov Reinhardt sets off from his small Croatian village in search of his hero and unwitting mentor, Emiliano Gomez Carrasquilla, who is rumored to have disappeared into the South American jungle—“not lost, mind you, but retired.” Jacov’s narcissistic preoccupation with melancholy consumes him, and as he desperately recounts the myth of his journey to his trusted but ailing scribe, hope for an encounter with the lost philosopher who holds the key to Jacov’s obsession seems increasingly unlikely.From Croatia to Germany, Hungary to Russia, and finally to the Americas, Jacov and his companions grapple with the limits of art, colonialism, and escapism in this antic debut where dark satire and skewed history converge.Trade Review“Jacov Reinhardt and his faithful assistant roam South America in a quixotic search for the essence of melancholy—an enterprise that makes Werner Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo, their rough contemporary, come off as a levelheaded pragmatist. To follow Reinhardt, fueled by amounts of cocaine not even Sigmund Freud could have managed, is to walk into a fascinating literary maze that spans from Ulrich Schmidl’s chronicles to the decadent movements in turn-of-the-century Europe and Latin America. Melancholy has never felt more euphoric than in Mark Haber’s breathless paragraph-long novel.” —Hernan Diaz “Evokes Gertrude Stein, contemporary European and South American writers like Matthias Énard, Roberto Bolaño, and César Aira, with the Quixotic atmosphere of Werner Herzog films like Fitzcarraldo…A strange but lavishly imagined tale of a hard-to-describe feeling.” —Kirkus “An exhilarating fever dream about the search for the secret of melancholy. . . . Haber’s dizzying vision dextrously leads readers right into the melancholic heart of darkness.” —Publishers Weekly&ldsquo;Heart of Darkness viewed in a fun house mirror.<&rdsquo;&emdash;Library Journal “Haber, who has been called 'one of the most influential yet low-key of tastemakers in the book world,' is about to raise it up a level with the debut of his novel.” —The Millions“An enchanting story of satirical wit, dark humor, and luminous creativity. . . . an exhilarating grand adventure of passion, obsession and lunacy.”—The Literary Review“At times we can imagine Haber to be a Latin American writer. This subtle yet brilliant act of mimicry is perhaps the author’s intention all along.” —BOMB Magazine&ldsquo;The cynicism of Haber’s book is tempered with a sweetness that gives it a lovely balance. . . . an innovative piece of fiction.&rdsquo—Houston Chronicle“Hilarious and thrilling. . . . this novel may look like something new, but it reads like that timeless treat, a rollicking good yarn.” —Star Tribune“There is a strange, beautiful aesthetic in the spun thread of tightly, smoothly laminated prose. . . . to accomplish this art in narration, and Haber has, is masterful, touching on genius.” —Lone Star Literary Life“In prose as sure as a poison-laced dart, Mark Haber takes the reader on a delirious journey to the heart of melancholy.” —Sjón“There is a strange, beautiful aesthetic in the spun thread of tightly, smoothly laminated prose. . . . to accomplish this art in narration, and Haber has, is masterful, touching on genius.” —Fernando A. Flores “An adventurous journey into the country of melancholy. A fascinating dissection of human vulnerability.” —Guadalupe Nettel “Reinhardt’s Garden is one of those perfect books that looks small and exotic and melancholic from the outside but, once in, is immense and exultant in the best possible way. Think Amulet by Roberto Bolaño, think Nightwood by Djuna Barnes, think Train Dreams by Denis Johnson, think Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, think Zama by Antonio Di Benedetto, think The Loser by Thomas Bernhard. Think.” —Rodrigo Fresán “It’s official: [Mark Haber]’s novel about melancholy is a laugh riot. Narrated by the devoted assistant of pseudo-intellectual Jacov Reinhardt, the reader follows along for their increasingly misbegotten, cocaine-fueled adventures across Europe and South America. Told in one long, feverish paragraph with sentences that surprise at nearly every turn, Reinhardt’s Garden is a gorgeous, joyful, tiny epic. I loved it, and more importantly it got me out of yet another reading rut. Preorder this bad boy from an indie bookstore or [Coffee House Press] please!” —Annie Metclaf, Magers and Quinn Booksellers PRAISE FOR MARK HABER “[Mark Haber’s] infinite, fast-paced energy is transparent in the way these stories are constructed. There is no room for awkward silence or meaningless descriptions; everything fits as in a well-told joke that builds on its own momentum. His prose maintains not only a rhythm that seems like a continued punch-line but when it finally arrives at a safe landing place it delivers a terrible reality: the absurdity of failure in his characters’ conditions of possibility tells us way more than what we expected. It is humbling and depressing, all at once.” —Bruno Ríos, Argonáutica
£12.34
American University in Cairo Press The Lady of Zamalek: A Novel
Book SynopsisSpanning twentieth-century Egyptian history and opening with the true story of a prominent Cairo businessman’s murder, this rags-to-riches story wondrously combines real-life events with fiction, told by a “magical storyteller”It was in the spring of 1927 that Cairo's attention was captured by the shocking murder of prominent businessman Solomon Cicurel in his Nile-side villa in the upscale Zamalek district. It was a burglary that went wrong, and four culprits were soon arrested. Their trial was concluded swiftly, their punishments were decisive, and society breathed a sigh of relief.In Ashraf El-Ashmawi's telling, there was a fifth accomplice, Abbas, who fled to his home in the countryside to lay low until the murder trial blew over. However, he did not escape empty-handed and kept stolen documents from Cicurel's villa, ones that he imagined would lead him to a hidden safe. Abbas hatched a plan to return to the capital, find the safe, and make his fortune. The first step was to place his sister Zeinab with Cicurel's widow, Paula.Abbas’s rags-to-riches story unfolds as a tale of modern Egypt, taking in the Second World War, the 1952 revolution and rise of Nasser, the 1967 war, and the Sadat and Mubarak eras. Spanning the 1920s to the 1990s, El-Ashmawi deftly weaves together history with fiction in this intriguing English-language debut.Trade ReviewOne of 51 Favorite Books of 2021 by The Washington Independent Review of Books"A grand family drama set in a society at once strange and familiar, rife with surprise revelations that keep the reader fully engaged. . . .It deserves to be a bestseller."—Alice Stephens, Washington Independent Review of Books"There's something very compelling about opening a book to read about a place you've never visited before, from the eyes of an author who knows it well." —Leah Dearborn, LitReactor"Set in the confines of one toxic family as its members, over decades, perpetually attempt to outmaneuver one another, the narrative creates a sense of vicious hopelessness. In the family, as, it’s implied, the country around them, this cycle swallows all; even acts of extreme insurrection feed back into a negative cycle."—Talya Zax, LitHub"The sweep of Egyptian history and the portrait of class, social norms, and values are fascinating"—Historical Novels Review"A brilliantly spun tale. . . playing with politics and powerful people. El-Ashmawi paints a story where money comes and goes, power changes hands, and where both can disappear in an instant."—Arab News"A bold attempt to reimagine not only the transformations of the Zamalek district of Cairo, but also those of the Egyptian nation itself."—Dr. Mohamed Afifi, al-Dostoor"Ashraf El-Ashmawy holds a scalpel to dissect the classes of Egyptian society over more than half a century.” —Bilal Ramadan, al-Youm al-Sabe'
£19.05
Luath Press Ltd Monks
