Narrative theme: displacement, exile, migration

Book SynopsisIn this darkly funny mystery Lexy Campbell''s first love turns up dead at the Last Ditch Motel on Thanksgiving . . . and she becomes the prime suspect!A mysterious object the size of a suitcase, all wrapped in bacon and smelling of syrup, can mean only one thing: Thanksgiving at the Last Ditch Motel. This year the motel residents are in extra-celebratory mood as the holiday brings a new arrival to the group - a bouncing baby girl. But as one life enters the Ditch, another leaves it. Menzies Lassiter has only just checked in. When resident counsellor Lexy Campbell tries to deliver his breakfast the next day, she finds him checked out. Permanently. Shocking enough if he was a stranger, but Lexy recognises that face. Menzies was her first love until he broke her heart many years ago. What''s he doing at the Last Ditch? What''s he doing dead? And how can Lexy escape the fact that she alone had the means, the opportunity - and certainly the motive -

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Book SynopsisIke Oguine''s debut novel, A Squatter''s Tale is a dark and bold story about the life of a Nigerian business man living in exile in America.Obi does not shy away from his flaws. Dishonest, offensive, arrogant - he moves through life caring little about the people around him. Yet when his uncle comes to visit from America, showering him with gifts and selling him tales of a new life, Obi is determined to follow him. After buying a one-way ticket, he quickly realises that neither his uncle nor America are quite what they promised to be.Fast-paced and defiant, A Squatter''s Tale is an honest insight into the experiences of a Nigerian man living in 1990s America. ''Few people have read this hilarious novel but one read is all you need to become a fan.'' GuardianTrade Review'Few people have read this hilarious novel but one read is all you need to become a fan.' * Guardian *

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Book Synopsis**A Red magazine book of 2023**''The most charming, utterly lovely story I''ve read in ages... this is one of my books of the year'' RED ''This joyous novel is a feast for the senses, as well as the soul'' JOANNA NELLA warm-hearted debut novel set in the beautiful coastal city of Chennai, for fans of Alexander McCall Smith, Joanna Nell and Graeme Simsion.Grand Life Apartments is a middle-class apartment block surrounded by lush gardens in the coastal city of Chennai, India. It is the home of Kamala, a pious, soon-to-be retired dentist who spends her days counting down to the annual visits from her daughter who is studying in the UK. Her neighbour, Revathi, is a thirty-two-year-old engineer who is frequently reminded by her mother that she has reached her expiry date in the arranged marriage market. Jason, a British chef, has impulsively moved to India to escape his recent heartbreak in London.Trade ReviewThe most charming, utterly lovely story I've read in ages . . . With characters you absolutely root for and mouth-watering descriptions of delicious food, this is one of my books of the year * Red Magazine *From the vibrant setting to its engaging characters, this joyous novel is a feast for the senses, as well as the soul -- Joanna NellI was put in mind of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City. Just daily life and its 'small disturbances' but rendered with great observational acuity and a distinctive and evocative voice -- Graeme SimsionIt's utterly entrancing - so humane and funny, and so seeped in India that I could smell the cooking and breathe the exhaust fumes. I absolutely loved it from start to finish -- Deborah MoggachWarm, gorgeous, tender, hopeful and human. I felt so HAPPY when I was reading it -- Daisy BuchananAn enchanting hug of a book with characters that you'll really root for -- Nikki MayA super warm and lovely read . . . Should have a warning though: WILL MAKE YOU HUNGRY -- Kate SawyerHema Sukumar's debut is an absolute joy. I loved being transported to the Grand Life Apartments and I was bewitched by the characters, colours and tastes of Chennai. Please can I move in forever? -- Clare PooleyA gorgeous, beautifully-written story, full of wonderfully charming characters - and a loveable cat -- Nick BradleyWritten with such warmth . . . full of life and love. Hema Sukumar's lovely characters became like friends to me, and I adored spending time with them -- Sara Nisha AdamsI can picture this as a TV series - and I would definitely watch it * Belfast Telegraph *I loved this heartwarming read * Prima Magazine *Inspiring * Woman's Own *This charming debut is an absolute joy * Good Housekeeping *

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Book Synopsis________________________''A thriller with a difference. The plot is as taught as the prose is tight - both qualities reminiscent of Graham Greene'' - Sunday Express''Once you have opened its first page you won''t be able to stop reading. A superbly plotted story with a brilliant twist'' - A.N. Wilson''Brian Moore is a man of profound human insight as well as a master storyteller ... the most subtle, most readable, least pushy of guides'' - Sunday Telegraph________________________THE SUPERB THRILLER FROM BRIAN MOORE WHICH INSPIRED THE MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING MICHAEL CAINE AND TILDA SWINTON________________________Pierre Brossard is on the run. For his life. From a determined squad of unknown hit-men. From his former ''friends''. From his past. Condemned to death in absentia by French courts for crimes against humanity during the war, he has been in hiding for over forty years. Now, perhaps, justice will be done.Trade Review'Once you have opened its first page you won't be able to stop reading. A superbly plotted story with a brilliant twist' * A.N. Wilson *'A thriller with a difference. The plot is as taught as the prose is tight - both qualities reminiscent of Graham Greene' * Sunday Express *'A thriller in which crises of conscience are as tense as the escalating manhunt' * Guardian *'The Statement blends conscience and guilt with fast-moving storytelling. Brian Moore is a man of profound human insight as well as a master storyteller ... the most subtle, most readable, least pushy of guides' * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis____________________''An illuminating and timely story that highlights the plight of refugees A book that haunts and shames in equal measure'' - Guardian''This short but heart-wrenching book ... brings home the terrible human consequences of war. Caroline Brothers' stark, unsentimental novel is one everyone should read'' - Daily Mail''Intensely evocative The emotional as well as geographical borderlands are sensitively delineated in this visceral and moving debut'' - Independent____________________The inspiration for Flight, the stunning play coming to the Bridge Theatre, from the creatives behind Harry Potter and the Cursed Child____________________Two young boys cross a river in the middle of the night. The river is also a border, and their lives depend on this journey. With nothing but the clothes on their backs, Aryan and his little broTrade ReviewAn illuminating and timely story that highlights the plight of refugees … A book that haunts and shames in equal measure * Guardian *This short but heart-wrenching book presents us with the tragic reality behind the words “refugee” and “asylum-seeker” and brings home the terrible human consequences of war. Caroline Brothers’ stark, unsentimental novel is one everyone should read * Daily Mail *Intensely evocative … Hinterland harrowingly exposes the hidden world of migrants … The emotional as well as geographical borderlands are sensitively delineated in this visceral and moving debut * Independent *A forceful account of two prototypical lost boys as they hazard ‘the great lottery’ of a journey across Europe. Brothers has the seasoned journalist’s eye for idiosyncratic detail and a sense for the riveting turnabouts that keep readers as off balance as her characters * New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2023 ANTHONY AWARD FOR BEST HUMOROUS NOVELIn this darkly funny mystery Lexy Campbell''s first love turns up dead at the Last Ditch Motel on Thanksgiving . . . and she becomes the prime suspect!A mysterious object the size of a suitcase, all wrapped in bacon and smelling of syrup, can mean only one thing: Thanksgiving at the Last Ditch Motel. This year the motel residents are in extra-celebratory mood as the holiday brings a new arrival to the group - a bouncing baby girl. But as one life enters the Ditch, another leaves it. Menzies Lassiter has only just checked in. When resident counsellor Lexy Campbell tries to deliver his breakfast the next day, she finds him checked out. Permanently. Shocking enough if he was a stranger, but Lexy recognises that face. Menzies was her first love until he broke her heart many years ago. What''s he doing at the Last Ditch? What''s he doing dead? And how can Lexy escape the fact that

