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Feminist reads to inspire you to take action and stand up for gender equality.
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{"id":6814271799355,"title":"Swimming Lessons","handle":"swimming-lessons","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Desmond Elliot Prize winner Claire Fuller comes a family mystery about a woman’s disappearance and her daughter’s search for answers.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this spine-tingling tale Ingrid Coleman writes letters to her husband, Gil, about the truth of their marriage, but she never sends them. Instead she hides them within the thousands of books her husband has collected. After she writes her final letter, Ingrid disappears.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTwelve years later, her adult daughter, Flora comes home to look after her injured father. Secretly, Flora has never believed her mother is dead, and she starts asking questions, without realizing that the answers she’s looking for are hidden in the books that surround her.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2022-03-24T09:40:48-04:00","created_at":"2022-03-23T13:30:36-04:00","vendor":"House of Anansi Press Inc","type":"","tags":["Adult Bestseller","Adult Starred Reviews","Anansi International","Book Club Pick","By (author) Fuller Claire","Feminist Reads","pub date: 2017-01-28","Thrillers \u0026 Mystery"],"price":1695,"price_min":1695,"price_max":1995,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":40206704738363,"title":"trade paperback","option1":"trade paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487002152","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Swimming Lessons - trade paperback","public_title":"trade paperback","options":["trade paperback"],"price":1995,"weight":360,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487002152","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":40206998208571,"title":"epub","option1":"epub","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487002169","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Swimming Lessons - epub","public_title":"epub","options":["epub"],"price":1695,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487002169","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":40206998667323,"title":"mobi","option1":"mobi","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487002176","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Swimming Lessons - mobi","public_title":"mobi","options":["mobi"],"price":1695,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487002176","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_28e37153-d8e4-4a9b-a9c4-a801a1350edf.jpg?v=1655627091"],"featured_image":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_28e37153-d8e4-4a9b-a9c4-a801a1350edf.jpg?v=1655627091","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":22243443441723,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.647,"height":2550,"width":1650,"src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_28e37153-d8e4-4a9b-a9c4-a801a1350edf.jpg?v=1655627091"},"aspect_ratio":0.647,"height":2550,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_28e37153-d8e4-4a9b-a9c4-a801a1350edf.jpg?v=1655627091","width":1650}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Desmond Elliot Prize winner Claire Fuller comes a family mystery about a woman’s disappearance and her daughter’s search for answers.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this spine-tingling tale Ingrid Coleman writes letters to her husband, Gil, about the truth of their marriage, but she never sends them. Instead she hides them within the thousands of books her husband has collected. After she writes her final letter, Ingrid disappears.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTwelve years later, her adult daughter, Flora comes home to look after her injured father. Secretly, Flora has never believed her mother is dead, and she starts asking questions, without realizing that the answers she’s looking for are hidden in the books that surround her.\u003c\/p\u003e"}
{"AlsoRecommendedISBN_2":"9781487002930","AlsoRecommendedISBN_3":"9781487006501","AlsoRecommendedISBN_4":"9781770899902","BASICMainSubject":"FIC019000","BASICMainSubjectLiteral":"FICTION \/ Literary","BiographicalNote":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCLAIRE FULLER\u003c\/strong\u003e is the bestselling and award-winning author of three previous novels: \u003cem\u003eOur Endless Numbered Days\u003c\/em\u003e, which won the Desmond Elliot Prize and was a finalist for the ABA Adult Debut Book of the Year Award and the Edinburgh International Book Festival First Book Award; \u003cem\u003eSwimming Lessons\u003c\/em\u003e, which was a national bestseller; and \u003cem\u003eBitter Orange\u003c\/em\u003e, which was longlisted for the Dublin International Literary Award\u003cem\u003e.\u003c\/em\u003e She has an M.A. in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of Winchester and lives in Hampshire with her husband and two children.\u003c\/p\u003e","BISACSubjectLiteral_0":"FICTION \/ Literary","BISACSubjectLiteral_1":"FICTION \/ Family Life \/ General","BISACSubjectLiteral_2":"FICTION \/ Women","BISACSubject_0":"FIC019000","BISACSubject_1":"FIC045000","BISACSubject_2":"FIC044000","ContributorBio_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCLAIRE FULLER\u003c\/strong\u003e is the bestselling and award-winning author of three previous novels: \u003cem\u003eOur Endless Numbered Days\u003c\/em\u003e, which won the Desmond Elliot Prize and was a finalist for the ABA Adult Debut Book of the Year Award and the Edinburgh International Book Festival First Book Award; \u003cem\u003eSwimming Lessons\u003c\/em\u003e, which was a national bestseller; and \u003cem\u003eBitter Orange\u003c\/em\u003e, which was longlisted for the Dublin International Literary Award\u003cem\u003e.\u003c\/em\u003e She has an M.A. in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of Winchester and lives in Hampshire with her husband and two children.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n","ContributorRole_0":"By (author)","Contributor_0":"Fuller, Claire","Description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Desmond Elliot Prize winner Claire Fuller comes a family mystery about a woman’s disappearance and her daughter’s search for answers.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this spine-tingling tale Ingrid Coleman writes letters to her husband, Gil, about the truth of their marriage, but she never sends them. Instead she hides them within the thousands of books her husband has collected. After she writes her final letter, Ingrid disappears.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTwelve years later, her adult daughter, Flora comes home to look after her injured father. Secretly, Flora has never believed her mother is dead, and she starts asking questions, without realizing that the answers she’s looking for are hidden in the books that surround her.\u003c\/p\u003e","EAN":"9781487002152","excerpt_0":"https:\/\/biblioshare.org\/BNCservices\/BNCServices.asmx\/Samples?token=fcf85c1c1b298e99\u0026amp;ean=9781487002152\u0026amp;SAN=\u0026amp;Perspective=excerpt\u0026amp;FileNumber=0","guide_0":"https:\/\/biblioshare.org\/BNCservices\/BNCServices.asmx\/Samples?token=fcf85c1c1b298e99\u0026amp;ean=9781487002152\u0026amp;SAN=\u0026amp;Perspective=guide\u0026amp;FileNumber=0","Height":"8","HeightCode":"in","Imprint":"Anansi International","MetaKeywords":"literary mystery; griplit; everything i never told you; celeste ng; fates and furies; lauren groff; love story; epistolary novel; feminism; book club pick; dual timelines; mother daughter relationship; infidelity; character driven; marriage; disappearance; gone girl; british literature; contemporary; women writers; women's Literature; my name Is lucy barton; elizabeth strout; a spool of blue thread; anne tyler; bitter orange; our endless numbered days; the lonely hearts hotel; heather o'neill","NumberOfPages":"304","OtherText_Review_0":"Swimming Lessons hovers in the electric space between secrets and connection, between the desire to love and urge to hide. This is a biting, soaring novel.","OtherText_Review_0_Src":"Ramona Ausubel, author of Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty and No One is Here Except All of Us","OtherText_Review_1":"Claire Fuller's acrobatic new novel, about a family who has failed each other, inverts our expectations of narrative time to an astonishing effect: our experience of grasping for truth about those who have left is just as pained and urgent as her characters’. Fuller’s sentences are condensed maps of the human process, unfolding in patterns we immediately recognize.","OtherText_Review_1_Src":"Kathleen Alcott, author of Infinite Home","OtherText_Review_2":"Claire Fuller has captured love in its fullest form, nursed on betrayal and regret and guilt. Gil cheats on and abandons his wife too many times, until she disappears, leaving her clothing on the beach, and he can't know even if she's still alive. She leaves only letters, hidden in a great library of books, and he'll search for her until his end. Swimming Lessons is so smoothly, beautifully written, and the human failures here are heartbreaking.","OtherText_Review_2_Src":"David Vann, author of Aquarium","OtherText_Review_3":"Swimming Lessons continues Claire Fuller’s mastery of beautiful language and heartbreaking imagery, which lays bare the stories of infidelities, lies, revivals of love and then demise of those loves. The women of this novel fight for their very souls, and their stories unfurl like flags of independence appearing in to wave from her landscape of great books and art and hope.","OtherText_Review_3_Src":"Susan Straight, author of Between Heaven and Here","OtherText_Review_4":"As in her gorgeously harrowing Our Endless Numbered Days, Claire Fuller returns to the territory of a mother’s disappearance and a father’s lies with bewitching and page-turning results. If anything, Swimming Lessons is an even more complex puzzle box of a book, excavating darkly knotted family secrets, intricately cruel betrayals and layers of ambiguous loss. Fuller is so clear eyed, poised and psychologically shrewd in the unfolding of her tale, you will be kept guessing until the final penetrating sentence. An extraordinarily smart and satisfying read.","OtherText_Review_4_Src":"Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife","OtherText_Review_5":"Saving the best for last with revelations and surprises, Fuller’s well-crafted, intricate tale captures the strengths and shortcomings of ordinary people to show how healing is possible by confronting the darkest places.","OtherText_Review_5_Src":"Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW","OtherText_Review_6":"Fuller’s tale is eloquent, harrowing, raw . . . [this] mystery is sure to keep readers inching off their seats.","OtherText_Review_6_Src":"Kirkus Reviews","OtherText_Review_7":"As she did in her first novel, Our Endless Numbered Days (2015), Fuller proves to be a master of temporal space, taking readers through flashbacks and epistolary chapters at a pace timed to create wonder and suspense. It’s her beautiful prose, though, that rounds this one out, as she delves deeply to examine the legacies of a flawed and passionate marriage.","OtherText_Review_7_Src":"Booklist, STARRED REVIEW","OtherText_ShortDescription_0":"A woman disappears without a trace. Twelve years later, her adult daughter starts finding answers hidden in the books that her mother left behind.","ProductFormDescription":"trade paperback","PublicationDate":"2017-01-28","Publisher":"House of Anansi Press Inc","ShortDescription":"A woman disappears without a trace. Twelve years later, her adult daughter starts finding answers hidden in the books that her mother left behind.","Width":"5.25","WidthCode":"in"}
Swimming Lessons
A woman disappears without a trace. Twelve years later, her adult daughter starts finding answers hidden in the books that her mother left behind.