Book SynopsisThree men from Coatbridge set out for Italy to find a monk reputed to possess healing powers in order to help psychiatrically disturbed Jimmy Brogan. However, when they arrive on the mountain, they find that healing isn't that easy to come by. This is a funny, provocative story of redemption. As the characters learn that the monastery cannot provide sanctuary from Jimmy's past, they are all challenged to face their own lives. "Monks" was originally published by Hodder as "The Big Q".Trade ReviewNot just about racism or bigotry or an antiquated sense of male power - Dillen wants to pummel language too, and religion and the identity of the individual into the bargain. That he holds on to the big questions without losing the humanity of his hero is a trick Dillon manages with a magician's dexterity. - THE SCOTSMAN on Monks (first published as The Big Q)
£7.59
Mapin Publishing Pvt.Ltd Krishen Khanna the Embrace of Love
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£27.55
Headline Publishing Group The Black Dress
Book Synopsis''I barked out loud. Not since Freud has sex been more in bed with death. She gets sharper and more mordant with age and about age. This page-turner is like the best wakes, it will make you feel hungry and alive'' The Times''She really is the Nora Ephron of North London'' Clare Chambers, author of Small PleasuresPru is on her own. But then, so are plenty of other people. And while the loneliness can be overwhelming, surely she''ll find a party somewhere?Pru''s husband has walked out, leaving her alone to contemplate her future. She''s missing not so much him, but the life they once had - nestling up like spoons in the cutlery drawer as they sleep. Now there''s just a dip on one side of the bed and no-one to fill it.In a daze, Pru goes off to a friend''s funeral. Usual old hymns, words of praise and a eulogy but...it doesn''t sound like the friend she knew. She''s gone to the wrong service, though it was more excitementTrade ReviewI barked out loud. Not since Freud has sex been more in bed with death. She gets sharper and more mordant with age and about age. Thank goodness. This page-turner is like the best wakes, it will make you feel hungry and alive. * The Times *As ever with Moggach, the joy is in her witty observations of middle-class life and bracingly tart portrayal of family relationships * Daily Mail *A darkly funny novel about betrayal, loneliness and the surprising pleasure of being single again * Good Housekeeping *With dry wit and observation, Moggach tackles the perils of ageing with brutal honesty * Daily Express *Perceptive and devastating * Daily Mirror *A delightful black comedy full of later-life misadventures * Best *She really is the Nora Ephron of North London. Such a deceptively light touch, and so funny about the indignities of getting old and all our little vanities * Clare Chambers *Moggach is always funny, perceptive and very contemporary * Philippa Perry *I love clever books that make me laugh. Deborah Moggach, queen of social comedy, is on top form in The Black Dress. Superb * Cathy Rentzenbrink *Princess of the deliciously dark * Mel Giedroyc *'Moggach tackles the perils of ageing with honesty and wit' * Sunday Express *'Both a delicious piece of mischief and a serious exploration of the 'howling loneliness' of the deserted older woman . . . [Moggach is] the most frank, unpretentious writer, always on the side of fun' * Saga *
£10.44
Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press Black Out
Book SynopsisWritten by 'a sublimely elegant historical novelist as addictive as crack' - Daily TelegraphThe first book in John Lawton's Inspector Troy series, selected by Time magazine as one of 'Six Detective Series to Savour' alongside Michael Connelly and Donna Leon.The Blitz, London, 1944.As the Luftwaffe make their last desperate assault on the city, Londoners take to the shelters once again and eagerly await the signal for D-Day. In the East End children lead police to a charred, dismembered corpse buried in a bombsite. The victim is German and it soon becomes clear that this is no ordinary murder. For Russian emigré Detective-Sergeant Troy it is the start of a manhunt which will lead him into a world of military intelligence and corruption in high places; a manhunt in which Troy is both the hunter and the hunted.Trade ReviewWonderfully captures the atmosphere of wartime London... original and entertaining. * Robert Harris *This fine novel repeatedly brings to mind le Carré - for its elegance and style, its intricate suspenseful plot, [and] its intimate knowledge of a seemingly shattered time and place... A delightful, intelligent, involving book. * Scott Turow *
£9.49
Titan Books Ltd Firefly - The Magnificent Nine
Book SynopsisThe second original novel tying into the critically acclaimed and much-missed Firefly series from creator Joss Whedon. The second original novel from the much-missed Space Western Firefly, produced with Joss Whedon as consulting editor, set between the TV series and the movie Serenity. A cosmic cry for help Captain Mal Reynolds is in a fix. He'd like nothing more than to find honest smuggling work that stays under the Alliance's radar and keeps the good ship Serenity in the sky. But when an old flame of Jayne Cobb's sends a desperate plea across the galaxy, his crew has other ideas. A cut-throat bandit On the arid, far-flung world of Thetis, the terrifying Elias Vandal is threatening to overrun the town of Coogan's Bluff with his trigger-happy army. He wants control of the only thing standing between its people and dustbowl ruin: their water supply. The Magnificent Nine When the crew land at the hardscrabble desert outpost, they discover two things: a savage outlaw gang who will stop at nothing to get what they want, and that Jayne's former girlfriend, Temperance, is singlehandedly raising a teenage daughter, born less than a year after she and Jayne parted ways. A daughter by the name of Jane McCloud...Trade Review"charming" - SyFy "Titan Books is two for two as far as I'm concerned...they are doing a killer job of leaving you wanting whatever comes next." - Nerds on Earth "What a sheer delight of a book!" - The Frumious Consortium "I love that the series is continuing in novels. And this latest installment is a great addition" - SciFi Chick
£8.54
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Jane Austen Project
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£15.29
Penguin Putnam Inc On the Road The Original Scroll
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£16.15
Penguin Putnam Inc Lord of the Flies
Book SynopsisWilliam Golding’s unforgettable classic of boyhood adventure and the savagery of humanity comes to Penguin Classics in a stunning Graphic Deluxe Edition with a new foreword by Lois Lowry As provocative today as when it was first published in 1954, Lord of the Flies continues to ignite passionate debate with its startling, brutal portrait of human nature. William Golding’s compelling story about a group of very ordinary boys marooned on a coral island has been labeled a parable, an allegory, a myth, a morality tale, a parody, a political treatise, and even a vision of the apocalypse. But above all, it has earned its place as one of the indisputable classics of the twentieth century for readers of any age. This Penguin Classics Graphic Deluxe Edition features an array of special features to supplement the novel, including a foreword by Lois Lowry, an introduction by Stephen King, an essay by E. M. Forster, an essay on teaching and r
£14.45
Random House USA Inc Before the Storm World of Warcraft 2
Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • An all-new, official prequel novel to The Battle for Azeroth, Blizzard Entertainment’s next expansion to the critically acclaimed World of Warcraft videogame.Azeroth is dying.The Horde and the Alliance defeated the demonic Burning Legion, but a dire catastrophe is unfolding deep below the surface of the world. There is a mortal wound in the heart of Azeroth, struck by the sword of the fallen titan Sargeras in a final act of cruelty.For Anduin Wrynn, king of Stormwind, and Sylvanas Windrunner, warchief of the Horde and queen of the Forsaken, there is little time to rebuild what remains and even less to mourn what was lost. Azeroth’s devastating wound has revealed a mysterious material known as Azerite. In the right hands, this strange golden substance is capable of incredible feats of creation; in the wrong ones, it could bring forth unthinkable destruction.