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Book SynopsisA teacher trying to hide in the shadows finds himself embroiled in a murder investigation in this compelling and fresh read from a new unique, contemporary voice.Greg Abimbola is a language teacher at the prestigious Calderhill Academy in Pittsburgh. Only that''s not his real name . . . or the only secret he''s hiding.When the murder of a wealthy parent on school premises shines an unwanted spotlight on Calderhill Academy, Greg is determined to avoid attention. That is until the closest person to a true friend Greg has is arrested for the murder. To prove her innocence, Greg will reluctantly emerge from the shadows. But doing so will put him in danger. His past is determined to find him . . . and his past is full of bad things.

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Book SynopsisIn this darkly funny mystery Lexy Campbell''s first love turns up dead at the Last Ditch Motel on Thanksgiving . . . and she becomes the prime suspect!A mysterious object the size of a suitcase, all wrapped in bacon and smelling of syrup, can mean only one thing: Thanksgiving at the Last Ditch Motel. This year the motel residents are in extra-celebratory mood as the holiday brings a new arrival to the group - a bouncing baby girl. But as one life enters the Ditch, another leaves it. Menzies Lassiter has only just checked in. When resident counsellor Lexy Campbell tries to deliver his breakfast the next day, she finds him checked out. Permanently. Shocking enough if he was a stranger, but Lexy recognises that face. Menzies was her first love until he broke her heart many years ago. What''s he doing at the Last Ditch? What''s he doing dead? And how can Lexy escape the fact that she alone had the means, the opportunity - and certainly the motive -

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Book SynopsisA teacher trying to hide in the shadows finds himself embroiled in a murder investigation in this compelling and fresh read from a new unique, contemporary voice.Greg Abimbola is a language teacher at the prestigious Calderhill Academy in Pittsburgh. Only that''s not his real name . . . or the only secret he''s hiding. Greg has a closetful. When the murder of a wealthy parent on school premises shines an unwanted spotlight on Calderhill Academy, Greg is determined to avoid attention. That is until the closest person to a true friend Greg has is arrested for the murder. To prove her innocence, Greg will reluctantly emerge from the shadows. But doing so will put him in danger. His past is determined to find him . . . and his past is full of bad things.

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Book SynopsisIn the tradition of Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, an immensely powerful historical novel about the first encounters between Danish colonists and Greenlanders in the early eighteenth century, of brutal clashes between priests and pagans and the forces that drive each individual towards darkness or light.1728: The Danish King Fredrik IV sends a governor to Greenland to establish a colony, in the hopes of exploiting the country’s allegedly vast natural resources. A few merchants, a barber-surgeon, two trainee priests, a blacksmith, some carpenters and soldiers and a dozen hastily married couples go with him.The missionary priest Hans Egede has already been in Greenland for several years when the new colonists arrive. He has established a mission there, but the converts are few. Among those most hostile to Egede is the shaman Aappaluttoq, whose own son was taken by the priest and raised in the Christian faith as his own. Thus the great rift between two men, and two ways of life, is born.The newly arrived couples – men and women plucked from prison – quickly sink into a life of almost complete dissolution, and soon unsanitary conditions, illness and death bring the colony to its knees. Through the starvation and the epidemics that beset the colony, Egede remains steadfast in his determination – willing to sacrifice even those he loves for the sake of his mission.Translated from Danish by Martin Aitken, Kim Leine's The Colony of Good Hope explores what happens when two cultures confront one another. In a distant colony, under the harshest conditions, the overwhelming forces of nature meet the vices of man.Trade ReviewPraise for The Prophets of Eternal Fjord:'From the outset of his career, Kim Leine established himself as a Scandinavian literary figure without precedent.' * Guardian *A superb novel . . . A raw, hugely powerful chronicle of lives lived on the edge . . . Has a grandeur and a compass that few novels this year will match. * Sunday Times *