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{"id":6813805871163,"title":"That Tiny Life","handle":"that-tiny-life","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn settings that range from the old American West to pre-revolutionary France, from a present-day dig site in the high tablelands of South America to deep space, \u003ci\u003eThat Tiny Life \u003c\/i\u003eis a wide-ranging and utterly original collection of short fiction and a novella that examines the idea of progress — humanity’s never-ending cycle of creation and destruction.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the award-winning story, “Valley Floor,” a surgeon performs an amputation in the open desert in the American West. In “Da Capo al Fine,” set in eighteenth-century France, the creator of the fortepiano designs another, more brutal instrument. And in “That Tiny Life,” the reader gets a glimpse into a future in which human resource extraction goes far beyond Earth. Each story is infused with impeccably researched detail that brings obscure and fascinating subject matter into bright relief, be it falconry, ancient funeral rites, or space exploration. The result is an amazing interplay of minute detail against the backdrop of huge themes, such as human expression and impact, our need for connection, the innate violence in nature, and the god-complex present in all acts of human creation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA highly accomplished, evocative, and wholly impressive work of short fiction, \u003ci\u003eThat Tiny Life \u003c\/i\u003eintroduces readers to a writer with limitless range and imagination. \u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2022-03-23T13:02:48-04:00","created_at":"2022-03-23T09:25:23-04:00","vendor":"House of Anansi Press Inc","type":"","tags":["Adult Short Stories","By (author) Fisher Erin Frances","Feminist Reads","House of Anansi Press","pub date: 2018-03-13"],"price":1695,"price_min":1695,"price_max":1995,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":40205725270075,"title":"trade paperback","option1":"trade paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487003661","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"That Tiny Life - trade paperback","public_title":"trade paperback","options":["trade paperback"],"price":1995,"weight":320,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487003661","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":40205970997307,"title":"epub","option1":"epub","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487003678","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"That Tiny Life - epub","public_title":"epub","options":["epub"],"price":1695,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487003678","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":40205971914811,"title":"mobi","option1":"mobi","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487003685","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"That Tiny Life - mobi","public_title":"mobi","options":["mobi"],"price":1695,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487003685","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_561b310a-e6c4-46de-94ce-d232dc3c1b93.jpg?v=1654445999"],"featured_image":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_561b310a-e6c4-46de-94ce-d232dc3c1b93.jpg?v=1654445999","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":22171015970875,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.656,"height":2400,"width":1575,"src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_561b310a-e6c4-46de-94ce-d232dc3c1b93.jpg?v=1654445999"},"aspect_ratio":0.656,"height":2400,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_561b310a-e6c4-46de-94ce-d232dc3c1b93.jpg?v=1654445999","width":1575}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn settings that range from the old American West to pre-revolutionary France, from a present-day dig site in the high tablelands of South America to deep space, \u003ci\u003eThat Tiny Life \u003c\/i\u003eis a wide-ranging and utterly original collection of short fiction and a novella that examines the idea of progress — humanity’s never-ending cycle of creation and destruction.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the award-winning story, “Valley Floor,” a surgeon performs an amputation in the open desert in the American West. In “Da Capo al Fine,” set in eighteenth-century France, the creator of the fortepiano designs another, more brutal instrument. And in “That Tiny Life,” the reader gets a glimpse into a future in which human resource extraction goes far beyond Earth. Each story is infused with impeccably researched detail that brings obscure and fascinating subject matter into bright relief, be it falconry, ancient funeral rites, or space exploration. The result is an amazing interplay of minute detail against the backdrop of huge themes, such as human expression and impact, our need for connection, the innate violence in nature, and the god-complex present in all acts of human creation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA highly accomplished, evocative, and wholly impressive work of short fiction, \u003ci\u003eThat Tiny Life \u003c\/i\u003eintroduces readers to a writer with limitless range and imagination. \u003c\/p\u003e"}
{"AlsoRecommendedISBN_0":"9780887849589","AlsoRecommendedISBN_3":"9781770891029","AlsoRecommendedISBN_4":"9781770898776","BASICMainSubject":"FIC019000","BASICMainSubjectLiteral":"FICTION \/ Literary","BiographicalNote":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eERIN FRANCES FISHER\u003c\/strong\u003e’s stories have been published internationally in literary journals such as \u003cem\u003eGranta\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePRISM International\u003c\/em\u003e, the \u003cem\u003eMalahat Review\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eLittle Fiction\u003c\/em\u003e. She was the winner of the RBC Writers’ Trust of Canada Bronwen Wallace Emerging Writers Award, \u003cem\u003eThe Malahat Review’s\u003c\/em\u003e Open Season Award for Fiction, and \u003cem\u003ePRISM International’s\u003c\/em\u003e Short Fiction Grand Prize. Erin holds an MFA in Writing from the University of Victoria and teaches piano at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. She is working on her first novel. She lives in Victoria, B.C.\u003c\/p\u003e","BISACSubjectLiteral_0":"FICTION \/ Literary","BISACSubjectLiteral_1":"FICTION \/ Short Stories (single author)","BISACSubject_0":"FIC019000","BISACSubject_1":"FIC029000","ContributorBio_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eERIN FRANCES FISHER\u003c\/strong\u003e’s stories have been published internationally in literary journals such as \u003cem\u003eGranta\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePRISM International\u003c\/em\u003e, the \u003cem\u003eMalahat Review\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eLittle Fiction\u003c\/em\u003e. She was the winner of the RBC Writers’ Trust of Canada Bronwen Wallace Emerging Writers Award, \u003cem\u003eThe Malahat Review’s\u003c\/em\u003e Open Season Award for Fiction, and \u003cem\u003ePRISM International’s\u003c\/em\u003e Short Fiction Grand Prize. Erin holds an MFA in Writing from the University of Victoria and teaches piano at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. She is working on her first novel. She lives in Victoria, B.C.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n","ContributorRole_0":"By (author)","Contributor_0":"Fisher, Erin Frances","Description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn settings that range from the old American West to pre-revolutionary France, from a present-day dig site in the high tablelands of South America to deep space, \u003ci\u003eThat Tiny Life \u003c\/i\u003eis a wide-ranging and utterly original collection of short fiction and a novella that examines the idea of progress — humanity’s never-ending cycle of creation and destruction.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the award-winning story, “Valley Floor,” a surgeon performs an amputation in the open desert in the American West. In “Da Capo al Fine,” set in eighteenth-century France, the creator of the fortepiano designs another, more brutal instrument. And in “That Tiny Life,” the reader gets a glimpse into a future in which human resource extraction goes far beyond Earth. Each story is infused with impeccably researched detail that brings obscure and fascinating subject matter into bright relief, be it falconry, ancient funeral rites, or space exploration. The result is an amazing interplay of minute detail against the backdrop of huge themes, such as human expression and impact, our need for connection, the innate violence in nature, and the god-complex present in all acts of human creation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA highly accomplished, evocative, and wholly impressive work of short fiction, \u003ci\u003eThat Tiny Life \u003c\/i\u003eintroduces readers to a writer with limitless range and imagination. \u003c\/p\u003e","EAN":"9781487003661","excerpt_0":"https:\/\/biblioshare.org\/BNCservices\/BNCServices.asmx\/Samples?token=fcf85c1c1b298e99\u0026amp;ean=9781487003661\u0026amp;SAN=\u0026amp;Perspective=excerpt\u0026amp;FileNumber=0","Height":"8","HeightCode":"in","Imprint":"House of Anansi Press","MetaKeywords":"award winning author; collection; american west; futurism; mining; resources; dystopian; guillotine; well researched; versailles; space travel; sacrifice; suspense; western; saturn; canlit; women writers; women's Literature; short fiction; specimen irina kovalyova; a plea for constant motion paul carlucci; double dutch laura trunkey","NumberOfPages":"288","OtherText_Accolades_0":"Moving with ease from seventeenth century France to the American wild west to the outer edges of space, these stories are limitless and filled with a complicated wonder. That Tiny Life is a book of startling reach and ambition. An extraordinary debut.","OtherText_Accolades_0_Src":"Steven Price, author of By Gaslight","OtherText_Accolades_1":"Every time I opened this book I expected to find clumps of feather or rabbit fur or grit from one of Saturn’s moons. Erin Frances Fisher evokes place and wildness like no other. In these stories, you’ll find cowboys, space nomads, and a menagerie of beasts — all united by Fisher’s dogged prose and a thematic undercurrent of exile. That Tiny Life is a bold, impressive collection.","OtherText_Accolades_1_Auth":"Eliza Robertson, author of Demi-Gods","OtherText_Accolades_2":"Grim and riveting, Erin Frances Fisher’s stylistic virtuosity in these six dexterously crafted tales is by turns macabre and blackly funny. Characters search for absolution, miss, struggle for, and sometimes make their connections. We root for their negotiations of the morbid topography of change. The harshness and magnificence of That Tiny Life is seen through a lens intensely magnified by the brevity and transience of existence. Anyone interested in the human condition will appreciate this book.","OtherText_Accolades_2_Src":"Yasuko Thanh, author of Mysterious Fragrance of the Yellow Mountains","OtherText_Accolades_3":"Readers of this extraordinary collection will be taken by the scope and range of the stories. By the precision of craft and visceral detail. The true inhabiting of bodies, in the characters, the creatures, and also in the natural world as a body beyond. But what truly separates Fisher’s prose is the heart, the blood, the guts, the all of it, that drive this book, as a body. It seems so distinct in parts, but runs together with a singular, unifying force that very few writers could muster. It is a collection that thrums with that undeniable heart and energy, no matter where the stories land or lead.","OtherText_Accolades_3_Auth":"Kevin Hardcastle, author of In the Cage","OtherText_Back_cover_copy_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA STRIKINGLY ACCOMPLISHED DEBUT COLLECTION FROM AN AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eErin Frances Fisher has won numerous awards for her short fiction, including the RBC Writers’ Trust of Canada Bronwen Wallace Emerging Writers Award. The stories in this collection are told in a wide range of settings and voices — each story is so robust and so fully realized that any of them feel like they could be the start of a novel. Readers and reviewers will no doubt be impressed with Fisher’s imagination, research, craft, and the quality of her prose.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTHE THEME OF THE COLLECTION IS PROGRESS:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe theme of “progress” is central to the collection and is subtly woven in through both plot and setting. In the American West, progress is reflected in the new settlements and digging for gold. In the far North, miners dig for earth’s natural resources. In the futurist story, “That Tiny Life,” the main characters are at an outpost in Titan, one of Saturn’s moons, mining for resources that have been stripped from Earth. In “Da Capo al Fine,” the same inventor designs the pianoforte and the guillotine.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFASCINATING RESEARCH WENT INTO THE COLLECTION:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eEach story feels authentic, mature in tone and voice, but especially in the way it has been researched. Subjects include court life in eighteenth-century Versailles and the creation of the guillotine; surgical procedures in the nineteenth-century America; how humans would survive life in deep space; falconry; an archaeological dig.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Description_for_R_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom “Valley Floor”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe sawbones squats, his satchel by his knees, his back to the cart and the mules and their feedbags. He runs his forefinger along the tourniquet around Roy’s leg, rubs the pus between his fingertips and thumb, sniffs the lot, and says he’s taking Roy’s leg.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Like shit you are,” I say. “What’s he left with it gone?