£8.55
Random House USA Inc Skipping Christmas
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£10.02
Penguin Putnam Inc Vanishing Half
Book Synopsis#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERONE OF BARACK OBAMA''S FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEARNAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2020 BY THE NEW YORK TIMES * THE WASHINGTON POST * NPR * PEOPLE * TIME MAGAZINE* VANITY FAIR * GLAMOUR 2021 WOMEN''S PRIZE FINALIST“Bennett’s tone and style recalls James Baldwin and Jacqueline Woodson, but it’s especially reminiscent of Toni Morrison’s 1970 debut novel, The Bluest Eye.” —Kiley Reid, Wall Street Journal “A story of absolute, universal timelessness …For any era, it''s an accomplished, affecting novel. For this moment, it''s piercing, subtly wending its way toward questions about who we are and who we want to be….” – Entertainment Weekly From The New York Times-bestselling author of
£13.50
Random House USA Inc The Testaments
Book SynopsisFifteen years after the events in the Book Prize-winning and New York Times best-selling The Handmaids Tale, the regime running the Republic of Gilead shows signs of collapsing from within as the lives of three women explosively converge. Original.
£10.80
Transworld Publishers Ltd An Unwanted Guest
Book SynopsisAS FEATURED ON BBC RADIO 2: ''Properly gripping'' Romesh RanganathanThe Sunday Times bestseller from the number one bestselling author of THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR and EVERYONE HERE IS LYING.''Crafted like a vintage Christie and just as tense, this will be a smash hit.'' Heat''Tense. Unpredictable. Unputdownable. Shari Lapena''s novels are domestic noir at its finest.'' Simon Kernick____________________We can''t choose the strangers we meet.As the guests arrive at beautiful, remote Mitchell''s Inn, they''re all looking forward to a relaxing weekend deep in the forest, miles from anywhere. They watch their fellow guests with interest, from a polite distance.Usually we can avoid the people who make us nervous, make us afraid.With a violent storm raging, the group finds itself completely cut off from the outside world. Nobody can get in - or out. And then the first body is fouTrade ReviewIf you want an unputdownable thriller, you’re in luck – best-seller Shari Lapena is back with a new whodunnit…Crafted like a vintage Christie and just as tense, this will be a smash hit * Heat *Tense. Unpredictable. Unputdownable. Shari Lapena's novels are domestic noir at its finest. * Simon Kernick *The psychological thrillers of Lapena are masterclasses in tightly plotted, economical narrative…This third novel has a premise straight out of a Agatha Christie classic * Metro *[An Unwanted Guest] once again shows her gift for smart characterisation combined with a subtle appreciation for the darkness of the human heart . . . A perfectly choreographed danse macabre. * Mail on Sunday *An intriguing cast, an isolated location, a raging storm and the threat of death in every dark corner: An Unwanted Guest reads like Agatha Christie with a shot of adrenalin. Clear your desk before you start it because you won't want to put it down. * Gilly Macmillan, author of BURNT PAPER SKY *
£8.54
Random House USA Inc Fools Assassin 1 Fitz and the Fool
Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERNearly twenty years ago, Robin Hobb burst upon the fantasy scene with the first of her acclaimed Farseer novels, Assassin’s Apprentice, which introduced the characters of FitzChivalry Farseer and his uncanny friend the Fool. A watershed moment in modern fantasy, this novel—and those that followed—broke exciting new ground in a beloved genre. Together with George R. R. Martin, Robin Hobb helped pave the way for such talented new voices as Scott Lynch, Brandon Sanderson, and Naomi Novik. Over the years, Hobb’s imagination has soared throughout the mythic lands of the Six Duchies in such bestselling series as the Liveship Traders Trilogy and the Rain Wilds Chronicles. But no matter how far she roamed, her heart always remained with Fitz. And now, at last, she has come home, with an astonishing new novel that opens a dark and gripping chapter in the Farseer saga. FitzChivalry—r
£9.49
Random House Publishing Group Curtains for Three
Book SynopsisIn these three baffling mysteries of motive and murder, even the great Nero Wolfe finds himself stumped. First there is the case of the two passionate lovebirds who want to make sure that neither is a cold-blooded killer. Then it’s off to the races, where Wolfe must choose from a stable of five likely suspects to corral a killer on horseback. And finally the detective finds himself the confidant of a distraught, self-described grifter who claims a murderer is stalking Wolfe’s own brownstone. Through brilliant deduction is determined to expose the truth behind the veils of illusion—and bring down the curtain on three all-too-clever murderers. Introduction by Judith Kelman “It is always a treat to read a Nero Wolfe mystery. The man has entered our folklore.”—The New York Times Book Review A grand master of the form, Rex Stout is one of America’s greatest mystery writers, and his literary creation Nero Wolfe is one of the greatest fictional detectives of all time. Together, Stout and Wolfe have entertained—and puzzled—millions of mystery fans around the world. Now, with his perambulatory man-about-town, Archie Goodwin, the arrogant, gourmandizing, sedentary sleuth is back in the original seventy-three cases of crime and detection written by the inimitable master himself, Rex Stout.