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Book Synopsis“This beautiful book is shot through with such tenderness and humanity, such love and courage and beauty and hope, that it feels almost like a prayer.” —Margaret Renkl, author of Late MigrationsA timely, powerful story of survival set in the not-too-distant future, reminding us to always hold on to hope, even in the worst of times. With fires devastating much of America, Lark and his family first leave their home in Maryland for Maine. But as the country increasingly falls under the grip of religious nationalism, it becomes clear that nowhere is safe, not just from physical disasters but also persecution. The family secures a place on a crowded boat headed to Ireland, the last place on earth rumored to be accepting American refugees. Upon arrival, it turns out that the safe harbor of Ireland no longer exists either—and Lark, the sole survivor of the trans-Atlantic voyage, must disappear into the countryside. As he runs for his life, Lark finds two equally lost and desperate souls: one of the last remaining dogs, who becomes his closest companion, and a fierce, mysterious woman in search of her lost son. Together they form a makeshift family and attempt to reach Glendalough, a place they believe will offer protection. But can any community provide the safety that they seek? Lark Ascending is a moving and unforgettable story of friendship and bravery, and even more, a story of the ongoing fight to protect our per­sonal freedoms and find our shared humanity, from a writer at the peak of his powers.Trade Review“I was sucked into this urgent story where survival in the not-too-distant future depends on forging connections with strangers and nurturing tenderness and hope within. An essential, heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting read.”—Michelle Gallen, author of Factory Girls and Big Girl, Small Town “With Lark Ascending, the gifted Silas House has, with the most deft and masterful touches, forged a quite terrifying and all-too-plausible glimpse of our near future and somehow imbued it with almost impossible quantities of poetry and humanity. A gripping story of endurance, suffering and loss, but also of overwhelming love, loyalty and hope, the result is a hugely impressive feat of the imagination . . . A beautiful, haunting piece of work, and a compulsive read.”—Billy O'Callaghan, author of Life Sentences and The Dead House“In Lark Ascending, Silas House casts an irresistible spell, conjuring a near future that is both familiar and unbearable, illuminating the brutality and suffering that our own thoughtless age seems determined to invoke. But Lark Ascending is not merely, or even mainly, a tale of pain and grief. This beautiful book is shot through with such tenderness and humanity, such love and courage and beauty and hope, that it feels almost like a prayer.”—Margaret Renkl, author of Late Migrations “I was sucked into this urgent story where survival in the not-too-distant future depends on forging connections with strangers and nurturing tenderness and hope within. An essential, heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting read.”—Michelle Gallen, author of Factory Girls and Big Girl, Small Town “With Lark Ascending, the gifted Silas House has, with the most deft and masterful touches, forged a quite terrifying and all-too-plausible glimpse of our near future and somehow imbued it with almost impossible quantities of poetry and humanity. A gripping story of endurance, suffering and loss, but also of overwhelming love, loyalty and hope, the result is a hugely impressive feat of the imagination . . . A beautiful, haunting piece of work, and a compulsive read.” —Billy O'Callaghan, author of Life Sentences and The Dead House“In Lark Ascending, Silas House casts an irresistible spell, conjuring a near future that is both familiar and unbearable, illuminating the brutality and suffering that our own thoughtless age seems determined to invoke. But Lark Ascending is not merely, or even mainly, a tale of pain and grief. This beautiful book is shot through with such tenderness and humanity, such love and courage and beauty and hope, that it feels almost like a prayer.”—Margaret Renkl, author of Late Migrations “A dystopian classic, finding new notes of peril and possibility in the once-and-future homeland of Ireland and giving us the kind of richly observed alternative family that humanity of any era would call savior. It also has the best dog ever, excepting my own. Don’t miss this one.” —Louis Bayard, author of Jackie and Me “Silas House has always served as an ancestor from the past who has stepped into the present with rich lessons in tow. But with Lark House reveals himself to be an oracle from the future who has come back to illuminate our lived moment with a snapshot of what the years ahead could hold. The vision is terrifying and spare, but in House’s capable and delicate telling, it is also beautiful and compelling. Lark marks a stunning turn in House’s career, taking him from the Appalachian Mountains to a post-apocalyptic Atlantic crossing, but I have no doubt that readers will follow Silas House wherever he goes, whether into the past or headlong into the future.” —Wiley Cash, New York Times bestselling author of When Ghosts Come Home “I was sucked into this urgent story where survival in the not-too-distant future depends on forging connections with strangers and nurturing tenderness and hope within. An essential, heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting read.”—Michelle Gallen, author of Factory Girls and Big Girl, Small Town “With Lark Ascending, the gifted Silas House has, with the most deft and masterful touches, forged a quite terrifying and all-too-plausible glimpse of our near future and somehow imbued it with almost impossible quantities of poetry and humanity. A gripping story of endurance, suffering and loss, but also of overwhelming love, loyalty and hope, the result is a hugely impressive feat of the imagination . . . A beautiful, haunting piece of work, and a compulsive read.” —Billy O'Callaghan, author of Life Sentences and The Dead House“Just astonishing . . . Terrifying, moving, beautiful, instructive, and haunting. I have never been more deeply moved by a novel.” —Lee Smith, author of Dimestore “In Lark Ascending, Silas House casts an irresistible spell, conjuring a near future that is both familiar and unbearable, illuminating the brutality and suffering that our own thoughtless age seems determined to invoke. But Lark Ascending is not merely, or even mainly, a tale of pain and grief. This beautiful book is shot through with such tenderness and humanity, such love and courage and beauty and hope, that it feels almost like a prayer.”—Margaret Renkl, author of Late Migrations “A dystopian classic, finding new notes of peril and possibility in the once-and-future homeland of Ireland and giving us the kind of richly observed alternative family that humanity of any era would call savior. It also has the best dog ever, excepting my own. Don’t miss this one.” —Louis Bayard, author of Jackie Me “Silas House has always served as an ancestor from the past who has stepped into the present with rich lessons in tow. But with Lark House reveals himself to be an oracle from the future who has come back to illuminate our lived moment with a snapshot of what the years ahead could hold. The vision is terrifying and spare, but in House’s capable and delicate telling, it is also beautiful and compelling. Lark marks a stunning turn in House’s career, taking him from the Appalachian Mountains to a post-apocalyptic Atlantic crossing, but I have no doubt that readers will follow Silas House wherever he goes, whether into the past or headlong into the future.” —Wiley Cash, New York Times bestselling author of When Ghosts Come Home “I was sucked into this urgent story where survival in the not-too-distant future depends on forging connections with strangers and nurturing tenderness and hope within. An essential, heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting read.”—Michelle Gallen, author of Factory Girls and Big Girl, Small Town “With Lark Ascending, the gifted Silas House has, with the most deft and masterful touches, forged a quite terrifying and all-too-plausible glimpse of our near future and somehow imbued it with almost impossible quantities of poetry and humanity. A gripping story of endurance, suffering and loss, but also of overwhelming love, loyalty and hope, the result is a hugely impressive feat of the imagination . . . A beautiful, haunting piece of work, and a compulsive read.” —Billy O'Callaghan, author of Life Sentences and The Dead House“In Lark Ascending, Silas House casts an irresistible spell, conjuring a near future that is both familiar and unbearable, illuminating the brutality and suffering that our own thoughtless age seems determined to invoke. But Lark Ascending is not merely, or even mainly, a tale of pain and grief. This beautiful book is shot through with such tenderness and humanity, such love and courage and beauty and hope, that it feels almost like a prayer.” —Margaret Renkl, author of Late Migrations and Graceland, At LastKentucky Poet Laureate Southern Literary Award Winner Nautilus Award Winner – Gold Indie BestsellerSalon Favorite Book of 2022Booklist Editors' Choice of 2022Garden and Gun Best Southern Book of 2022 Indie Next List PickLos Angeles Times' Most Anticipated Fall 2022Lambda Literary's Most Anticipated Fall 2022 —AwardsKentucky Poet Laureate Southern Literary Award Winner Nautilus Award Winner – Gold Indie BestsellerSalon Favorite Book of 2022Booklist Editors' Choice of 2022Garden and Gun Best Southern Book of 2022 Indie Next List PickLos Angeles Times' Most Anticipated Fall 2022Lambda Literary's Most Anticipated Fall 2022 “Silas House has always served as an ancestor from the past who has stepped into the present with rich lessons in tow. But with Lark House reveals himself to be an oracle from the future who has come back to illuminate our lived moment with a snapshot of what the years ahead could hold. The vision is terrifying and spare, but in House’s capable and delicate telling, it is also beautiful and compelling. Lark marks a stunning turn in House’s career, taking him from the Appalachian Mountains to a post-apocalyptic Atlantic crossing, but I have no doubt that readers will follow Silas House wherever he goes, whether into the past or headlong into the future.”—Wiley Cash, New York Times bestselling author of When Ghosts Come Home“A postapocalyptic epic that is quiet and lyrical…an emotional testament to the power of hope.”—Booklist (starred review)“Truly harrowing, yet even more deeply affecting and tender. . . This is very much a book about connection, family, and, above all else, hope. It is this deep hopefulness that allows House’s novel to transcend the constraints of some other dystopian novels. . . Lark Ascending is full of rich colors and sounds and images, brimming with the majesty of life.”—Chapter16.org“Amazing… powerful, and prescient.” —Dallas Voice“A fiercely visceral reading experience.”—Publishers Weekly“A cleareyed and engaging apocalyptic yarn.”—Kirkus Reviews“Lark Ascending’s beautiful language and imagery, combined with the emotional heft of the story, drew me in from the first paragraph.”—Literary Hub“The not-too-distant dystopia of House’s latest becomes a vehicle for the author to tell a compelling story about a refugee crisis. Because House takes the story out of a contemporary context, readers can more easily empathize with the novel’s refugees rather than focusing on real-world quandaries.”—Library Journal“Silas House’s “Lark Ascending” is a dystopian classic, finding new notes of peril and possibility in the once-and-future homeland of Ireland and giving us the kind of richly observed alternative family that humanity of any era would call savior. It also has the best dog ever, excepting my own. Don’t miss this one.”—Louis Bayard, author of Jackie and Me“The narrator of House’s seventh novel is a young gay man who’s escaped a near-future America knocked sideways by climate change and right-wing militias. His destination is Ireland, working off little more than a rumor that an Edenic safe haven isn’t far over the horizon. House works with some familiar dystopian tropes, but the book is distinguished by his lyrical, earthy tone.”—Los Angeles Times (Most Anticipated Fall Book)“I was sucked into this urgent story where survival in the not-too-distant future depends on forging connections with strangers and nurturing tenderness and hope within. An essential, heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting read.”—Michelle Gallen, author of Factory Girls“Just astonishing . . .terrifying, moving, beautiful, instructive, and haunting. I have never been more deeply moved by a novel.”—Lee Smith, author of Dimestore“With Lark Ascending, the gifted Silas House has, with the most deft and masterful touches, forged a quite terrifying and all-too-plausible glimpse of our near future and somehow imbued it with almost impossible quantities of poetry and humanity. A gripping story of endurance, suffering and loss, but also of overwhelming love, loyalty and hope, the result is a hugely impressive feat of the imagination . . . A beautiful, haunting piece of work, and a compulsive read.” —Billy O'Callaghan, author of Life Sentences and The Dead House“The greatest Southern novel of the year.”—Georgia Public Broadcast / Salvation South"A poignant tale... Lark Ascending is full of such magic."—Southern Literary Review"Exciting, hopeful, and beautiful."—Alabama Public Radio / Don Noble's Book Reviews"This is a story of the dangers of both flight and immigration, survival enabled by chosen families, and the grace of humanity amid chaos. I had to read some sentences several times over to fully appreciate the beauty of the writing."—Kathleen Lance, Denver Reader, Denver Post“Silas House’s apocalyptic parable strikes the heart powerfully because of the eerie parallels to now… Lushly written”—Bowling Green Daily News