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe sawbones pushes his specs up his disjointed nose and says that if he leaves the leg attached, Roy’ll be gone. Roy’s girl, just three, explores her mouth with her fingers. Her eyes big and gold as coins. She squats in the dirt in front of some thorny shrubs, a whelp in piss-stained trousers, the night growing fathomless above the hills behind her.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGirl’s new with us. Roy fetched her from the mother less than a week back. Don’t know why he picked her up when he did, since, one, he knew the child’s age from the letter, and two, he already had that crushed toe sending stripes up his foot.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe sawbones’ specs shine flat-lensed in the light from the firepit. I suspect they don’t so much alter his vision as give him a look. He bends over Roy, who’s laid flaccid under the cactus. Roy’s hair and skin and clothes are tacky with basin dust. The firelight blinks over his silhouette, pretties his discoloured leg and cracked lips. His cocky flip of curls thrown back from his ridged nose and cheeks and spread over the dirt. His eyes closed. Been passed out a while. I grab his good foot and jostle and release.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Might go anyway,” I say.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe sawbones rocks on his haunches, eyeing the mule I promised him for the trip. One of a pair. Sorrel, sturdy—three hands short of draft—and recently acquired, though Roy and I have been hauling supplies through the valley good on seven years. That’s seven years of spiny fruit and sunburn while carting basics to men batshit enough to have settled this particular desolation. Brutes searching gold, coal, oil midst the saltbush and boulders. The work gives Roy and me a nice, healthful pay, but only because not many want the job. Heat’s hard on the mules and water takes up half the wagon.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe girl pulls her fingers from her mouth and wipes them across her shirt. Sawbones removes his specs, holds the lenses to the light, then plucks his hanky from his coat and polishes. His kerchief’s done-up old style—stitched around the trim with cream dashes—same era as the jacket, which has buttons top to bottom, but hangs wide open. Plush fabric, carpet-like, worn thin down the back. Like he’s spent his life sitting. He settles his specs back on that crooked nose and loops the wires around his ears.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRoy, flat-out, chest hardly lifting each breath. I put a hand on my lips and jaw. All the grit there, in the lines and loose skin—the valley sucks away fat. Seems to have aged twenty years though it’s only been those seven, and we were both young men when we acquired the route. He and I been partners too long now to know who owes who—though I suspect at this moment it’s him who owes me. We have a friendship. Which is why I said nothing when Roy kept the girl.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI recline against the wagon and set a knuckle to the forehead of the nearest mule, and the mule leans into it. Soft-nosed beast. “Take the leg then,” I say.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSawbones opens his satchel and reaches out a pan, a leather roll, and a hard-cased cautery set. Kicks the logs and exposes the coals and balances the pan. Unsnaps the cautery case and sets the long-handled irons into the fire.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Water,” he says.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI uncap a jug and fill the pan. The sawbones fiddles with the knot and unrolls the leather wrap. Tools inside flash blade to spine: tongs, scissors, various knives. He thumbs the clasp on a worn medical bag. Vials strapped to the underside of the lid. The interior’s full of glass flasks and spools of silk and gauze. He tips a vial of iodine into the pan, then opens a jar of alcohol. Wipes down each blade with a soaked bit of cotton and sets the equipment ready on top the leather sheath.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSawbones removes and folds his coat and lays it on the bow of the wagon. He steps to Roy’s side and snips the torn pant leg. Twice the normal size below the knee, and two of the black toes sport open sores.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Lift.” Sawbones waves at the foot. I lift. He slides a sheet of oilskin under the thigh. “Down.” He and I loop rope around Roy’s wrists and good ankle, then tie the rope onto stakes and pound the stakes into the dirt. Sawbones pulls a cotton swab from the bag and wipes Roy’s leg.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“That high,” I say. “Christ almighty.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Sit on him.” Sawbones tests the tourniquet already around Roy’s upper thigh. I take my spot kneeling on Roy’s shoulders, and the girl comes up beside me. Kid’s already kicked off and lost her shoes and stands barefoot in the cooling sand. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Turn round,” I say, and when she won’t, I grab her. Press her face into my chest.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Previous_review_q_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW COPIES\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eBooklist\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Review_0":"Reading Fisher can feel like being belly down in nature, watching the advance of some obscure insect, baffled that such an intricate, weird, small thing could be conventionally alive in the world . . . These stories wade, lope, and glide.","OtherText_Review_0_Src":"Bookshelf","OtherText_ShortDescription_0":"An utterly original collection of short fiction that examines the idea of progress — humanity’s never-ending cycle of creation and destruction.","PrizeCodeText_0":"Short-listed","PrizeCodeText_1":"Short-listed","PrizeCodeText_2":"Commended","PrizeCode_0":"04","PrizeCode_1":"04","PrizeCode_2":"03","PrizeName_0":"Danuta Gleed Literary Award","PrizeName_1":"Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize, BC Book Prizes","PrizeName_2":"A 49th Shelf Book of the Year","PrizeYear_0":"2018","PrizeYear_1":"2018","PrizeYear_2":"2018","ProductFormDescription":"trade paperback","PublicationDate":"2018-03-13","Publisher":"House of Anansi Press Inc","ShortDescription":"An utterly original collection of short fiction that examines the idea of progress — humanity’s never-ending cycle of creation and destruction.","Width":"5.25","WidthCode":"in"}
That Tiny Life
An utterly original collection of short fiction that examines the idea of progress — humanity’s never-ending cycle of creation and destruction.
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{"id":6582721413179,"title":"The Best Kind of People","handle":"the-best-kind-of-people","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and a national bestseller, Zoe Whittall’s \u003ci\u003eThe Best Kind of People\u003c\/i\u003e is a stunning \u003ci\u003etour de force\u003c\/i\u003e about the unravelling of an all-American family. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGeorge Woodbury, an affable teacher and beloved husband and father, is arrested for sexual impropriety at a prestigious prep school. His wife, Joan, vaults between denial and rage as the community she loved turns on her. Their daughter, Sadie, a popular over-achieving high school senior, becomes a social pariah. Their son, Andrew, assists in his father’s defense, while wrestling with his own unhappy memories of his teen years. A local author tries to exploit their story, while an unlikely men’s rights activist attempts to get Sadie onside their cause. With George locked up, how do the members of his family pick up the pieces and keep living their lives? How do they defend someone they love while wrestling with the possibility of his guilt?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith exquisite emotional precision, award-winning author Zoe Whittall\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eexplores issues of loyalty, truth, and the meaning of happiness through the lens of an all-American family on the brink of collapse.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2021-05-13T13:06:16-04:00","created_at":"2021-05-13T13:06:16-04:00","vendor":"House of Anansi Press Inc","type":"","tags":["Adult Award Winning","Adult Bestseller","Adult LGBTQ+","Book Club Pick","By (author) Whittall Zoe","Feminist Reads","House of Anansi Press","pub date: 2016-08-27"],"price":1895,"price_min":1895,"price_max":2295,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":39403405344827,"title":"epub","option1":"epub","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781770899438","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Best Kind of People - epub","public_title":"epub","options":["epub"],"price":1895,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781770899438","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":39412882604091,"title":"trade paperback","option1":"trade paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781770899421","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Best Kind of People - trade paperback","public_title":"trade paperback","options":["trade paperback"],"price":2295,"weight":440,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781770899421","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":39412882899003,"title":"mobi","option1":"mobi","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781770899445","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Best Kind of People - mobi","public_title":"mobi","options":["mobi"],"price":1895,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781770899445","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_9b5e91ec-19ee-46e2-a470-c738922aa466.jpg?v=1655628324"],"featured_image":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_9b5e91ec-19ee-46e2-a470-c738922aa466.jpg?v=1655628324","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":22243500654651,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.656,"height":2400,"width":1575,"src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_9b5e91ec-19ee-46e2-a470-c738922aa466.jpg?v=1655628324"},"aspect_ratio":0.656,"height":2400,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_9b5e91ec-19ee-46e2-a470-c738922aa466.jpg?v=1655628324","width":1575}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and a national bestseller, Zoe Whittall’s \u003ci\u003eThe Best Kind of People\u003c\/i\u003e is a stunning \u003ci\u003etour de force\u003c\/i\u003e about the unravelling of an all-American family. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGeorge Woodbury, an affable teacher and beloved husband and father, is arrested for sexual impropriety at a prestigious prep school. His wife, Joan, vaults between denial and rage as the community she loved turns on her. Their daughter, Sadie, a popular over-achieving high school senior, becomes a social pariah. Their son, Andrew, assists in his father’s defense, while wrestling with his own unhappy memories of his teen years. A local author tries to exploit their story, while an unlikely men’s rights activist attempts to get Sadie onside their cause. With George locked up, how do the members of his family pick up the pieces and keep living their lives? How do they defend someone they love while wrestling with the possibility of his guilt?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith exquisite emotional precision, award-winning author Zoe Whittall\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eexplores issues of loyalty, truth, and the meaning of happiness through the lens of an all-American family on the brink of collapse.\u003c\/p\u003e"}
{"AlsoRecommendedISBN_0":"9780887842566","AlsoRecommendedISBN_1":"9781487005221","AlsoRecommendedISBN_2":"9781487006884","BASICMainSubject":"FIC019000","BASICMainSubjectLiteral":"FICTION \/ Literary","BiographicalNote":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eZOE WHITTALL’S\u003c\/strong\u003e third novel, \u003cem\u003eThe Best Kind of People\u003c\/em\u003e, was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, was named Indigo’s #1 Book of 2016, and is being adapted for film by director Sarah Polley. Whittall won a 2018 Canadian Screen Award for Best Writing in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program with the team from \u003cem\u003eThe Baroness von Sketch Show\u003c\/em\u003e. She has also written for \u003cem\u003eSchitt's Creek\u003c\/em\u003e, among other shows. Her second novel, \u003cem\u003eHolding Still for as Long as Possible\u003c\/em\u003e, won a Lambda Literary Award, and her first novel, \u003cem\u003eBottle Rocket Hearts\u003c\/em\u003e, is now being adapted into a limited series for television. Her short fiction and arts criticism have appeared in \u003cem\u003eGranta\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Walrus\u003c\/em\u003e, the \u003cem\u003eBeliever\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eCosmonauts\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eHazlitt\u003c\/em\u003e, and others, and she has published three volumes of poetry.\u003c\/p\u003e","BISACSubjectLiteral_0":"FICTION \/ Literary","BISACSubjectLiteral_1":"FICTION \/ Family Life \/ General","BISACSubject_0":"FIC019000","BISACSubject_1":"FIC045000","ContributorBio_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eZOE WHITTALL’S\u003c\/strong\u003e third novel, \u003cem\u003eThe Best Kind of People\u003c\/em\u003e, was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, was named Indigo’s #1 Book of 2016, and is being adapted for film by director Sarah Polley. Whittall won a 2018 Canadian Screen Award for Best Writing in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program with the team from \u003cem\u003eThe Baroness von Sketch Show\u003c\/em\u003e. She has also written for \u003cem\u003eSchitt's Creek\u003c\/em\u003e, among other shows. Her second novel, \u003cem\u003eHolding Still for as Long as Possible\u003c\/em\u003e, won a Lambda Literary Award, and her first novel, \u003cem\u003eBottle Rocket Hearts\u003c\/em\u003e, is now being adapted into a limited series for television. Her short fiction and arts criticism have appeared in \u003cem\u003eGranta\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Walrus\u003c\/em\u003e, the \u003cem\u003eBeliever\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eCosmonauts\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eHazlitt\u003c\/em\u003e, and others, and she has published three volumes of poetry.