£12.59
Faber & Faber Fight Night
Book SynopsisFROM THE WRITER OF THE OSCAR-WININNG WOMEN TALKINGINTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHORLONGLISTED FOR THE DUBLIN LITERARY AWARDGo Grandma Elvira!' Margaret Atwood''Wickedly funny and fearlessly honest.'' The New Yorker''Glorious.'' Sarah Moss____________You are a small thing, and you must learn to fight.Swiv has taken this advice too literally. Now she's suspended from school, in the care of her foul-mouthed, hilarious grandmother. Mom is busy being pregnant, so Grandma gives Swiv a very different education. Swiv learns maths with Amish jigsaws and How to Dig a Winter Grave. Grandma's methods may be unorthodox, but she has faced the worst of life with a wild, independent spirit and this is what she hopes to pass on. Time is running short. Grandma's health is failing and the baby is on the way can Grandma inspire this fire in Swiv, and ensure it never goes out?Poignant, hilTrade Review'Wickedly funny and fearlessly honest.' The New Yorker'The last book that made me cry.' JOSHUA FERRIS'A love letter to our brave and brilliant matriarchs.' Glamour
£14.99
Princeton University Press The Plum in the Golden Vase or Chin Ping Mei
Book SynopsisProvides an annotated translation of the famous "Chin P'ing Mei", an anonymous sixteenth-century Chinese novel that focuses on the domestic life of His-men Ch'ing, a corrupt, upwardly mobile merchant who maintains a harem of six wives and concubines.Trade Review"[A] book of manners for the debauched. Its readers in the late Ming period likely hid it under their bedcovers."--Amy Tan, New York Times Book Review Praise for the previous volumes: "[I]t is time to remind ourselves that The Plum in the Golden Vase is not just about sex, whether the numerous descriptions of sexual acts throughout the novel be viewed as titillating, harshly realistic, or, in Mr. Roy's words, intended 'to express in the most powerful metaphor available to him the author's contempt for the sort of persons who indulge in them.' The novel is a sprawling panorama of life and times in urban China, allegedly set safely in the Sung dynasty, but transparently contemporary to the author's late sixteenth-century world, as scores of internal references demonstrate. The eight hundred or so men, women, and children who appear in the book cover a breath-taking variety of human types, and encompass pretty much every imaginable mood and genre--from sadism to tenderness, from light humor to philosophical musings, from acute social commentary to outrageous satire."--Jonathan Spence, New York Review of Books "Clearly David Roy is the greatest scholar-translator in the field of premodern vernacular Chinese fiction... The puns and various other kinds of word plays that abound in the Chin P'ing Mei are so difficult to translate that I can't help 'slapping the table in amazement' each time I see evidence of Roy's masterful rendition of them... I recommend this book, in the strongest possible terms, to anyone interested in the novel form in general, in Chinese literature in particular, or in the translation of Chinese literature."--Shuhui Yang, Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, and Reviews "Racy, colloquial, and robustly scatalogical, [this translation] could only have been done now, when our literary language has finally shed its Victorian values. David Tod Roy enters with zest into the spirit and the letter of the original, quite surpassing ... earlier versions."--Paul St. John Mackintosh, Literary Review "Reading Roy's translation is a remarkable experience."--Robert Chatain, Chicago Tribune Review of Books "[B]y virtue of both Roy's decision to translate the cihua version of the novel, and his manner of doing so, we have here an invaluable insight into the material and popular literary world of the late-Ming that will serve as a wonderful resource for students of the various aspects of this fascinating and rapidly changing period of late imperial Chinese history for many years to come."--Duncan Campbell, New Zealand Journal of Asian StudiesTable of ContentsLIST OF I LLUSTRATIONS ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xi CAST OF CHARACTERS xiii CHAPTER 41: Hsi-men Ch'ing Forms a Marriage Alliance with Ch'iao Hung; P'an Chin-lien Engages in a Quarrel with Li P'ing-erh 1 CHAPTER 42: APowerful Family Blocks Its Gate in Order to Enjoy Fireworks; Distinguished Guests in a High Chamber Appreciate the Lanterns 19 CHAPTER 43: Because of the Missing Gold Hsi-men Ch'ing Curses Chin-lien; As a Result of the Betrothal Yueh-niang Meets Madame Ch'iao 40 CHAPTER 44: Wu Yueh-niang Detains Li Kuei-chieh Overnight; Hsi-men Ch'ing Drunkenly Interrogates Hsia-hua 65 CHAPTER 45: Li Kuei-chieh Requests the Retention of Hsia-hua; Wu Yueh-niang in a Fit of Anger Curses at Tai-an 81 CHAPTER 46: Rain and Snow Interrupt a Walk during the Lantern Festival; Wife and Concubines Laughingly Consult the Tortoise Oracle 97 CHAPTER 47: Wang Liu-erh Peddles Influence in Pursuit of Profit; Hsi-men Ch'ing Accepts a Bribe and Subverts the Law 129 CHAPTER 48: Investigating Censor Tseng Impeaches the Judicial Commissioners; Grand Preceptor Ts'ai Submits a Memorial Regarding Seven Matters 147 CHAPTER 49: Hsi-men Ch'ing Welcomes Investigating Censor Sung Ch'iao-nien; In the Temple of Eternal Felicity He Encounters an Indian Monk 171 CHAPTER 50: Ch'in-t'ung Eavesdrops on the Joys of Lovemaking; Tai-an Enjoys a Pleasing Ramble in Butterfly Lane 203 CHAPTER 51: Yueh-niang Listens to the Exposition Of The Diamond Sutra; Li Kuei-chieh Seeks Refuge in the Hsi-men Ch'ing Household 221 CHAPTER 52: Ying Po-chueh Intrudes on a Spring Beauty in the Grotto; P'an Chin-lien Inspects a Mushroom in the Flower Garden 255 CHAPTER 53: Wu Yueh-niang Engages in Coition in Quest of Male Progeny; Li P'ing-erh Fulfills a Vow in Order to Safeguard Her Son 289 CHAPTER 54: Ying Po-chueh Convenes His Friends in a Suburban Garden; Jen Hou-ch'i Diagnoses an Illness for a Powerful Family 320 CHAPTER 55: Hsi-men Ch'ing Observes a Birthday in the Eastern Capital; Squire Miao from Yang-chou Sends a Present of Singing Boys 346 CHAPTER 56: Hsi-men Ch'ing Assists Ch'ang Shih-chieh; Ying Po-chueh Recommends Licentiate Shui 374 CHAPTER 57: Abbot Tao Solicits Funds to Repair the Temple of Eternal Felicity; Nun Hsueh Enjoins Paying for the Distribution of the Dharan Sutra 394 CHAPTER 58: Inspired by a Fit of Jealousy Chin-lien Beats Ch'iu-chu; Begging Cured Pork the Mirror Polisher Tells a Sob Story 420 CHAPTER 59: Hsi-men Ch'ing Dashes "Snow Lion" to Death; Li P'ing-erh Cries Out in Pain for Kuan-ko 453 CHAPTER 60: Li P'ing-erh Becomes Ill Because of Suppressed Anger; Hsi-men Ch'ing's Silk Goods Store Opens for Business 489 NOTES 507 BIBLIOGRAPHY 639 INDEX 673
£31.50
Duckworth Books Hester
Book SynopsisIsobel, a gifted needleworker with strange talents, finds herself penniless and alone in Salem. When she meets Nathaniel Hawthorne, the two are drawn to each other. Together, they are dark storyteller and muse, but where will their affair lead?Trade Review'Like the greatest historical fiction, Hester makes you believe utterly' Gillian Flynn, international bestselling author of Gone Girl‘Full of lush and colourful prose, Hester proves that a woman will do whatever she must to prosper, even when she is left with nothing but courage – and a few secrets of her own’ Sarah Penner, bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary‘A masterpiece that should be required reading alongside Hawthorne’s classic tale of adultery. Enthralling, ambitious and a total knockout’ Fiona Davis, bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue‘A luminous blend of fiction and truth, Hester weaves a spellbinding tapestry of Salem history as it has never been told before’ Afia Atakora, author of Conjure Women