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Book Synopsis'A beautiful book about the best minds of a generation and the devastation of war - an outrageous voyage from the past that speaks eloquently to our present' Deborah Levy March 1941. A converted cargo ship, the Paul-Lemerle, left Marseille on a voyage to the Caribbean, fleeing Vichy France and the devastation of the war. The ship was filled with immigrants from the East, exiled Spanish Republicans, Jews, stateless persons and decadent artists. Among them were Claude Lévi-Strauss, the painter Wifredo Lam, the writers Anna Seghers and André Breton, and the Russian revolutionary Victor Serge. Can we know the taste of pineapple from listening to travellers' tales? asks Bosc in the follow-up to his bestselling debut. Can we ever feel the sensation of history? Mixing the documentary techniques of history, the imaginative leaps of fiction and the cool analysis of the essay, Bosc takes us from Marseille to Casablanca to Martinique and on to New York, to tell an evocative story of migration, cultural crisis and the intellectual cost of the rise of fascism.Trade ReviewAn intellectually star-studded and dreamy document, Outrageous Horizon leads the reader irresistibly along, and leaves a lingering sense of amazement in its wake -- Geoff DyerAn outlaws' odyssey of the Second World War -- Éric Vuillard, author * The Order of the Day *Outrageous Horizon is an erudite, brilliantly imagined odyssey into exile that weaves historic narrative, psychological writing, and cultural history. With his immersive portrait of a distinguished cast of mid-20th century refugees, Adrien Bosc guides us into the choppy seas of our own present moment where catastrophe, once again, meets opportunity -- Kapka Kassabova, author * Border: A Journey to the Edge of Europe *A beautiful book about the best minds of a generation and the devastation of war - an outrageous voyage from the past that speaks eloquently to our present -- Deborah Levy, author * Hot Milk *Erudite and charming * Vanity Fair *