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n","ContributorRole_0":"By (author)","Contributor_0":"Whittall, Zoe (CA)","Description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and a national bestseller, Zoe Whittall’s \u003ci\u003eThe Best Kind of People\u003c\/i\u003e is a stunning \u003ci\u003etour de force\u003c\/i\u003e about the unravelling of an all-American family. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGeorge Woodbury, an affable teacher and beloved husband and father, is arrested for sexual impropriety at a prestigious prep school. His wife, Joan, vaults between denial and rage as the community she loved turns on her. Their daughter, Sadie, a popular over-achieving high school senior, becomes a social pariah. Their son, Andrew, assists in his father’s defense, while wrestling with his own unhappy memories of his teen years. A local author tries to exploit their story, while an unlikely men’s rights activist attempts to get Sadie onside their cause. With George locked up, how do the members of his family pick up the pieces and keep living their lives? How do they defend someone they love while wrestling with the possibility of his guilt?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith exquisite emotional precision, award-winning author Zoe Whittall\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eexplores issues of loyalty, truth, and the meaning of happiness through the lens of an all-American family on the brink of collapse.\u003c\/p\u003e","EAN":"9781770899438","excerpt_0":"https:\/\/biblioshare.org\/BNCservices\/BNCServices.asmx\/Samples?token=fcf85c1c1b298e99\u0026amp;ean=9781770899438\u0026amp;SAN=\u0026amp;Perspective=excerpt\u0026amp;FileNumber=0","Imprint":"House of Anansi Press","NumberOfPages":"356","OtherText_Accolades_0":"Heartbreaking and complex, The Best Kind of People offers no easy answers. This is a masterly exploration of the damage an entire community incurs when the secret at the heart of its most perfect family detonates.","OtherText_Accolades_0_Auth":"Lynn Coady author of The Antagonist","OtherText_Accolades_1":"The Best Kind of People examines the effects of rape culture on an entire community with rare nuance and insight. Every character is fully rounded, flawed, and achingly human. It puts me in mind of a twenty-first-century Ordinary People — which, for the record, is one of my favourite novels.","OtherText_Accolades_1_Auth":"Kate Harding, author of Asking For It: The Alarming Rise of Rape Culture — and What We Can Do About It","OtherText_Accolades_2":"With incredibly rare nuance, sensitivity, and insight, Zoe Whittall takes us deep into our contemporary conversation around sexual violence and shines a vital spotlight on the individuals and communities that live in its long shadow. Whittall’s undisputed talent as a writer shines, as does her understanding into the complexity of our sympathies, our morality, and our humanity. With The Best Kind of People, Whittall has created an urgent and timely document, one that asks us to reflect on how we can best serve survivors of abuse and best support all of those who exist in its aftermath. With incredible empathy, and undeniable skill, this book is sure to spark much needed dialogue, vital debate, and richly deserved acclaim.","OtherText_Accolades_2_Auth":"Stacey May Fowles, author of Infidelity","OtherText_Accolades_3":"Zoe Whittall's novel gets into the hearts and minds of an ordinary family forced to confront the monstrous. There are no heroes and no villains in this world — there are only people grappling with guilt and truth. This novel is a timely discussion of what we owe those who abuse and those who are targeted in our communities. It's a compelling exploration of the ways a crime implicates all of us.","OtherText_Accolades_3_Auth":"Kaitlyn Greenidge, author of We Love You, Charlie Freeman","OtherText_Quote_from_review_0":"The Best Kind of People is a story with so many shades of grey that you won’t know what to believe but you’re guaranteed to feel almost every emotion possible while reading this new novel.","OtherText_Quote_from_review_1":"The Best Kind of People examines the effects of rape culture on an entire community with rare nuance and insight. Every character is fully rounded, flawed, and achingly human. It puts me in mind of a twenty-first-century Ordinary People — which, for the record, is one of my favourite novels.","OtherText_Quote_from_review_2":"Heartbreaking and complex, The Best Kind of People offers no easy answers. This is a masterly exploration of the damage an entire community incurs when the secret at the heart of its most perfect family detonates.","OtherText_Quote_from_review_3":"The jury found Zoe Whittall’s The Best Kind of People urgent and timely, nuanced and brave. This gripping story challenges how we hear women and girls, and dissects the self-hypnosis and fear that prevent us from speaking disruptive truth. With subversive precision and solid veracity, Whittall calls into question pervasive forms of silence and acquiescence.","OtherText_Quote_from_review_4":"Exquisitely emotional","OtherText_Quote_from_review_5":"Toronto author Zoe Whittall’s new novel The Best Kind of People is the best kind of book — it’s got a compelling story characters readers will recognize and come to love and writing that makes it effortless to turn page after page.","OtherText_Quote_from_review_6":"Zoe Whittall's novel gets into the hearts and minds of an ordinary family forced to confront the monstrous. There are no heroes and no villains in this world — there are only people grappling with guilt and truth. This novel is a timely discussion of what we owe those who abuse and those who are targeted in our communities. It's a compelling exploration of the ways a crime implicates all of us.","OtherText_Quote_from_review_7":"An astounding portrait of a character by omission.","OtherText_Quote_from_review_8":"With incredibly rare nuance, sensitivity, and insight, Zoe Whittall takes us deep into our contemporary conversation around sexual violence and shines a vital spotlight on the individuals and communities that live in its long shadow. Whittall’s undisputed talent as a writer shines, as does her understanding into the complexity of our sympathies, our morality, and our humanity. With The Best Kind of People, Whittall has created an urgent and timely document, one that asks us to reflect on how we can best serve survivors of abuse and best support all of those who exist in its aftermath. With incredible empathy, and undeniable skill, this book is sure to spark much needed dialogue, vital debate, and richly deserved acclaim.","OtherText_Quote_from_review_9":"The Best Kind of People is all-of-a-piece and well worth the read not only for what it adds to the conversation about accusation and rape, but also for the pleasure it offers to those who like a good story.","OtherText_Quot_10":"Nuanced to the end, Whittall’s novel achieves something that’s rare in real-life cases of sexual violence. She gives a voice to the ones we never hear from: those who are collateral damage.","OtherText_Quot_11":"Fast-paced . . . but never melodramatic.","OtherText_Quot_12":"Whittall places the reader right at the centre of their pain. It’s the best depiction of female suffering I’ve read since Jane Smiley eloquently tackled sexual abuse in A Thousand Acres.","OtherText_Review_0":"Whittall places the reader right at the centre of their pain. It’s the best depiction of female suffering I’ve read since Jane Smiley eloquently tackled sexual abuse in A Thousand Acres.” — Toronto Star“Nuanced to the end, Whittall’s novel achieves something that’s rare in real-life cases of sexual violence. She gives a voice to the ones we never hear from: those who are collateral damage.","OtherText_Review_0_Src":"Chatelaine","OtherText_Review_1":"Toronto author Zoe Whittall’s new novel The Best Kind of People is the best kind of book — it’s got a compelling story, characters readers will recognize and come to love, and writing that makes it effortless to turn page after page.","OtherText_Review_1_Src":"Vancouver Sun","OtherText_Review_2":"Fast-paced … but never melodramatic.","OtherText_Review_2_Src":"Maclean’s","OtherText_Review_3":"Exquisitely emotional.","OtherText_Review_3_Src":"Owen Sound Sun Times","OtherText_Review_4":"An astounding portrait of a character by omission.","OtherText_Review_4_Src":"National Post","OtherText_Review_5":"Whittall raises her game dramatically in this Giller-shortlisted novel.","OtherText_Review_5_Src":"NOW Magazine","OtherText_Review_6":"A story like this never ends… . A humane, clear eyed attempt to explore the ripple effects of sexual crime.","OtherText_Review_6_Src":"Kirkus Reviews","OtherText_ShortDescription_0":"From award-winning author Zoe Whittall comes The Best Kind of People, a stunning tour de force about the unravelling of an all-American family.","PrizeCodeText_0":"Short-listed","PrizeCode_0":"04","PrizeName_0":"Scotiabank Giller Prize","PrizeYear_0":"2016","ProductFormDescription":"epub","PublicationDate":"2016-08-27","Publisher":"House of Anansi Press Inc","ShortDescription":"From award-winning author Zoe Whittall comes The Best Kind of People, a stunning tour de force about the unravelling of an all-American family."}
The Best Kind of People
From award-winning author Zoe Whittall comes The Best Kind of People, a stunning tour de force about the unravelling of an all-American family.
Quick View
{"id":6812117139515,"title":"The Body of the Beasts","handle":"the-body-of-the-beasts","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDisturbing and sensuous, Audrée Wilhelmy’s tale of a hermetic family minding a lighthouse in willed isolation is reminiscent of William Golding’s \u003ci\u003eLord of the Flies\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Body of Beasts \u003c\/i\u003eis a startling, gorgeously written novel that tells the story of the Borya family living in isolation. Their lives are altered when young Osip, peering from the lighthouse gallery sees a woman, Noé, arrive — her dress scant, her skin curiously scarred, and her manner mysterious and wild.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNoé bears a child, Mie, to the eldest son on whose hunter-gathering the Borya family depends. She lives in a cabin on her own and covers the walls with drawings that allude to her mysterious life. The family’s entrenchment in nature is enthrallingly conveyed in young Mie’s sensuous ability to borrow at will the body of mammals, birds, fish, and insects. Her shape-shifting allows her to know the ways of the natural world, though only to a point. When her own awakening body starts to intrigue her, she asks her uncle Osip to “teach me human sex.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Body of the Beasts\u003c\/i\u003e is an imaginative tour de force, a beautifully described portrait of a world that exists outside of words; an uninhibited and erotic novel that, in the singular tradition of Québécois Boreal Gothic, explores our humanity — and animal nature.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2022-03-22T16:32:50-04:00","created_at":"2022-03-22T11:21:28-04:00","vendor":"House of Anansi Press Inc","type":"","tags":["Arachnide Editions","By (author) Wilhelmy Audrée","Feminist Reads","Literary Fiction","pub date: 2019-07-30","Translated by Ouriou Susan"],"price":1895,"price_min":1895,"price_max":2295,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":40195612409915,"title":"trade paperback with flaps","option1":"trade paperback with flaps","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487006105","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Body of the Beasts - trade paperback with flaps","public_title":"trade paperback with flaps","options":["trade paperback with flaps"],"price":2295,"weight":230,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487006105","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":40195719790651,"title":"epub","option1":"epub","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487006112","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Body of the Beasts - epub","public_title":"epub","options":["epub"],"price":1895,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487006112","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":40195721330747,"title":"mobi","option1":"mobi","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487006129","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Body of the Beasts - mobi","public_title":"mobi","options":["mobi"],"price":1895,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487006129","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_83462e47-5357-4cc7-b72a-9c65ee8c97c8.jpg?v=1657432957"],"featured_image":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_83462e47-5357-4cc7-b72a-9c65ee8c97c8.jpg?v=1657432957","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":"A small section of a white sand beach is at the bottom of the image. A girl with light skin tone and blonde hair stands on a rock on the beach crossing her arms in a flowy white dress. The rock is a part of a cliff face that rises up and creates the black background of the middle and top of the image. Text: The Body of the Beasts. Audrée Wilhemly.","id":22340340645947,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.656,"height":2400,"width":1575,"src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_83462e47-5357-4cc7-b72a-9c65ee8c97c8.jpg?v=1657432957"},"aspect_ratio":0.656,"height":2400,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_83462e47-5357-4cc7-b72a-9c65ee8c97c8.jpg?v=1657432957","width":1575}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDisturbing and sensuous, Audrée Wilhelmy’s tale of a hermetic family minding a lighthouse in willed isolation is reminiscent of William Golding’s \u003ci\u003eLord of the Flies\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Body of Beasts \u003c\/i\u003eis a startling, gorgeously written novel that tells the story of the Borya family living in isolation. Their lives are altered when young Osip, peering from the lighthouse gallery sees a woman, Noé, arrive — her dress scant, her skin curiously scarred, and her manner mysterious and wild.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNoé bears a child, Mie, to the eldest son on whose hunter-gathering the Borya family depends. She lives in a cabin on her own and covers the walls with drawings that allude to her mysterious life. The family’s entrenchment in nature is enthrallingly conveyed in young Mie’s sensuous ability to borrow at will the body of mammals, birds, fish, and insects. Her shape-shifting allows her to know the ways of the natural world, though only to a point. When her own awakening body starts to intrigue her, she asks her uncle Osip to “teach me human sex.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Body of the Beasts\u003c\/i\u003e is an imaginative tour de force, a beautifully described portrait of a world that exists outside of words; an uninhibited and erotic novel that, in the singular tradition of Québécois Boreal Gothic, explores our humanity — and animal nature.\u003c\/p\u003e"}