£9.49
Doherty (Tom) Associates,U.S. I Am Legend. Movie TieIn
Book Synopsis
£8.54
New Directions Publishing Corporation The Complete Works of Alberto Caeiro Bilingual
Book SynopsisA bilingual companion to The Book of Disquiet, by Fernando Pessoa Trade Review"As searing as Rilke or Mandelstam." -- New York Times"Pessoa invented numerous alter egos. Arguably, the four greatest poets in the Portuguese language were all Pessoa using different names." -- NPR"Here we finally see these poems as they ought to be seen... When I read Pessoa (in his own voice and in the voices of his heteronyms), what I am left with, rather than answers, or even questions, is a feeling, the embarrassment of a genuine sensation, one I might sheepishly call love." -- Poetry Foundation"Pessoa’s amazing personality is as beguiling and mysterious as his unique poetic output." -- William Boyd
£14.24
Ohio University Press Thirteen Cents
Book Synopsisdebut fiction; South African literature; street kids; child prostitution; homosexuality; Cape Town; drug use; gritty novel; dark themes; African Literature; bildungsroman;Trade Review“A gritty, dagga-infused tour through a Cape Town underworld of street children, hustlers, and cruising ‘johns.’” * Words without Borders *“K. Sello Duiker’s short novel, Thirteen Cents is simultaneously gruesome, violent, deeply disturbing, whimsical, and beautiful…. Told from Azure’s perspective, Duiker weaves a narrative that lays bare the violence, exploitation, racial and sexual politics found just under the surface of South African society.” * Africa Is a Country *“Duiker is to literature what Steve Biko is to politics, both having died at the tender age of 30 but leaving indelible footprints in our collective memory.” * Mail & Guardian *“A 13-year old South African boy turns tricks in Cape Town in Duiker's emotional whiplash of a debut novel, available in the US for the first time…. With lucid imagery fluctuating between dreams and rationalized escapism, Duiker—through genuine insight, a captivating voice, and candid child-narration—explores a world ruled by primary instinct.” * Publishers Weekly *“This entry in the Modern African Writing series, dotted with slang and obscenities in various languages, holds the reader with its vivid descriptions of the gorgeous setting, with the striking portrayal of the physicality of Azure’s daily life—the misery and the beauty of rain, the joy of keeping warm—and, finally, with the magical realism of his escape, which brings the recognition of those we know are out there, but we do not see.” * Booklist *“This slim novel tells the story of a street child, Azure. As such it is a biting social commentary, which will leave very few readers unmoved.… Be warned that this is not an easy book to read. The language of the streets is not an easy one, and somehow the words we are all so familiar with as spoken epithet become more foul by their appearing in print. The brutality of life on the streets and its language forms an interesting — and at times stylized — contradiction to the often lyrical nature of Duiker’s prose.” * Cape Times *“Thirteen Cents goes to the core of what has been a clear subject of avoidance for writers: the astonishing rate at which children are now victims of a (violent) society intent on turning a blind eye to the plight of its weakest members.“ * Feminist Africa *
£15.19
Oneworld Publications The Mountains Sing
Book SynopsisAn intimate, stirring portrait of a country at war and a family's battle to surviveTrade Review'[An] absorbing, stirring novel... Que Mai contains her saga with a poet's discipline, crafting spare and unsparing sentences, and uplifts it with a poet's antenna for beauty in the most desolate circumstances. She evokes the landscape hauntingly, as a site of loss so profound it assumes the quality of fable.' -- New York Times Book Review'The Mountains Sing is an epic account of Việt Nam’s painful 20th century history, both vast in scope and intimate in its telling. Through the travails of one family, Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai brings us close to the horrors of famine, war, and class struggle. But in this moving and riveting novel, she also shows us a post-war Việt Nam, a country of hope and renewal, home to a people who have never given up.' -- Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prizewinning author of The Sympathizer'Devastating… From the French and Japanese occupations to the Indochina wars, The Great Hunger, land reform and the Vietnam War, it’s a story of resilience, determination, family and hope in a country blighted by pain.' -- Refinery29, 'Best New Books, August 2020''A sweeping story that positions Vietnamese life within the rich and luminous history of national epics like The Tale of Kiều and The Iliad. Expansive in scope and feeling, The Mountains Sing is a feat of hope, an unflinchingly felt inquiry into the past, with the courageous storytelling of the present.' -- Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous'A Vietnamese poet conjures history and fate in a luminous tale that resonates across generations as one family grapples with the psychic residue of war.' -- O, The Oprah Magazine'I learned so much that I needed to know about Vietnam… This book, first and foremost, is one of the most significant contributions to literature.' -- Natalie Jenner, author of The Jane Austen Society'Inspired by the experiences of [Nguyen Phan Que Mai’s] own family, and backed up by extensive research, it's a testament to their endurance; a harrowing novel which finds hope in the author's faith in reconciliation and understanding.' -- Herald, Glasgow'A luminous, complex family narrative... Que Mai [has] an astute and graceful ability to sustain contradictory truths about war, displacement, aesthetic representations, and human nature... The Mountains Sing affirms the individual’s right to think, read, and act according to a code of intuitive civility, borne out of Vietnam's fertile and compassionate cultural heritage.' -- NPR'A sweeping saga... Alternating between lyricism and blunt reality, Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai gives us a vivid look at Vietnam from within.' -- People Magazine'Nguyen Phan Que Mai’s sweeping tale proves on every page that despite war-time tragedies and numbing ugliness, the human desire to forgive and thrive soars as high as the mountains.' -- Thanhha Lai, National Book Award-winning author of Inside Out and Back Again'A mesmerizing, devastating, searing and utterly authentic and deeply human novel. Cannot recommend highly enough!' -- Lynn Novick, co-producer of The Vietnam War documentary'A glorious novel which sweeps across land, generations and hearts... A rare gem that I will never forget.' The Write Review'A moving tribute to the author's own family, but also to the people