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Book SynopsisTravel across ten decades and three continents in The Ash Museum, a mesmerising intergenerational saga of loss, migration, and the search for home.The year is 1944, and the Battle of Kohima claims the life of James Ash, who leaves behind two families his wife and children, as well as his parents and sister who live in England unaware of his Indian family.Fast forward to 2012, where Emmie is determined to raise her daughter in a world safe from the racism of her childhood. Her father, Jay, still haunted by his past, remains silent about his Indian life. One day, Emmie seeks solace in a local museum filled with another family's stories and artifacts. Little does she know that her own family's history is itself a treasure trove of secrets and mysteries awaiting her discovery.''Extraordinary'' Christie Hickman, Books Editor, S Magazine''A beautifully written, multi-generational tale'' Ella Dove, novelist and Commissioning Editor at Good Housekeeping, Prima and Red magazines''Rebecca Smith's book demonstrates, yet again, her gift for vivid humour and deep empathy'' Philip Hoare''A timely and acutely observed novel about family and the circle of life'' Carmel Harrington

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Book Synopsis?I sit on the stone that will mark the bed of my bones. You?ll find the used-to-be-me, soon, flat body, washed up, wrinkly skin. No silly grin. You?ll say, What a waste of a life. Tut-tut sounds jump out. Dangle like worms from your crow?s mouth ...?Meet Daft Matt, the Mayo man at the heart of this astonishing, form-bending story, as he wanders the streets of Castlebar in search of Devil?s feet ? the claw marks of the cága, or jackdaws, who have spoken to him since he was a boy.Yet Matt is anything but daft. In lyrical prose, Walsh Donnelly explores the complex workings of Matt?s inner life: how he deals with the loss of his twin brother as a child, navigates the carefree days of early manhood and copes with the aftermath of the horse-riding accident that would see him incarcerated in the care system for the next thirty years. Richly imagined and beautifully written, this is a story for anyone who chooses to look beyond the surface of things.?I used to think those claws were the only things that kept me above sea-level.?