{"AlsoRecommendedISBN_0":"9780887842900","AlsoRecommendedISBN_3":"9781770890329","AlsoRecommendedISBN_4":"9781770892194","BASICMainSubject":"FIC045000","BASICMainSubjectLiteral":"FICTION \/ Family Life \/ General","BiographicalNote":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDRÉE WILHELMY\u003c\/strong\u003e was born in 1985 in Cap-Rouge, Quebec, and now lives in Montreal.She is the winner of France’s Sade Award, has been a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award, and was shortlisted for the Prix France-Québec and the Quebec Booksellers Award.\u003c\/p\u003e","BISACSubjectLiteral_0":"FICTION \/ Family Life \/ General","BISACSubjectLiteral_1":"FICTION \/ Magical Realism","BISACSubjectLiteral_2":"FICTION \/ Literary","BISACSubject_0":"FIC045000","BISACSubject_1":"FIC061000","BISACSubject_2":"FIC019000","ContributorBio_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDRÉE WILHELMY\u003c\/strong\u003e was born in 1985 in Cap-Rouge, Quebec, and now lives in Montreal.She is the winner of France’s Sade Award, has been a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award, and was shortlisted for the Prix France-Québec and the Quebec Booksellers Award.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n","ContributorBio_1":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSUSAN OURIOU\u003c\/strong\u003e is an award-winning fiction writer and literary translator with over sixty translations and co-translations of fiction, non-fiction, children’s and young-adult literature to her credit. She has won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Translation. \u003cem\u003eJane, the Fox and Me\u003c\/em\u003e, co-translated with Christelle Morelli, was named to IBBY’s Honour List. She has also published \u003cem\u003eNathan\u003c\/em\u003e, a novel for young readers. Susan lives in Calgary, Alberta.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n","ContributorRole_0":"By (author)","ContributorRole_1":"Translated by","Contributor_0":"Wilhelmy, Audrée (CA)","Contributor_1":"Ouriou, Susan (CA)","Description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDisturbing and sensuous, Audrée Wilhelmy’s tale of a hermetic family minding a lighthouse in willed isolation is reminiscent of William Golding’s \u003ci\u003eLord of the Flies\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Body of Beasts \u003c\/i\u003eis a startling, gorgeously written novel that tells the story of the Borya family living in isolation. Their lives are altered when young Osip, peering from the lighthouse gallery sees a woman, Noé, arrive — her dress scant, her skin curiously scarred, and her manner mysterious and wild.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNoé bears a child, Mie, to the eldest son on whose hunter-gathering the Borya family depends. She lives in a cabin on her own and covers the walls with drawings that allude to her mysterious life. The family’s entrenchment in nature is enthrallingly conveyed in young Mie’s sensuous ability to borrow at will the body of mammals, birds, fish, and insects. Her shape-shifting allows her to know the ways of the natural world, though only to a point. When her own awakening body starts to intrigue her, she asks her uncle Osip to “teach me human sex.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Body of the Beasts\u003c\/i\u003e is an imaginative tour de force, a beautifully described portrait of a world that exists outside of words; an uninhibited and erotic novel that, in the singular tradition of Québécois Boreal Gothic, explores our humanity — and animal nature.\u003c\/p\u003e","EAN":"9781487006105","excerpt_0":"https:\/\/biblioshare.org\/BNCservices\/BNCServices.asmx\/Samples?token=fcf85c1c1b298e99\u0026amp;ean=9781487006105\u0026amp;SAN=\u0026amp;Perspective=excerpt\u0026amp;FileNumber=0","Height":"8","HeightCode":"in","Imprint":"Arachnide Editions","NumberOfPages":"160","OtherText_Accolades_0":"Audrée Wilhelmy built a literary universe unlike anything else that's been created in Quebec at the moment.","OtherText_Accolades_0_Auth":"Catherine Leroux, Scotiabank Giller Prize–nominated author of The Party Wall and Madame Victoria","OtherText_Accolades_1":"A marvel . . . The style is magnificent, the characters unforgettable: Noé, Mie, and Osip are great literary creations. As with all this author’s books, the sensual is omnipresent, and sometimes troubling. The ending is overwhelming, and the chapter on the skinning of a whale is fantastic. Run to buy this book as soon as it arrives at the store!","OtherText_Accolades_1_Auth":"Michel Tremblay, Winner of the Governor General's Performing Arts Award","OtherText_Back_cover_copy_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEXCITING NEW NOVELIST:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAudrée Wilhelmy’s debut novel was nominated for a Governor General’s Literary Award - one of the most prestigious Canadian Literary Awards. She has been a finalist for many other major French-Canadian book prizes. Her work has been acclaimed by French-language publications in Canada and Europe, including \u003cem\u003eLe Devoir\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eLa Presse\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eJournal de Montréal\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eLe Monde\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eVogue Paris\u003c\/em\u003e. She is already a major force in literature!\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMAJOR ATTENTION FOR AUDRÉE WILHELMY IN 2018:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn December 2018, a play based on her novel \u003cem\u003eLes sangs\u003c\/em\u003e will premier at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. The author recently completed a three-month, $7,000 residency at the Librairie Monet in Montreal, which garnered strong media coverage.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFIRST TIME APPEARING IN ENGLISH:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Body of Beasts\u003c\/em\u003e is the author’s first work to appear in English, and it is being translated by Susan Ouriou. Her recent translation, with Christelle Morelli, of Fanny Britt’s \u003cem\u003eHunting Houses\u003c\/em\u003e was a huge hit in the US and received strong reviews and high praise.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDARK MAGIC REALIST TALE:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn its dark rural setting, mysterious young female main character, and enquiry into the effects of isolation, \u003cem\u003eThe Body of Beasts\u003c\/em\u003e emerges from the tradition of Gaétan Soucy’s \u003cem\u003eThe Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches\u003c\/em\u003e. Recent literary hits such as Victor LaValle’s \u003cem\u003eThe Changeling\u003c\/em\u003e, Carmen Maria Machado’s National Book Award finalist \u003cem\u003eHer Body and Other Parties\u003c\/em\u003e, and Camilla Grudovo’s \u003cem\u003eThe Doll’s Alphabet\u003c\/em\u003e show an appetite for genre-crossing tales that examine sexuality and femininity.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Description_for_R_0":"\u003cp\u003eA wharf jutting out into the open sea. Waves rumble below, foam spouts from cracks between the planks. Men angle for tuna and stingrays. They cast their lines from the platform at the far end of the jetty, where the water is already deep, and wrest huge creatures from the sea that drench them in salt water as they writhe in mid-air and then again on the pier’s wooden planking. A warm breeze blows in from the interior and whips the clothing of passersby against their bodies and roars in their ears. Perched on the guardrails or on the backs of benches, children eat ice cream that trickles between their fingers and onto their bare bellies. The heat of the beach is like no other, worn like a piece of clothing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo different from the others in their long shirts, the Borya brothers serve as their mother’s bodyguards. She holds the youngest on her hip and strides toward the fishermen, her skirts billowing around her legs. Three coins jangle in her pocket and their clinking combines with the clacking of her heels against the wharf. The biggest fish require tough bargaining, so the boys’ father sent his wife. He told her to wear her grey dress, the one with the low-cut square neck that shows off her breasts, plump with milk. She makes her way toward the men, her attempt at sensuality somewhat hindered by the presence of her sons. The eldest walks in front of her, pushing a wheelbarrow three times his weight to transport the animal once the deal has been made. The younger two run to keep up with their mother’s swaying gait. As for her, she sees only the huge fish hanging mid-wharf, the fishermen’s sturdy bodies, the blue water and the light sparkling on its surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOsip Borya, chasing a salamander, has stayed behind. By the time he loses the tiny creature in the tall grasses, his mother and brothers have left. He can’t see them anywhere. Immediately overhead, seagulls wheel like sparrow hawks. A pelican swoops toward the beach, throat stretched taut with its catch, and lands on a post right next to the boy. The bird is still dripping from its plunge into the water. It looks at the child, throws its skull back and, swallowing its prey in one majestic gulp, unfurls its wings. At that exact moment, several things occur. First, the pelican lifts off and returns to its position on the waves. Then, watching the seabird, Osip spies his mother at the end of the wharf and notices a tiny movement she makes: as her right foot lifts out of its shoe, she reaches down to brush sand off the sole of her foot. Just behind her, a fisherman lets out a shout and hauls from the water a five-foot-long swordfish thrashing around like a demon. Three men harpoon it to sap the creature’s strength.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Previous_review_q_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW COPIES:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eBooklist\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Review_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Body of the Beasts\u003c\/em\u003e is a visceral story with wings: rhythmically beating, it both suffocates readers and prepares us to soar.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_0_Src":"World Literature Today","OtherText_Review_1":"The Body of the Beasts is daring and darkly erotic, as emotionally and morally elusive as the characters who roam within it … Wilhelmy’s language is tight yet immersive; there is an underlying melancholy to it, like being alone in a forest with nothing but the sound of rustling leaves. It is rare and delightful to find a novel where language and character move so seamlessly together, hand in hand … A piece of this book will linger.","OtherText_Review_1_Src":"Literary Review of Canada","OtherText_Review_2":"Sensual and strange.","OtherText_Review_2_Src":"Booklist","OtherText_Review_3":"[Wilhelmy] is a meticulous recorder of the dramatic wilderness … Lovely writing.","OtherText_Review_3_Src":"Kirkus Reviews","OtherText_Review_4":"Masterful … Finding beauty in unexpected places, be they natural settings or seldom-explored corners of human behaviour, is something Wilhelmy does as well as any young writer in any language.","OtherText_Review_4_Src":"Montreal Gazette","OtherText_Review_5":"With a miniaturist’s touch, Audrée Wilhelmy creates a singular universe suffused with sap and silence, at once lush to the limit, smothering and amoral … A tour de force of audacity and sensuality achieved unhesitatingly in full-bodied writing that is precise and without misstep. A brilliant novel that explores from on high an aspect of the human condition too often eluded: our own bestiality.","OtherText_Review_5_Src":"Le Devoir","OtherText_ShortDescription_0":"Audrée Wilhelmy’s extraordinary tale of a hermetic family minding a lighthouse in willed isolation is a luscious, disturbing, and sensuous.","ProductFormDescription":"trade paperback with flaps","PublicationDate":"2019-07-30","Publisher":"House of Anansi Press Inc","ShortDescription":"Audrée Wilhelmy’s extraordinary tale of a hermetic family minding a lighthouse in willed isolation is a luscious, disturbing, and sensuous.","Width":"5.25","WidthCode":"in"}
The Body of the Beasts
Audrée Wilhelmy’s extraordinary tale of a hermetic family minding a lighthouse in willed isolation is a luscious, disturbing, and sensuous.