of Việt Nam and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it... If you enjoyed Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee, Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, or The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See, this is undoubtedly one for you.' Reads & Reveries'The Mountains Sing is an epic novel weaving together stories of four generations of the fictional Tran family...The novel is poetic, absorbing and illustrative of the enormous sacrifices of the Vietnamese people, particularly the women.' The Green Left, Australia'Epic in scope, and a celebration of the human spirit, The Mountains Sing is a story you won't soon forget.' PopSugar, '25 of the Best New Books to Add to Your Reading List This Spring''A panoramic epic... Like the work of Duong Thu Huong, who deserves the Nobel one day, this book brings to life a crucial part of Vietnamese history from within. Your heart will not leave this book untouched.' Literary Hub'Not since 2017's Pachinko have readers been given a family saga as sumptuous and compelling as The Mountains Sing.' PopMatters, 'Best Fiction Books of 2020''[A] lyrical, sweeping debut novel... Nguyen brilliantly explores the boundary between what a writer shares with the world and what remains between family. This brilliant, unsparing love letter to Vietnam will move readers.' Publishers Weekly, starred review'An engrossing story of family, adversity, war, loss, and triumph... Recalling Min Jin Lee and Lisa See, Nguyen displays a lush and captivating storyteller’s gift as she effortlessly transports readers to another world, leaving them wishing for more.' Library Journal, starred review'This multigenerational tale chronicles the Trần family as a Vietnamese woman visits Hanoi and reflects on the life lessons shared by her late grandmother.' USA Today, 'Five Books Not to Miss''A historical novel that portrays Vietnamese strength in the face of adversity... I came away at the end of the book with a new appreciation for the courage and resourcefulness of the Vietnamese.' Washington Independent Review of Books'Told with poetic economy and intensity, [The Mountains Sing] is dominated by the formidable Dieu Lan and her granddaughter Huong, who find ways to pass on stories from the past.' Sydney Morning Herald'Widely published in Vietnamese, poet, nonfiction writer, and translator Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai’s first novel in English balances the unrelenting devastation of war with redemptive moments of surprising humanity.' Booklist'In The Mountains Sing, Nguyen Phan Que Mai has found a true and clear voice in English that is rich and compelling the way only those who come to English as a second language can sometimes manage.' Bruce Weigl, author of bestselling memoir The Circle of Hanh'A beautiful evocation of a lost world.' Paris Review of Books'Beautiful, heartbreaking and utterly essential.' Saigoneer Bookshelf'Beautifully and lyrically written... The Mountains Sing is historical fiction at its finest – it highlights the impact and cost of the events that led up to the Vietnam War from the Vietnamese people's perspective.' She Reads, 'Best Historical Fiction Books of 2020''The power of this outstanding novel lies in the gradual revelations of just how many personal challenges this family has had to deal with... Hauntingly beautiful.' NB magazine'A compelling and challenging novel that should be read as an attempt to recognise both the presence of the past and its profound effect on the formation of individual and national identity.' Irish Times'A vast, epic historical novel set against the backdrop of the Viet Nam conflict through the eyes of the people themselves.' -- Ms. Magazine'Quế Mai's first novel in English is lyrical and at once heart-wrenching and hopeful.' NPR, Best Books of 2020'Lyrical, wrenching, sometimes painful to read, but ultimately glorious in affirming the resilience of the human spirit.' Julia Alvarez, author of Afterlife
£9.49
Oneworld Publications Beasts of a Little Land
Book SynopsisAs the Korean independence movement gathers pace, two children meet on the streets of Seoul. Fate will bind them through decades of love and war. They just don’t know it yet.Trade Review'Beasts of a Little Land is a stunning achievement. Juhea Kim wrestles with the chaos of a half-century of love, idealism, war and violence, and does so with courage and wisdom.' TLS'Full of Korean myth and historical detail, it’s an immersive read for a long weekend.' Stylist'This is historical fiction at its very best! I am astonished by Juhea's talent.' Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, internationally bestselling author of The Mountains Sing'Stunning... Profound... This novel will devastate you and then still you with its wise meditations on love and loss. I couldn’t put it down.' Alexis Schaitkin, author of Saint X'Beasts of a Little Land is a heartbreaking story rendered mythic by Kim’s gorgeous prose.' Jing-Jing Lee, author of How We Disappeared'A magnificent, mesmerizing story of love and war… Cinematic in its scope, this is the type of novel that the reader finishes both with pleasure (for its satisfying denouement and pleasing circularity) and with sadness (at having to leave the story behind).' New Internationalist'Some people say that all stories are about either love or war. Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Korea, Kim’s epic debut novel is about both.' Harper's Bazaar US, 'Best Books of 2021''Gorgeous prose and unforgettable characters combine to make a literary masterpiece.' Kirkus, (starred review)'Kim's dreamy, intense debut is both a sure-footed historical account of the Korean struggle for independence from Japan and the emotionally fraught story of several people whose lives are inextricably tied together... The prose is ravishing.' Publishers Weekly'An immersive historical novel set in occupied Korea with a sweeping cast of characters whose lives intersect over half a century.' Lit Hub, 'Most Anticipated Books of 2021''This epic historical novel offers an entrancing glimpse into a colourful world of love and conflict.' Daily Mail, 'Must Reads'
£9.49
Simon & Schuster The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer
Book SynopsisBack in print for the first time in years?and available in eBook for the first time?the New York Times bestselling tie-in to the hit television show and cult classic, Twin Peaks.Laura Palmer was introduced to television audiences in the opening scenes of "Twin Peaks"?as a beautiful dead girl, wrapped in plastic. Now available in print for the first time in many years (and in e-book for the very first time!), The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer chronicles Laura''s life from age 12 to her death at 17, and is filled with secrets, character references, and even clues to the identity of her eventual killer. Fans of the show will love seeing their favorite characters again, and Laura''s diary makes compelling reading as she turns from a naive freshman having her first kiss to a "bad girl" experimenting with drugs, sex and the occult. "As seen by" Jennifer Lynch, creator David Lynch''s daughter, The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer is authentic, creepy, and a perfect book for anyone who loves supernatural suspense.