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2020 Leipzig Book Fair Prize Longlisted for the 2022 Prix du Meilleur Livre Etranger Shortlisted for the 2022 Prix Femina etranger #1 on the Spiegel Bestseller List November 1989. The Berlin Wall has just fallen when the East German couple Inge und Walter, following a secret dream they've harboured all their lives, set out for life in the West. Carl, their son, refuses to keep watch over the family home and instead heads to Berlin, where he lives in his father's car until he is taken in by a group of squatters. Led by a shepherd and his goat, the pack of squatters sets up the first alternative bar in East Berlin and are involved in guerrilla occupations. And it's with them that Carl, trained as a bricklayer, finds himself an initiate of anarchy, of love, and above all of poetry. Winner of the prestigious Leipzig Book Fair Prize and a bestseller in German already with 150,000 copies sold, Star 111, musical and incantatory, tells of the search for authentic existence and also of a family exploded by political change which must find its way back together.Trade Review‘There aren’t many books that can be cited as the missing link between Uwe Johnson’s Anniversaries and Roberto Bolaño’s The Savage Detectives, and still fewer that could live up to the comparison, but Lutz Seiler (with impeccable assistance from Tess Lewis) makes it look easy. Star 111 is a brilliant, immersive, sometimes funny, slyly moving book with a main character who walks through the new reality he finds himself in like an astronaut exploring alone beneath a strange, harsh, beautiful sun. A stellar achievement.’ Will Ashon ---- 'It took Lutz Seiler, born in East Germany, thirty years to give to the moment [of the Fall of the Berlin Wall] the full richness of fertile and ambiguous human experience. With its ample narrative and powerful imagination, Star 111 is the "Wenderoman" par excellence, the great novel of the "turn", as German reunification is called.' Christine Lecerf, Le Monde des livres ---- 'The Berlin of Star 111 wakes a longing for a city like no other. You want to linger there in the squatted Assel bar where workers, hookers and departing Soviet soldiers cross paths with anarchists full of ideas.' Frederique Fanchette, Liberation ---- 'The presence of objects have is no doubt one of the most extraordinary things about Star 111. Everything is unique, everything has a price, everything is respected because it is the fruit of work or of making. Nothing is thrown away, everything kept. What if the objects have a soul? Read Star 111 (the title is the name of an East German transistor radio) and understand the real value of an object.' Cecile Dutheil de la Rochere, AOC ---- 'Lutz Seiler reaches the level of a Thomas Pynchon here. [...] This is atmospherically rich, true world literature. World literature is, after all, that which lets me see the world with different eyes, which shows me a part of the world I have not seen before. And this is what Seiler manages to do in Star 111.' Denis Scheck, SWR lesenswert ---- 'Star 111 reveals the fiery nucleus of everything political, its dual nature: the unity of poetic rapture and the mysticism of the revolution. [...] Lutz Seiler has the ability to describe the ridiculous, overheated and even the unconscionable of that political romanticism without having to denounce the original impulse. That's what makes Star 111 great literature.' Ijoma Mangold, Die Zeit ---- 'Star 111 is a novel full of hard-hitting, deeply moving psychology, full of scenes in which people shake the foundations of a reality that is in the process of creating new laws for itself.' Paul Jandl, Neue Zurcher Zeitung ---- 'The [goat in the novel], the reader understands, knows neither longing nor nostalgia. The fact that the novel shares, in this regard, the view of a goat, is its last and biggest virtue.' Thomas Steinfeld, Suddeutsche Zeitung ---- 'For the second time now Lutz Seiler has achieved something rather extraordinary: to talk about how one actually leads a poetic existence, a matter that is as euphoric as it is cruel, in a novel that is "accessible" in the best sense of the word.' Jan Wiele, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung ---- 'Lutz Seiler talks about a city and a time that seemed to have been exhausted in fiction. But he creates a new fascination.' Jona Nietfeld, Der Tagesspiegel ---- 'It has been a long time since anyone has talked about those foggy years, glossed over with garish colours by other writers scores of times, more movingly than Lutz Seiler.' Anja Maier, die tageszeitung ---- 'Seiler tells a story of freedom in a poetically-precise style.' Der Spiegel ---- 'This is much more than a historical novel. It condenses an era and invokes the great panoramas of consciousness of modernity in a highly independent way.' Helmut Boettiger, Deutschlandfunk Kultur ---- 'This unexpected novel about post-reunification from the partially decayed, far from gentrified Berlin convinces with its unique atmospheric density, its gentle irony and the devotion to the matter at hand.' Bayerischer Rundfunk ---- 'With Star 111, Lutz Seiler presents a great novel that talks enchantingly about departures and downfalls, about social utopias and societal realities, about humiliation and pride. Fascinating.' Katja Weise, NDR Kultur ---- 'What distinguishes it from the many Berlin-Reunification-books is that there is not a trace of caricature, no manipulative narrative, but still captivating entertainment.' Roland Gutsch, Nordkurier ---- ‘Drawing on a history at once recent and ever more distant, Seiler's dazzling novel recounts just what must be lost for an artist to be made.’ Roland Bates, Kirkdale Books

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2023 Woven Voices PrizeWho do you blame? The woman, the gun, or politics?Berker travels from Britain to Turkey to meet his estranged father, but it's too late: his sister Elif informs him that their Baba has already died. A family reunion becomes an exhilarating whodunnit investigation as Berker discovers the truth about his roots, grieves for a man he will never truly know, and accidentally unravels a conspiracy that goes to the heart of global politics.Featuring British spies, Turkish soldiers, and London's kebab shops, Aaron Kilercioglu's The EU Killed My Dad is the winner of the Woven Voices Prize 2023 and an inventive, fast-paced exploration of identity, belonging, and history spanning five decades. Aaron''s previous award-winning work includes the sell-out hit For a Palestinian, which has been seen at Bristol Old Vic, the Camden People's Theatre, and Underbelly.This edition was published to coincide with

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Book SynopsisA GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK AUGUST 2022''Definitely ''best books of 2022'' material!'' GLAMOUR''A funny, touching celebration of second chances'' MAIL ON SUNDAY''Warm, funny and a brilliant read'' SUN''By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, this is a total joy of a read'' HOLLY MILLER, author of The Sight of You________Penny Calvin has questions.Placed for adoption sixteen years ago, she''s desperate to get to know the mother she''s never met.Mika Suzuki just wants to hide.Jobless, single and living in a chaotic flat share, she can''t bear her daughter knowing her life is a mess. So, when Penny gets in touch, Mika tells a few white lies, pretending to have it all - a career, partner and money.Keeping up the pretence over the phone is one thing. But when Penny and her widowed adoptive father Thomas spring a visit on Mika, things get comTrade ReviewDefinitely 'best books of 2022' material * Glamour US *A funny, touching celebration of second chances * Mail on Sunday * Smart and offbeat funny: think Maria Semple * i *Warm, funny and a brilliant read * Sun *An endearing, joyful tale about finding (and accepting) yourself * Good Housekeeping *A poignant and compelling exploration of identity, love and what it means to be a mother. Mika and Penny swept me along on their emotional and unforgettable journey, leaving me uplifted yet bereft when I turned the final page. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, this is a total joy of a read -- Holly Miller, author of The Sight of YouTouching and heartfelt ... captures the essence of mothers and daughters, the nuances that make a family, and where we've come from and where we're going. Sharp and brimming with heart, this tender read will have you alternating between laughter and tears (the very best kind) and missing the characters long after the last page. Mika In Real Life is a sheer delight to read -- Rochelle Weinstein author of This Is Not How It EndsWith the offbeat humour and poignancy of Maria Semple and Kirsty Capes, this has the potential to be a big hit * Bookseller, Editor's Choice *Entertaining, funny and uplifting. Exploring identity, motherhood and second chances, it's one of the most life-affirming books to come out of 2022 * Culturefly *I laughed, I cried and had the worst book hangover when I finished this gorgeous read * Red *Mika's story is a beautiful exploration of the bond between mother and child - what we pass along, what we long for, and what we withhold. As Mika rescues herself from a downward spiral of heartbreak and loss, she weaves for us a primer on healing our broken relationships. A must read for anyone who's ever had a mother or been one -- Annabel Monaghan, author of Nora Goes Off ScriptTender and profound, Emiko Jean's writing had me laughing, crying, and cheering for Mika -- Lauren Kate, author of By Any Other NameBighearted, sometimes bawdy, and always brave, Mika in Real Life explores the inescapable bonds between mothers and daughters, the enduring families by friendship that we make, and the weight of secrets that keep us from creating ourselves. This hilarious, tender, and very real novel is for every human trying to figure it out-basically, all of us -- Nancy Jooyoun Kim, bestselling author of The Last Story of Mina LeeA wonderful, life-affirming story about second chances, parenthood and love. By turns tender, funny, and deeply romantic, I was rooting for Mika, Penny and Thomas -- Lauren Ho, author of Lucie Yi Is Not A Romantic and Last Tang StandingBuckle up for an emotional rollercoaster ride . . . A genuinely moving read * Suitcase Magazine *A poignant coming-of-age story * Heromag *