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{"id":6815263981627,"title":"The Break","handle":"the-break","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinner of the Amazon.ca First Novel Award and a finalist for the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize and the Governor General’s Literary Award, \u003ci\u003eThe Break\u003c\/i\u003e is a stunning and heartbreaking debut novel about a multigenerational Métis–Anishnaabe family dealing with the fallout of a shocking crime in Winnipeg’s North End.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen Stella, a young Métis mother, looks out her window one evening and spots someone in trouble on the Break — a barren field on an isolated strip of land outside her house — she calls the police to alert them to a possible crime.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn a series of shifting narratives, people who are connected, both directly and indirectly, with the victim — police, family, and friends — tell their personal stories leading up to that fateful night. Lou, a social worker, grapples with the departure of her live-in boyfriend. Cheryl, an artist, mourns the premature death of her sister Rain. Paulina, a single mother, struggles to trust her new partner. Phoenix, a homeless teenager, is released from a youth detention centre. Officer Scott, a Métis policeman, feels caught between two worlds as he patrols the city. Through their various perspectives a larger, more comprehensive story about lives of the residents in Winnipeg’s North End is exposed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA powerful intergenerational family saga, \u003ci\u003eThe Break\u003c\/i\u003e showcases Vermette’s abundant writing talent and positions her as an exciting new voice in Canadian literature.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2022-03-24T12:06:43-04:00","created_at":"2022-03-24T09:45:54-04:00","vendor":"House of Anansi Press Inc","type":"","tags":["Adult Audiobooks","Adult Bestseller","Adult BIPOC Voices","Adult Course Adoption","Book Club Pick","By (author) Vermette Katherena","Feminist Reads","House of Anansi Press","Literary Fiction","pub date: 2016-09-17","Thrillers \u0026 Mystery"],"price":1895,"price_min":1895,"price_max":3499,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":40209189634107,"title":"trade paperback","option1":"trade paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487001117","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Break - trade paperback","public_title":"trade paperback","options":["trade paperback"],"price":2399,"weight":400,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487001117","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":40209191764027,"title":"epub","option1":"epub","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487001124","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Break - epub","public_title":"epub","options":["epub"],"price":1895,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487001124","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":40209194123323,"title":"mobi","option1":"mobi","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487001131","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Break - mobi","public_title":"mobi","options":["mobi"],"price":1895,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487001131","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":40209195106363,"title":"Digital Audio, MP3","option1":"Digital Audio, MP3","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487004361","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Break - Digital Audio, MP3","public_title":"Digital Audio, MP3","options":["Digital Audio, MP3"],"price":3499,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487004361","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_d4b401c9-ce88-432d-9f0a-f75a453788b0.jpg?v=1679037356"],"featured_image":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_d4b401c9-ce88-432d-9f0a-f75a453788b0.jpg?v=1679037356","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":23339018420283,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.656,"height":2400,"width":1575,"src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_d4b401c9-ce88-432d-9f0a-f75a453788b0.jpg?v=1679037356"},"aspect_ratio":0.656,"height":2400,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_d4b401c9-ce88-432d-9f0a-f75a453788b0.jpg?v=1679037356","width":1575}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinner of the Amazon.ca First Novel Award and a finalist for the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize and the Governor General’s Literary Award, \u003ci\u003eThe Break\u003c\/i\u003e is a stunning and heartbreaking debut novel about a multigenerational Métis–Anishnaabe family dealing with the fallout of a shocking crime in Winnipeg’s North End.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen Stella, a young Métis mother, looks out her window one evening and spots someone in trouble on the Break — a barren field on an isolated strip of land outside her house — she calls the police to alert them to a possible crime.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn a series of shifting narratives, people who are connected, both directly and indirectly, with the victim — police, family, and friends — tell their personal stories leading up to that fateful night. Lou, a social worker, grapples with the departure of her live-in boyfriend. Cheryl, an artist, mourns the premature death of her sister Rain. Paulina, a single mother, struggles to trust her new partner. Phoenix, a homeless teenager, is released from a youth detention centre. Officer Scott, a Métis policeman, feels caught between two worlds as he patrols the city. Through their various perspectives a larger, more comprehensive story about lives of the residents in Winnipeg’s North End is exposed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA powerful intergenerational family saga, \u003ci\u003eThe Break\u003c\/i\u003e showcases Vermette’s abundant writing talent and positions her as an exciting new voice in Canadian literature.\u003c\/p\u003e"}
{"AlsoRecommendedISBN_2":"9781487001278","AlsoRecommendedISBN_3":"9781487001711","AlsoRecommendedISBN_6":"9781770899377","BASICMainSubject":"FIC059000","BASICMainSubjectLiteral":"FICTION \/ Indigenous \/ General","BiographicalNote":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKATHERENA VERMETTE\u003c\/strong\u003e is a Métis writer from Treaty One territory, the heart of the Métis nation, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Her first book, \u003cem\u003eNorth End Love Songs\u003c\/em\u003e (The Muses Company), won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry. Her NFB short documentary, \u003cem\u003ethis river\u003c\/em\u003e, won the Coup de Coeur at the Montreal First Peoples Festival and a Canadian Screen Award. Her first novel, \u003cem\u003eThe Break\u003c\/em\u003e, is the winner of three Manitoba Book Awards and the Amazon.ca First Novel Award, and it was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction, the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize, and CBC Canada Reads.\u003c\/p\u003e","BISACSubjectLiteral_0":"FICTION \/ Native American \u0026amp; Aboriginal","BISACSubjectLiteral_1":"FICTION \/ Literary","BISACSubject_0":"FIC059000","BISACSubject_1":"FIC019000","ContributorBio_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKATHERENA VERMETTE\u003c\/strong\u003e is a Métis writer from Treaty One territory, the heart of the Métis nation, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Her first book, \u003cem\u003eNorth End Love Songs\u003c\/em\u003e (The Muses Company), won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry. Her NFB short documentary, \u003cem\u003ethis river\u003c\/em\u003e, won the Coup de Coeur at the Montreal First Peoples Festival and a Canadian Screen Award. Her first novel, \u003cem\u003eThe Break\u003c\/em\u003e, is the winner of three Manitoba Book Awards and the Amazon.ca First Novel Award, and it was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction, the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize, and CBC Canada Reads.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n","ContributorRole_0":"By (author)","Contributor_0":"Vermette, Katherena (CA)","Description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinner of the Amazon.ca First Novel Award and a finalist for the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize and the Governor General’s Literary Award, \u003ci\u003eThe Break\u003c\/i\u003e is a stunning and heartbreaking debut novel about a multigenerational Métis–Anishnaabe family dealing with the fallout of a shocking crime in Winnipeg’s North End.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen Stella, a young Métis mother, looks out her window one evening and spots someone in trouble on the Break — a barren field on an isolated strip of land outside her house — she calls the police to alert them to a possible crime.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn a series of shifting narratives, people who are connected, both directly and indirectly, with the victim — police, family, and friends — tell their personal stories leading up to that fateful night. Lou, a social worker, grapples with the departure of her live-in boyfriend. Cheryl, an artist, mourns the premature death of her sister Rain. Paulina, a single mother, struggles to trust her new partner. Phoenix, a homeless teenager, is released from a youth detention centre. Officer Scott, a Métis policeman, feels caught between two worlds as he patrols the city. Through their various perspectives a larger, more comprehensive story about lives of the residents in Winnipeg’s North End is exposed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA powerful intergenerational family saga, \u003ci\u003eThe Break\u003c\/i\u003e showcases Vermette’s abundant writing talent and positions her as an exciting new voice in Canadian literature.\u003c\/p\u003e","EAN":"9781487001117","excerpt_0":"https:\/\/biblioshare.org\/BNCservices\/BNCServices.asmx\/Samples?token=fcf85c1c1b298e99\u0026amp;ean=9781487001117\u0026amp;SAN=\u0026amp;Perspective=excerpt\u0026amp;FileNumber=0","guide_0":"https:\/\/biblioshare.org\/BNCservices\/BNCServices.asmx\/Samples?token=fcf85c1c1b298e99\u0026amp;ean=9781487001117\u0026amp;SAN=\u0026amp;Perspective=guide\u0026amp;FileNumber=0","Height":"8","HeightCode":"in","Imprint":"House of Anansi Press","MetaKeywords":"indie","NumberOfPages":"360","OtherText_Review_0":"Vermette is a staggering talent. Reading The Break is like a revelation; stunning, heartbreaking and glorious. From her exquisitely rendered characters to her fully realized world and the ratcheting tension, I couldn’t put it down. Absolutely riveting.","OtherText_Review_0_Src":"Eden Robinson, author of Monkey Beach","OtherText_Review_1":"The narrator of this story is dead. He misses feeling the skin of others, but he likes being about memory. It’s who we are siem. Katherena Vermette rendered the women of the North End gorgeous in her poetry: North End Love Songs. In The Break, she renders them sweet, beautiful battlers who love under the most horrific of circumstances. She points no fingers, just plots the story, person by person, memory by memory, until it is clear that we must give up the feeling of hopelessness that haunts the lives of these women. The Break is itself a beautiful love song of desire to live a full and rich life as cherished women — even when we cannot have that. We can hope. Resilient as the star world from which they arise these women reconcile with their lives without giving in to the horrors they have faced. Vermette captures the reader from beginning to end. She creates unforgettable characters with honor, respect and a deft hand. In so doing she holds the reader’s tender love in her capable hands and weaves us right into the story. The Break is unforgettable.","OtherText_Review_10":"A visionary debut novel.","OtherText_Review_10_Src":"CBC Books","OtherText_Review_11":"Stunning . . . [Vermette] chooses her words with a poet’s precision.","OtherText_Review_11_Src":"Literary Review of Canada","OtherText_Review_12":"One of the great Indigenous novels.","OtherText_Review_12_Src":"First Nations Voice","OtherText_Review_13":"Katherena Vermette’s debut novel, The Break, takes a tough, close-up look at an extended family in Winnipeg, tackling along the way a side of female life that’s often hard to acknowledge: the violence of girls and women sometimes display towards other girls and women, and the power struggles among them. In The Break, the characters may be Métis, but the motivations and emotions are surely universal. This is an accomplished writer who will go far.","OtherText_Review_13_Src":"Margaret Atwood","OtherText_Review_14":"A debut novel brimming with grace and wisdom, that puts the spotlight on the systemic violence being committed in our country, [The Break] is both a wake-up call and a call-to-arms. Vital.","OtherText_Review_14_Src":"Globe and Mail","OtherText_Review_15":"It’s a timely novel that will keep you turning the pages and make you think well after you’ve turned the final one.","OtherText_Review_15_Src":"Niagara This Week","OtherText_Review_1_Src":"Lee Maracle, author of Celia’s Song","OtherText_Review_2":"The lives of the girls and women in The Break are not easy, but their voices — complex, urgent, and unsparing — lay bare what it means to survive, not only once, but multiple times, against the forces of private and national histories. Katherena Vermette is a tremendously gifted writer, a dazzling talent.","OtherText_Review_2_Src":"Madeleine Thien, author of Do Not Say We Have Nothing","OtherText_Review_3":"Fiction is capable of helping us to comprehend difference and otherness, and The Break offers clear insight ino people struggling to secure a place in the world.","OtherText_Review_3_Auth":"Candace Fertile","OtherText_Review_3_Src":"Quill and Quire","OtherText_Review_4":"Katherena Vermette’s poignant novel, set in Winnipeg’s North End, opens with a violent crime that becomes the backdrop for a story of great depth and compassion. This masterfully written narrative shifts among the intergenerational voices of the women of one extended Indigenous family. The Break is a powerful, persuasive novel about the strength and love that bind these women to each other and to the men in their lives. The traditions and wisdom of a community are honoured, as is the exquisite individual humanity of each character. Although this is a novel of social importance, it transcends politics, taking the reader on a journey to the heart of what it means for one person to care about another, survive trauma, and endure.","OtherText_Review_4_Src":"2016 Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize Jury Lauren B. Davis, Trevor Ferguson, and Pasha Malla","OtherText_Review_5":"The Break manages to be political even when it isn’t. It’s a book that explores social issues without ever preaching, or even seeming to be about them at all. It examines the only element of those issues that matter: their human impact. It’s astonishing in its empathy... She doesn’t pull her punches or dress up her truths. The Break leaves it all bare, and it demands to be read.","OtherText_Review_5_Src":"The Uniter","OtherText_Review_6":"Vermette is skilled at writing with a language that is conversational and comfortable and with a poetic ease that makes the hard things easier to swallow. The result is a book that is at times emotionally demanding, funny, suspenseful, and always engaging.","OtherText_Review_6_Src":"The Winnipeg Review","OtherText_Review_7":"Vermette offers us a dazzling portrayal of the patchwork quilt of\r\npain and trauma that women inherit, of the \"big and small half-stories\r\nthat make up a life.