£14.44
Pan Macmillan Crime and Punishment
Book SynopsisComplete and unabridged.A towering classic of Russian literature, Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment is a compelling story of a brutal double murder and its aftermath. An impoverished ex-student, Rodion Raskolnikov, kills a pawnbroker and her sister, apparently for financial gain. But as he encounters friends and family, strangers and adversaries, Raskolnikov is compelled to face the true forces that have led him to murder. His struggle with himself and those around him becomes a battle of the individual against society, radicalism against tradition, and ultimately the will of man against the mysteries of divine providence. A sensation in its day, Crime and Punishment has left an indelible stamp on the world of literature. This beautiful Macmillan Collector's Library edition of Crime and Punishment is translated from the Russian by Constance Garnett, with an afterword by Oliver Francis.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.
£11.69
Pan Macmillan North and South
Book SynopsisForced to move from the rural tranquillity of southern England to the turbulent northern mill town of Milton, Margaret Hale takes an instant dislike to the dirt and noise that seems to characterize her new home and its inhabitants - even the handsome and charismatic cotton mill owner, John Thornton. But as she begins to settle in, and to understand the nature of the surrounding poverty and injustice, events conspire to throw her and Thornton together. Amidst the chaos of industrial unrest, they must learn to overcome the prejudices of class and circumstance and admit their feelings for one another.One of literature's greatest romances, North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell is both an incisive social commentary and an electric portrayal of all-conquering love.This Macmillan Collector's Library edition of North and South features an afterword by Kathryn White.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.
£10.79
Hogarth Press The Heart's Invisible Furies: A Novel
Book SynopsisNamed Book of the Month Club's Book of the Year, 2017Selected one of New York Times Readers’ Favorite Books of 2017Winner of the 2018 Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award From the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Boy In the Striped Pajamas, a sweeping, heartfelt saga about the course of one man's life, beginning and ending in post-war IrelandCyril Avery is not a real Avery -- or at least, that's what his adoptive parents tell him. And he never will be. But if he isn't a real Avery, then who is he?Born out of wedlock to a teenage girl cast out from her rural Irish community and adopted by a well-to-do if eccentric Dublin couple via the intervention of a hunchbacked Redemptorist nun, Cyril is adrift in the world, anchored only tenuously by his heartfelt friendship with the infinitely more glamourous and dangerous Julian Woodbead. At the mercy of fortune and coincidence, he will spend a lifetime coming to know himself and where he came from - and over his many years, will struggle to discover an identity, a home, a country, and much more.In this, Boyne's most transcendent work to date, we are shown the story of Ireland from the 1940s to today through the eyes of one ordinary man. The Heart's Invisible Furies is a novel to make you laugh and cry while reminding us all of the redemptive power of the human spirit.
£16.15
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Tom Lake: The Sunday Times bestseller - a BBC
Book SynopsisDive into Tom Lake - the breathtaking new novel from Ann Patchett * THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NO. 1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * * SHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2023 * * A REESE WITHERSPOON AND BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK * * A 2023 BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR THE TIMES * ‘Filled with the moments I live for in a story’ BONNIE GARMUS, author of Lessons in Chemistry ‘[Tom Lake] has it all ... Young love, sibling rivalry and deep mother-daughter relationships’ REESE WITHERSPOON ‘One of the most beloved authors of her generation’ SUNDAY TIMES This is a story about Peter Duke who went on to be a famous actor. This is a story about falling in love with Peter Duke who wasn’t famous at all. It’s about falling so wildly in love with him – the way one will at twenty-four – that it felt like jumping off a roof at midnight. There was no way to foresee the mess it would come to in the end. It’s spring and Lara’s three grown daughters have returned to the family orchard. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the one story they’ve always longed to hear – of the film star with whom she shared a stage, and a romance, years before. Tom Lake is a meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives parents lead before their children are born. Both hopeful and elegiac, it explores what it means to be happy even when the world is falling apart. ‘One of our greatest living chroniclers of love and marriage … Expect wonder; Patchett always delivers’ ELLETrade ReviewA bittersweet tale of family, heartbreak and hope ... Those who want fiction to soothe, bolster and cheer will love it * Guardian *A beautiful, stirring book that sneaks up on you and makes a deep impression ... The moment I finished it, I wanted to go back and start again * Sunday Times *Few authors can dig into the minutiae of human emotion quite like the Women’s Prize-winning author, and Tom Lake is one of her best ... Flitting between past and present, the novel spools out like a film, and ponders timeless questions about love, family and destiny * i *Thoughtful and elegiac in its descriptions of first love and motherhood ... Patchett celebrates not just the smallest events of our lives, but 'small' lives themselves * Financial Times *Patchett is always great on family dysfunction, and these scenes prickle to life * The Times *A twinned narrative of a past young love, present day nostalgia and the complex, intertwined connections between mothers and daughters ... Enchanting and bittersweet, it is another tour de force from Patchett * Harper's Bazaar *A deeply American story of love, heartbreak and wistful old age ... We’re in nostalgic summer romance territory, and Tom Lake delivers the expected emotional pay-off * Telegraph *Completely absorbing * Grazia *Elegant, gloriously immersive, beautifully imagined, funny and tender, this is an elegy to family love, even when the world is in a state of crisis and uncertainty. Ann Patchett leads us with the intelligence, detail, wit and nuance of the greatest chroniclers of human nature and relationships. Nothing escapes her -- Rachel JoyceFilled with the moments I live for in a story – careful, compelling insights into human nature, the most effortless humour, and the kind of vivid descriptions that reveal exactly how something is -- Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of LESSONS IN CHEMISTRYOne of our greatest living chroniclers of love and marriage – and its resounding impacts over generations – is back this summer ... Expect wonder; Patchett always delivers * Elle *Patchett’s intricate and subtle thematic web ... enfolds the nature of storytelling, the evolving dynamics of a family, and the complex interaction between destiny and choice ... These braided strands culminate in a denouement at once deeply sad and tenderly life-affirming. Poignant and reflective, cementing Patchett’s stature as one of our finest novelists * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *Masterly ... A love letter to both storytelling itself and the bonds that tie family and friends together, Patchett has once again worked her unique brand of magic with this gentle, tender story that glows with heart and humanity * Bookseller, Book of the Month *Few authors can match Patchett in her skill for creating quietly profound novels that stay with readers long after the final page * Good Housekeeping, Book of the Year Pick *Dazzling … Secrets are withheld in a story that offers small plot twists and reveals that pack the power of a defibrillator shock. The characters are varied and astutely drawn and the way Patchett – who has been writing great fiction for decades – handles Lara’s inner life is sublime * Independent, Book of the Year Pick *
£14.24
Hodder & Stoughton Schindler's Ark: Hachette Essentials
Book SynopsisThe Hachette Essentials series comprises a collection of titles that are regarded as modern classics. A carefully and lovingly curated selection of distinctive, ground-breaking fiction and non-fiction titles published since 1950. Timeless. Relevant. Passionate. Unified as a series - distinctive as books. A good book is great. A great book is essential.In the shadow of Auschwitz, a flamboyant German industrialist grew into a living legend to the Jews of Cracow. He was a womaniser, a heavy-drinker and a bon viveur, but to them he became a saviour. This is the extraordinary story of Oskar Schindler, who risked his life to protect Jews in Nazi-occupied Poland and who was transformed by the war into a man with a mission, a compassionate angel of mercy.Thomas Keneally's novel first brought the story of Oskar Schindler to international attention in 1982, when it won the Booker Prize. It was made by Steven Spielberg into the Oscar-winning film Schindler's List in 1993, the year Schindler and his wife were named Righteous Among the Nations.Trade ReviewAn extraordinary achievement -- Graham Greene, author of BRIGHTON ROCKBrilliantly detailed, moving, powerful and gripping * The Times *Thomas Keneally has done marvellous justice to a marvellous story * Sunday Times *This remarkable book has the immediacy and the almost unbearable detail of a thousand eye witnesses who forgot nothing * New York Times Book Review *Keneally is a superb storyteller. With Schindler's Ark he has given us his best book yet, a magnificent novel which held me from the first page to the last -- Alan Sillitoe, author of SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNINGAn extraordinary tale . . .no summary can adequately convey the stratagems and reverses and sudden twists of fortune . . . A notable achievement * New York Review of Books *A magnificent book, powerful, harrowing and beautifully written * Sunday Express *A fine and moving story * Evening Standard *Fascinating, expertly told and impossible to put down * Bookseller *Magnificent . . . Beautifully written * Mail on Sunday *A masterful account of the growth of the human soul * Los Angeles Times *An astounding story . . . in this case the truth is far more powerful than anything the imagination could invent * Newsweek *
£9.49
Akashic Books,U.S. An Unkindness Of Ghosts
Book SynopsisA truly phenomenal, breathtaking debut science-fiction novel of the highest order.