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Book SynopsisThis beautifully designed, jacketed hardcover edition of The Secret Garden is unabridged and includes 8 illustrations by Charles Robinson. When Mary Lennox is sent from India to the moors of England to live with her uncle after losing her parents, not only does she discover a secret garden, but she also discovers the true meaning of family, friendship, and perseverance. This magical, timeless classic, originally published in 1911, is by the author of A Little Princess and Little Lord Faunteleroy. Essential volumes for the shelves of every classic literature lover, the Chartwell Classics series includes beautifully presented works and collections from some of the most important authors in literary history. Chartwell Classics are the editions of choice for the most discerning literature buffs.   Other titles in the Chartwell Classics Series include: Complete Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft; Complete Gri

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 1990 Commonwealth First Novel Prize (Africa). The Gunny Sack follows the bizarre tale of an old and unremarkable bag and the life changing secrets within it. In exile from Tanzania, Salim Juma is given a gunny sack by his beloved, but strange, great-aunt. The bag takes him back to his childhood, when he was first mesmerised by the peculiar mementos inside. He soon begins to piece together the stories hidden within, only to discover the truth behind a fateful series of events that changed his family forever.The stories that follow stretch across four generations of Salim''s family, tracing their footsteps and unravelling their loves, betrayals, and incredible misadventures.The Gunny Sack is an extraordinary chronicle into the experiences of Indian migrants in Africa as they struggled under changing power structures, from German invasions to British colonialism.Trade ReviewM.G. Vassanji is one of the unsung greats of African literature. * Guardian *Vassanji is one of the country's finest storytellers. * Quill & Quire *Vassanji captures a wide and authentic perspective that ranks with V. S. Naipaul and Graham Greene. * The Times *

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Book Synopsis We are invisible: we clean your houses, we look after your children, we know your secrets… Trade Review‘Intricately plotted, propulsive, and provocative … an author at the peak of her talents. Truly irresistible’ Kirstin Chen, NYT bestselling author of Counterfeit ‘Laugh-out-loud funny [and] a searing commentary on misogyny, race and class. An uplifting story of courage and hope that will keep you enthralled until the very last page’ Jean Kwok, Girl in Translation ‘One of my best books [of the year] … gulpable writing, stylish, warm and delightful. Big Little Lies meets The Help’ Daisy Buchanan ‘An absorbing mystery’ i paper 'Funny with a searing social message’ Red ‘A satisfying character-led mystery … A sympathetic and sobering examination of the hidden lives of an exploited and vulnerable group of people' Guardian Praise for Balli Kaur Jaswal: ‘Big-hearted, earthy and funny: turns so many preconceptions upside down. A rattlingly good story’ Deborah Moggach, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ‘Warm and hilariously funny’ Good Housekeeping ‘Charming, hilarious and thoughtful’ The Pool ‘Balances darkness and light, social commentary and ecstatic escapism… funny and moving tale of desire and its discontents’ The Economist ‘Sensual, authentic and hilarious, I will never look at an aubergine in the same way again – 5 stars’ The Sun ‘Enlightening and entertaining’ Woman & Home ‘A dark comedy… about empowerment and friendship’ Tatler ‘A page turner… Tackles serious themes with a light and funny touch’ Glamour