\" These are the stories our mothers, sisters and\r\nfriends have told us - the stories we absorb into our bloodstream\r\nuntil they might as well be our own.\r\n\r\n..a stunning debut - a novel whose 10 voices, Greek chorus-like, span\r\nthe full range of human possibility, from its lowest depths to its\r\nmost brilliant triumphs, as they attempt to make sense of this tragic\r\ncrime and of their own lives. \"The Break\" is an astonishing act of\r\nempathy, and its conclusion is heartbreaking. A thriller gives us easy\r\nanswers - a victim and a perpetrator, good guys and bad guys. \"The\r\nBreak\" gives us the actual mess of life.","OtherText_Review_7_Src":"The Globe and Mail","OtherText_Review_8":"With adeptness and sensitivity, Vermette puts a human face to issues that are too-often misunderstood, and in so doing, she has written a book that is both one of the most important of the year and one of the best.\r\n \r\nThough Katherena Vermette is not an emerging writer – she has written seven children’s books and won a Governor General’s award for her poetry collection North End Love Songs – for many, this novel will be their first encounter. And it will be a revelation. Vermette is a fully matured literary talent confronting some of our society’s fundamental problems through understated prose that exudes wisdom and emotion. Every page hides beauty amid suffering; love winning out over violence and hate. Stella, at one point in the novel, thinks about “[a] story that didn’t happen to her but that she keeps and remembers.” The Break is like that; it is a story that will stick with you a long time.","OtherText_Review_8_Src":"The National Post","OtherText_Review_9":"In Vermette’s poetic prose, The Break offers a stark portrayal of the adversity that plagues First Nations women in this country — and the strength that helps them survive.","OtherText_Review_9_Src":"The Toronto Star","OtherText_ShortDescription_0":"A stunning debut novel about a multigenerational Métis–Anishnaabe family dealing with the fallout of a shocking crime in Winnipeg’s North End.","PrizeCodeText_0":"Short-listed","PrizeCodeText_1":"Short-listed","PrizeCodeText_2":"Winner","PrizeCodeText_3":"Winner","PrizeCodeText_4":"Winner","PrizeCodeText_5":"Winner","PrizeCodeText_6":"Short-listed","PrizeCode_0":"04","PrizeCode_1":"04","PrizeCode_2":"01","PrizeCode_3":"01","PrizeCode_4":"01","PrizeCode_5":"01","PrizeCode_6":"04","PrizeName_0":"Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize","PrizeName_1":"Governor General's Literary Award","PrizeName_2":"Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction","PrizeName_3":"Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award","PrizeName_4":"McNally Robinson Book of the Year","PrizeName_5":"Amazon.ca First Novel Award","PrizeName_6":"Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Literature","PrizeYear_0":"2016","PrizeYear_1":"2016","PrizeYear_2":"2017","PrizeYear_3":"2017","PrizeYear_4":"2017","PrizeYear_5":"2017","PrizeYear_6":"2017","ProductFormDescription":"trade paperback","PublicationDate":"2016-09-17","Publisher":"House of Anansi Press Inc","ShortDescription":"A stunning debut novel about a multigenerational Métis–Anishnaabe family dealing with the fallout of a shocking crime in Winnipeg’s North End.","teachersguide_0":"https:\/\/biblioshare.org\/BNCservices\/BNCServices.asmx\/Samples?token=fcf85c1c1b298e99\u0026amp;ean=9781487001117\u0026amp;SAN=\u0026amp;Perspective=teachersguide\u0026amp;FileNumber=0","Width":"5.25","WidthCode":"in"}
The Break
A stunning debut novel about a multigenerational Métis–Anishnaabe family dealing with the fallout of a shocking crime in Winnipeg’s North End.
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{"id":6814252924987,"title":"The Last Wave","handle":"the-last-wave","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGillian Best, winner of the Bronwen Wallace Award for Short Fiction, weaves a striking literary debut centred on one woman’s relationship to the sea in this sweeping intergenerational family saga.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA beautifully rendered family drama set in Dover, England, between the 1940s and the present day, \u003ci\u003eThe Last Wave \u003c\/i\u003efollows the life of Martha, a woman who has swum the English Channel ten times, and the complex relationships she has with her husband, her children, and her close friends. The one constant in Martha’s life is the sea, from her first accidental baptism to her final crossing of the channel. The sea is an escape from her responsibilities as a wife and a mother; it consoles her when she is diagnosed with cancer; and it comforts her when her husband’s mind begins to unravel.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn intergenerational saga spanning six decades, \u003ci\u003eThe Last Wave\u003c\/i\u003e is a wholly authentic portrait of a family buffeted by illness, intolerance, anger, failure, and regret. Gillian Best is a mature, accomplished, and compelling new voice in fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2022-03-24T09:39:47-04:00","created_at":"2022-03-23T13:24:38-04:00","vendor":"House of Anansi Press Inc","type":"","tags":["Adult Audiobooks","Book Club Pick","By (author) Best Gillian","Feminist Reads","House of Anansi Press","pub date: 2017-08-26"],"price":1895,"price_min":1895,"price_max":3499,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":40206682390587,"title":"trade paperback","option1":"trade paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487002930","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Last Wave - trade paperback","public_title":"trade paperback","options":["trade paperback"],"price":2295,"weight":400,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487002930","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":40206685306939,"title":"epub","option1":"epub","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487002947","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Last Wave - epub","public_title":"epub","options":["epub"],"price":1895,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487002947","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":40206686322747,"title":"mobi","option1":"mobi","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487002954","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Last Wave - mobi","public_title":"mobi","options":["mobi"],"price":1895,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487002954","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":40206687502395,"title":"Digital Audio, MP3","option1":"Digital Audio, MP3","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487004408","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Last Wave - Digital Audio, MP3","public_title":"Digital Audio, MP3","options":["Digital Audio, MP3"],"price":3499,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487004408","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_6d558514-eee2-4ee3-a7c0-4b347b222c75.jpg?v=1678599993"],"featured_image":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_6d558514-eee2-4ee3-a7c0-4b347b222c75.jpg?v=1678599993","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":23324549218363,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.656,"height":2400,"width":1575,"src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_6d558514-eee2-4ee3-a7c0-4b347b222c75.jpg?v=1678599993"},"aspect_ratio":0.656,"height":2400,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_6d558514-eee2-4ee3-a7c0-4b347b222c75.jpg?v=1678599993","width":1575}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGillian Best, winner of the Bronwen Wallace Award for Short Fiction, weaves a striking literary debut centred on one woman’s relationship to the sea in this sweeping intergenerational family saga.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA beautifully rendered family drama set in Dover, England, between the 1940s and the present day, \u003ci\u003eThe Last Wave \u003c\/i\u003efollows the life of Martha, a woman who has swum the English Channel ten times, and the complex relationships she has with her husband, her children, and her close friends. The one constant in Martha’s life is the sea, from her first accidental baptism to her final crossing of the channel. The sea is an escape from her responsibilities as a wife and a mother; it consoles her when she is diagnosed with cancer; and it comforts her when her husband’s mind begins to unravel.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn intergenerational saga spanning six decades, \u003ci\u003eThe Last Wave\u003c\/i\u003e is a wholly authentic portrait of a family buffeted by illness, intolerance, anger, failure, and regret. Gillian Best is a mature, accomplished, and compelling new voice in fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e"}
{"AlsoRecommendedISBN_0":"9780887842900","AlsoRecommendedISBN_1":"9781487002152","AlsoRecommendedISBN_5":"9781770899902","BASICMainSubject":"FIC044000","BASICMainSubjectLiteral":"FICTION \/ Women","BiographicalNote":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGILLIAN BEST\u003c\/strong\u003e is a writer, swimmer, and seaside enthusiast. She won the Bronwen Wallace Award for Short Fiction and was a finalist for the Bridport Prize International Creative Writing Competition and Wasafiri’s New Writing Prize. She was also longlisted for the WriteIdea Short Story Prize. She has studied at York University, University College Falmouth, and the University of Glasgow. Originally from Waterloo, Canada, she now lives in Bristol, U.K.\u003c\/p\u003e","BISACSubjectLiteral_0":"FICTION \/ Women","BISACSubjectLiteral_1":"FICTION \/ Literary","BISACSubjectLiteral_2":"FICTION \/ Family Life \/ General","BISACSubject_0":"FIC044000","BISACSubject_1":"FIC019000","BISACSubject_2":"FIC045000","ContributorBio_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGILLIAN BEST\u003c\/strong\u003e is a writer, swimmer, and seaside enthusiast. She won the Bronwen Wallace Award for Short Fiction and was a finalist for the Bridport Prize International Creative Writing Competition and Wasafiri’s New Writing Prize. She was also longlisted for the WriteIdea Short Story Prize. She has studied at York University, University College Falmouth, and the University of Glasgow. Originally from Waterloo, Canada, she now lives in Bristol, U.K.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n","ContributorRole_0":"By (author)","Contributor_0":"Best, Gillian (CA)","Description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGillian Best, winner of the Bronwen Wallace Award for Short Fiction, weaves a striking literary debut centred on one woman’s relationship to the sea in this sweeping intergenerational family saga.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA beautifully rendered family drama set in Dover, England, between the 1940s and the present day, \u003ci\u003eThe Last Wave \u003c\/i\u003efollows the life of Martha, a woman who has swum the English Channel ten times, and the complex relationships she has with her husband, her children, and her close friends. The one constant in Martha’s life is the sea, from her first accidental baptism to her final crossing of the channel. The sea is an escape from her responsibilities as a wife and a mother; it consoles her when she is diagnosed with cancer; and it comforts her when her husband’s mind begins to unravel.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn intergenerational saga spanning six decades, \u003ci\u003eThe Last Wave\u003c\/i\u003e is a wholly authentic portrait of a family buffeted by illness, intolerance, anger, failure, and regret. Gillian Best is a mature, accomplished, and compelling new voice in fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e","EAN":"9781487002930","excerpt_0":"https:\/\/biblioshare.org\/BNCservices\/BNCServices.asmx\/Samples?token=fcf85c1c1b298e99\u0026amp;ean=9781487002930\u0026amp;SAN=\u0026amp;Perspective=excerpt\u0026amp;FileNumber=0","guide_0":"https:\/\/biblioshare.org\/BNCservices\/BNCServices.asmx\/Samples?token=fcf85c1c1b298e99\u0026amp;ean=9781487002930\u0026amp;SAN=\u0026amp;Perspective=guide\u0026amp;FileNumber=0","Height":"8","HeightCode":"in","Imprint":"House of Anansi Press","MetaKeywords":"family drama; terminal illness; dementia; mother daughter relationship; intergenerational; saga; long distance swimming; competitive swimming; swimming lessons; claire fuller; multiple narrators; divorce; alzheimers; cancer; dysfunctional; the unlikely pilgrimage of harold fry; love story; canlit; women writers; women's Literature; contemporary fiction; girl runner carrie snyder; gifts for mom; mothers day; book club","NumberOfPages":"304","OtherText_Accolades_0":"Those who liked The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry will enjoy Gillian Best’s The Last Wave for its quiet, intense examination of a woman fleeing British familial agony for the sea’s thrilling embrace.","OtherText_Accolades_0_Auth":"Kathleen Winter","OtherText_Back_cover_copy_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePERFECT BOOK CLUB PICK\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Last Wave\u003c\/em\u003e hits right on the commercial\/literary sweet spot; it is perfect for people who love books about women reaching beyond the limits of their time, similar to \u003cem\u003eSwimming Lessons\u003c\/em\u003e by Claire Fuller. Notably, the gorgeous, evocative cover enhances its marketability.