£11.92
Readerlink Distribution Services, LLC Classic Tales of Christmas
Book SynopsisCelebrate the joy of Christmas with these classic holiday stories and poems. This collection features more than 20 stories and poems celebrating Christmas, including works from esteemed authors such as Charles Dickens, Louisa May Alcott, and Hans Christian Andersen. With favourites such as O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi” and L. Frank Baum’s The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, this elegant leather-bound volume will hold a special place on your bookshelf, sure to be enjoyed during the Christmas season, or at any time of the year.
£17.09
Sourcebooks, Inc The Invincible Miss Cust: A Novel
Book SynopsisMust-read historical fiction for fans of Marie Benedict and Tracey Enerson Wood, based on the real life of Britain's first woman veterinary surgeon.Aleen Cust has big dreams. And no one-not her family, society, or the law-will stop her.Born in Ireland in 1868 to an aristocratic English family, Aleen knows she is destined to work with animals, even if her family is appalled by the idea of a woman pursuing a veterinary career. Going against their wishes but with the encouragement of the guardian assigned to her upon her father's death, Aleen attends the New Veterinary College in Edinburgh, enrolling as A. I. Custance to spare her family the humiliation they fear. At last, she is on her way to becoming a veterinary surgeon! Little does she know her biggest obstacles lie ahead.The Invincible Miss Cust is based on the real life of Aleen Isabel Cust, who defied her family and society to become Britain and Ireland's first woman veterinary surgeon. Through Penny Haw's meticulous research, riveting storytelling, and elegant prose, Aleen's story of ambition, determination, family, friendship, and passion comes to life. It is a story that, even today, women will recognize, of battling patriarchy and an unequal society to realize one's dreams and pave the way for other women in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
£12.34
Allen & Unwin Red Dust
Book SynopsisRed Dust opens with Gemma Sinclair grieving the death of her husband, Adam, in a horrific plane crash and learning she's inherited the ten thousand hectare station his family has worked for generations.Despite huge scepticism from surrounding landowners, Gemma decides not to sell Billbinya, disregarding Adam's dying words that he's in trouble and she must sell the station.As if the job of keeping the station going isn't enough, a wave of innuendo sweeps through the local community about Adam's involvement in cattle and sheep duffing. There are even whispers the plane crash was no accident. A visit from the police confirms the rumours, with Gemma discovering that not only was Adam involved, but has indirectly implicated her by using Billbinya as a holding station for the stolen stock.Intent on clearing her name, Gemma determines to get to the bottom of what was going on. In the process, she's shocked to discover the masterminds behind the duffing are two former school friends, and that a trusted stock agent and good friend are somehow involved.When Gemma is finally cleared of any wrongdoing, she decides to put the past behind her and return to the family farm - a new love by her side.Trade ReviewA page-turner. * Weekend Herald *An impressive debut... It's lively, spirited and warm-hearted... A great read. * Gloss Magazine *
£7.59
New Internationalist Publications Ltd Migrations: New Short Fiction from Africa
Book Synopsis
£8.54
Profile Books Ltd Veronica
Book SynopsisAlison and Veronica meet amid the nocturnal glamour of 1980s New York: one is a former modelling sensation, stumbling away from the wreck of her career, the other an eccentric middle-aged proofreader with a meticulous eye. Over the next twenty years their friendship will encompass narcissism and tenderness, exploitation and self-sacrifice, love and mortality. Moving seamlessly between the glamorous and gritty '80s, when beauty and style gave licence to excess, and the broken world of the decade's survivors twenty years later, Gaitskill casts a fierce yet compassionate eye on the two eras and their fixations. Veronica masterfully evokes the fragility and mystery of human relationships in a world where love is rife with frightening artificiality. Evocative, raw and entirely unique, Veronica was shortlisted for the prestigious 2005 National Book Award in the USA.Trade ReviewGaitskill writes beautifully about the agonising emotions we often try to keep under wraps in real life. * Grazia *A sensitive, astute and uncompromising exploration of the beauty and ugliness of human relationships * Observer *Gaitskill is a formidably gifted, astute writer... * The Sunday Business Post *Gaitskill deserves some sort of monument [for this] beautiful, devastating new novel...There are paragraphs like poems in Veronica that lure you back, over and over. * Elle *Gaitskill writes so radiantly about violent self-loathing that the very incongruousness of her language has shocking power. * The New York Times *This characteristically oblique glance at the US fashion modeling industry of the 1980s is written with all the psychological kick that distinguished Gaitskill's last collection of stories. -- DJ Taylor * TLS Books of the Year *Gaitskill is enormously gifted ... [Veronica] is a masterly examination of the relationship between surface and self, culture and fashion, time and memory. * The New York Times Book Review *Both stripped-bare fragile and 'fuck you' tough. * Dazed & Confused *A sensitive, astute and uncompromising exploration of the beauty and ugliness of human relationships * Observer *
£8.99