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Book Synopsis‘If you’re looking for this century’s Ulysses, look no further … a stunningly lyrical novel’ Alex Preston, Observer‘Pitched – deliriously – between high modernism and folk magic, between gorgeous free-verse and hilarious Irish vernacular, Poguemahone is a stunning achievement … profoundly affecting’ David Keenan‘A blistering, brilliant ballad of mad tales from rural Ireland to London Town. The characters are electric, the narrative fuelled with a brilliant frenetic energy. McCabe is truly original’ Elaine FeeneyDan Fogarty, an Irishman living in England, is looking after his sister Una, now seventy and suffering from dementia in a care home in Margate. From Dan’s anarchic account, we gradually piece together the story of the Fogarty family. How the parents are exiled from a small Irish village and end up living the hard immigrant life in England. How Dots, the mother, becomes a call girl in 1950s Soho. How a young and overweight Una finds herself living in a hippie squat in Kilburn in the early 1970s. How the squat appears to be haunted by vindictive ghosts who eat away at the sanity of all who live there. And, finally, how all that survives now of those sex-and-drug-soaked times are Una’s unspooling memories as she sits outside in the Margate sunshine, and Dan himself, whose role in the story becomes stranger and more sinister. Poguemahone is a huge, shape-shifting epic from one of modern Ireland's greatest writers. It is a wild, free-verse monologue, steeped in music and folklore, crammed with characters, both real and imagined, on a scale Patrick McCabe has never attempted before. Trade Review ‘If you’re looking for this century’s Ulysses, look no further … a stunningly lyrical novel’ Alex Preston, Observer ‘Pitched – deliriously – between high modernism and folk magic, between gorgeous free-verse and hilarious Irish vernacular, Poguemahone is a stunning achievement … profoundly affecting’ David Keenan ‘A blistering, brilliant ballad of mad tales from rural Ireland to London Town. The characters are electric, the narrative fuelled with a brilliant frenetic energy. McCabe is truly original’ Elaine Feeney ‘A tremendous pitch-black multi-layered epic. This exhilarating ride of madness, hauntings, lost weekends and fractured memory is a lyrical poem, novel, ballad and drama all in one … one of the most original literary works in recent times. I bloody loved it’ Adelle Stripe 'A difficult reading experience, to be sure, but a rich one, too, with a skin-pricking ambience that’s both gritty and ethereal' Daily Mail 'McCabe draws the reader into a rambling web replete with Gaelic folklore, IRA agitation, and a soundtrack of glam and progressive rock. Lively and ambitious in form, this admirably extends the range of McCabe’s career-long examination of familial and childhood trauma’ Publishers Weekly, US 'Patrick McCabe's hippie satire is like Flann O'Brien on drugs' Sean O'Brien, The Telegraph 'Modernist and eager to push the boundaries of his own art and the art form of the novel, here is a novelist and novel to celebrate in all their ribald, audacious, outrageous, and compelling brilliance' Paul Perry, Irish Sunday Independent 'The vernacular, drunken verse format may be daunting at first, but after a few pages the narrative develops a hypnotic rhythm, as if one is sitting on a barstool listening to the narrator unspool his story over a pint (or three). At this point, the reader has merely to hang on and enjoy the ride. A moving saga of youth, age, and memory—by turns achingly poetic, knowingly philosophical, and bitterly funny' Kirkus Reviews 'McCabe may be right when he claims that Poguemahone is his best book: it is startlingly original, moving, funny, frightening and beautiful’ The Guardian '“Poguemahone,” living up to its author’s reputation, is daring, studded with brilliance, raucous and exhausting. It might overstay its welcome, but you’ll remember its visit’ The New York Times ‘Like listening to a friend confess their life story after one too many pints, Poguemahone is a rustic and irreverent atragedy of tormented souls and macabre humour’ Noah Katz, Hot Press ‘I warn you, like all good books, Poguemahone is a mind-altering drug’ BBC 4 Front Row 'There are plenty of outrageous stories, all delivered with unflagging flair, but prospective readers are advised to equip themselves like that cornered pub-goer: with a tall glass of whiskey at hand' Wall Street Journal 'Poguemahone is a stunning novel, one of those exceedingly rare books that deserve to be described as a masterpiece' Locus Magazine 'With few exceptions, the novel in verse doesn’t much appeal to today’s mainstream publishers, and this is not only because verse novels are often awful, but also because even the good ones rarely find a large audience. One can only hope Poguemahone attracts a readership beyond its crowdfunding backers on Unbound because, in its haunting strangeness and blazing originality, it deserves far more than a cult following' Times Literary Supplement

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Book SynopsisYoung Jose Francisco grows up in Texas, determined to write about the border world - the immigrants and illegals, Mexican poverty and Yankee prosperity - stories to break the stand-off silence with a victory shout, to shatter at last the crystal frontier.

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Book SynopsisAn epic historical romance, Mhudi is the first novel in English to be written by a black South African writer and renowned as one of Africa''s most important literary works. After witnessing the genocide of her tribe, Mhudi wanders the land terrified of encountering enemy warriors until she is suddenly struck by a fear even worse than death; that she is now completely alone. Upon crossing paths with the tribe''s only other known survivor, she finds herself at the centre of an extraordinary story of love, war, and unexpected allies. Writing in the early twentieth century, Sol T. Plaatje offers an incredible retelling of South Africa''s history that refuses to justify the injustice that was endured. ''More than a classic; there is just no other book on earth like it. All the stature and grandeur of the author are in it.'' Bessie Head ''Some of the most compelling and celebrated accounts of the early days of apartheid.'' TrevoTrade ReviewMore than a classic; there is just no other book on earth like it. All the stature and grandeur of the author are in it. -- Bessie HeadPlaatje [writes] some of the most compelling and celebrated accounts of the early days of apartheid. -- Trevor Noah * New York Times *One of the most remarkable books on Africa by one of the continent's most remarkable writers. -- Neil Parsons

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Book SynopsisRe?ections, poems, prayers and other liturgical resources written by those supporting refugees in their communities and by refugees themselves. The large-scale movement of refugees across the world is a matter of urgent humanitarian concern. This book reflects on the Christian requirement to act justly and deal rightly with the stranger in our midst, and further, on seeking the face of Christ in each person, the Christ forced as an infant into exile. The book is dedicated to the memory of all who have undertaken the perilous journey from their homelands, and have not lived. Rosemary Power is a writer who has volunteered in the refugee camps of northern France. She has worked professionally in church ministry, the voluntary sector and as an academic.

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Book Synopsis"A genuine tour-de-force" - Lesley McDowell on 'An Exquisite Sense of What Is Beautiful'. Palestine, 1920s. Working as an agent for one of the richest men in the world, Polish-Jewish immigrant Lev Sela finds himself swept into a relationship with Celia Kahn, a mesmerising Scottish pioneer, after stumbling upon a strategic area of land that doesn’t exist on any map. An outstanding historical novel, The Land Agent brims with passion, tension and conflicting ideals, and is populated with an extraordinary cast of characters reflecting the melting pot of the era. Effortlessly navigating the labyrinths of its time and place, it evokes a troubled, yet beautiful land.Trade Review"A beautifully-made historical novel. In its fast-moving and accessible storytelling, in its emotional punch, and in its brilliantly-realised evocation of a time and place.”“Has the swift fluency of a master storyteller." -- Ian Stephen * Northwords Now *Bernard Malamud meets Hilary Mantel… This is succinct, thoroughly absorbing storytelling, which casts… light on the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A timely, terrific novel by a writer at the very top of his game. -- David BelbinAn historical novel big on romance and contemporary relevance. The Land Agent creates a vivid picture of Jewish Palestine in its original state, when the idealism of socialist settlers competed with the more hardnosed vision of Zionists for how to build the future homeland. -- Michael Goldfarb

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Book Synopsis

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