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Description_for_R_0":"\u003cp\u003e“Martha!” I heard my father call from the foot of the stairs. “Put your shoes on and grab a jumper, love.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI looked out my bedroom window across the rooftops that stretched out towards the flash of the sea on the horizon. The sky was clear and though it wasn’t the bright blue of picture postcards, it seemed like the day was warm enough to go without a jumper which stood every chance of being lost or forgotten, but I did as I was told, taking my least favourite cardigan — mint green with a Peter Pan collar that I despised because it looked like a lime sherbet sweet — and hoping that the outing might provide a believable excuse for me to be rid of it. Though, if having to carry around a cardigan were the price of the excursion, I would happily pay it. Invitations like this did not come around often and if I behaved myself the chance of a second invitation seemed good. Fishing held no interest to me, but the prospect of leaving the confines of our house, garden and road was thrilling. Such escapes were few and far between, even now, a year after the war had ended.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMy father stood by the door with his fishing line and a metal lunchbox that I knew contained the hooks and worms he would need my help with. I presented myself to him: feet together, back straight, saluting. It was a habit I had developed when he had come back from the fighting and I had hoped it would convince him that I was respectful and knowledgeable enough to hear about his adventures in France, especially the story that would explain how he had lost his right arm. It didn’t work, but it was one of the few things that could make his face soften.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“You carry the tackle,” he said, as he stepped out of the way so I could open the door for him.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI turned the handle and stepped aside. He walked past me, not stopping to make sure I had closed the door properly which made it perfectly clear to me that he and I were not going fishing together, but rather that I was an interloper and would have to pull my own weight and do my best to keep up.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“There is to be no talking,” my father said, when I had caught up to him.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI nodded in agreement. This was serious business.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“You’re to put one worm on each hook. No more, no less.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI nodded.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Take care not to drop the worm. I don’t want to be surrounded by dead worm bodies the rest of the afternoon.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI kept nodding my head.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“And you’re not to jump and dance around. Not like last time.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLast time I had not been at my best. I had been listening to the radio quite intensely the week before and worked out an elaborate dance I had insisted on demonstrating for my father and his friends. My father was not impressed, but it hadn’t mattered. I was captivated by the sound of my feet on the wooden slats of the pier, mixed with the echo from the waves washing up on shore and that had been more than enough excitement to fill my mind to near bursting, leaving little room for his lecture on proper behaviour.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Keep out of the way,” he said. “And be quiet.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis last instruction was the most important.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Previous_review_q_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eU.S. OUTREACH\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Last Wave\u003c\/em\u003e will be available on NetGalley and Edelweiss and has been submitted to Indies Introduce. We intend to bring Gillian Best, who is incredibly charismatic, to Winter Institute in 2018.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW COPIES\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eBooklist\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Review_0":"A rich portrait of one woman, her family and the undercurrents of life.","OtherText_Review_0_Src":"Hello Canada","OtherText_Review_1":"Thoroughly enjoyable.","OtherText_Review_1_Src":"CBC Books","OtherText_Review_2":"[The Last Wave is] literary and lucid, sketching out a compelling character through six decades worth of angst and illness.","OtherText_Review_2_Src":"Toronto Life","OtherText_ShortDescription_0":"An intergenerational saga that follows the life of Martha, a woman who has swum the English Channel ten times, and her complex relationships.","ProductFormDescription":"trade paperback","PublicationDate":"2017-08-26","Publisher":"House of Anansi Press Inc","ShortDescription":"An intergenerational saga that follows the life of Martha, a woman who has swum the English Channel ten times, and her complex relationships.","Width":"5.25","WidthCode":"in"}
The Last Wave
An intergenerational saga that follows the life of Martha, a woman who has swum the English Channel ten times, and her complex relationships.
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{"id":6813792567355,"title":"The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart","handle":"the-lost-flowers-of-alice-hart","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn enchanting and captivating novel about how our untold stories haunt us — and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter her family suffers a tragedy, nine-year-old Alice Hart is forced to leave her idyllic seaside home. She is taken in by her grandmother, June, a flower farmer who raises Alice on the language of Australian native flowers, a way to say the things that are too hard to speak.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnder the watchful eye of June and the women who run the farm, Alice settles, but grows up increasingly frustrated by how little she knows of her family’s story. In her early twenties, Alice’s life is thrown into upheaval again when she suffers devastating betrayal and loss. Desperate to outrun grief, Alice flees to the dramatically beautiful central Australian desert. In this otherworldly landscape Alice thinks she has found solace, until she meets a charismatic and ultimately dangerous man.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpanning two decades, set between sugar cane fields by the sea, a native Australian flower farm, and a celestial crater in the central desert, \u003ci\u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/i\u003e follows Alice’s unforgettable journey, as she learns that the most powerful story she will ever possess is her own.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2022-03-23T13:02:37-04:00","created_at":"2022-03-23T09:19:53-04:00","vendor":"House of Anansi Press Inc","type":"","tags":["Adult Audiobooks","Adult Bestseller","Book Club Pick","By (author) Ringland Holly","Feminist Reads","House of Anansi Press","pub date: 2018-08-07"],"price":1999,"price_min":1999,"price_max":3499,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":40205706559547,"title":"trade paperback","option1":"trade paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487005221","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart - 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She is taken in by her grandmother, June, a flower farmer who raises Alice on the language of Australian native flowers, a way to say the things that are too hard to speak.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnder the watchful eye of June and the women who run the farm, Alice settles, but grows up increasingly frustrated by how little she knows of her family’s story. In her early twenties, Alice’s life is thrown into upheaval again when she suffers devastating betrayal and loss. Desperate to outrun grief, Alice flees to the dramatically beautiful central Australian desert. In this otherworldly landscape Alice thinks she has found solace, until she meets a charismatic and ultimately dangerous man.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpanning two decades, set between sugar cane fields by the sea, a native Australian flower farm, and a celestial crater in the central desert, \u003ci\u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/i\u003e follows Alice’s unforgettable journey, as she learns that the most powerful story she will ever possess is her own.\u003c\/p\u003e"}
{"AlsoRecommendedISBN_0":"9781487002930","AlsoRecommendedISBN_5":"9781770893252","AlsoRecommendedISBN_6":"9781770898240","BASICMainSubject":"FIC000000","BASICMainSubjectLiteral":"FICTION \/ General","BiographicalNote":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong \u003eHOLLY RINGLAND\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of the award-winning international bestseller \u003cem \u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/em\u003e, adapted into a seven-part TV series on Amazon Prime, starring Sigourney Weaver. After living between Australia and the UK for ten years, Holly has been based in the Yugambeh region of southeast Queensland since 2020, where she wrote \u003cem \u003eThe Seven Skins of Esther Wilding \u003c\/em\u003ein her “office,” a vintage caravan named Frenchie. hollyringland.com\u003c\/p\u003e","BISACSubjectLiteral_0":"FICTION \/ General","BISACSubjectLiteral_1":"FICTION \/ Literary","BISACSubject_0":"FIC000000","BISACSubject_1":"FIC019000","ContributorBio_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong \u003eHOLLY RINGLAND\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of the award-winning international bestseller \u003cem \u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/em\u003e, adapted into a seven-part TV series on Amazon Prime, starring Sigourney Weaver. After living between Australia and the UK for ten years, Holly has been based in the Yugambeh region of southeast Queensland since 2020, where she wrote \u003cem \u003eThe Seven Skins of Esther Wilding \u003c\/em\u003ein her “office,” a vintage caravan named Frenchie. hollyringland.com\u003c\/p\u003e\n","ContributorRole_0":"By (author)","Contributor_0":"Ringland, Holly","Description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn enchanting and captivating novel about how our untold stories haunt us — and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter her family suffers a tragedy, nine-year-old Alice Hart is forced to leave her idyllic seaside home. She is taken in by her grandmother, June, a flower farmer who raises Alice on the language of Australian native flowers, a way to say the things that are too hard to speak.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnder the watchful eye of June and the women who run the farm, Alice settles, but grows up increasingly frustrated by how little she knows of her family’s story. In her early twenties, Alice’s life is thrown into upheaval again when she suffers devastating betrayal and loss. Desperate to outrun grief, Alice flees to the dramatically beautiful central Australian desert. In this otherworldly landscape Alice thinks she has found solace, until she meets a charismatic and ultimately dangerous man.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpanning two decades, set between sugar cane fields by the sea, a native Australian flower farm, and a celestial crater in the central desert, \u003ci\u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/i\u003e follows Alice’s unforgettable journey, as she learns that the most powerful story she will ever possess is her own.\u003c\/p\u003e","EAN":"9781487005221","excerpt_0":"https:\/\/biblioshare.org\/BNCservices\/BNCServices.asmx\/Samples?token=fcf85c1c1b298e99\u0026amp;ean=9781487005221\u0026amp;SAN=\u0026amp;Perspective=excerpt\u0026amp;FileNumber=0","Height":"8.5","HeightCode":"in","Imprint":"House of Anansi Press","MetaKeywords":"Sigourney weaver; sue monk kidd; secret life of bees; weyward; emilia hart; the lost kitchen; erin French; remarkably bright creatures; nine perfect strangers; big little lies; white lotus; hello beautiful; ann napolitano; geraldine brooks; Elizabeth strout; lucy barton; erin benzakein; growing floret; the garden chronicles; trauma narrative; family drama; botany; mother daughter relationship; Alycia Debnam-Carey; bohemian","NumberOfPages":"400","OtherText_Accolades_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/em\u003e is a book that glows — in the fire and heart of it; in the wonder and hope of it. Holly Ringland is a gifted, natural storyteller and her novel — about finding magic in the dark; about the power of freedom and the freedom of story — istruly a light-giving, tender thing. A vivid, compelling, utterly moving debut.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_0_Auth":"Brooke Davis, author of international bestseller Lost \u0026 Found, winner of 2015 ABIA Fiction Book of the Year","OtherText_Accolades_1":"\u003cp\u003eNot everyone who visits the central Australian desert understands the landscape of it. Holly Ringland does and shares her heart instincts in this epic telling. Each page arrives to us like the first flight of the butterfly from its cocoon. \u003cem\u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/em\u003e is a literary gift.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_1_Auth":"Ali Cobby Eckermann, Yankunytjatjara poet, 2017 Windham-Campbell winner.","OtherText_Accolades_2":"This novel shines with courage, with heart, and with love. Infused with a tender ferocity, and the beauty and warmth of native flowers, it invokes great stories of loss, kindness and home.","OtherText_Accolades_2_Auth":"Ashley Hay, author of The Railwayman’s Wife, winner of the 2013 Colin Roderick Award","OtherText_Back_cover_copy_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAN INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING EVENT:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe novel has been sold to than fourteen countries:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarper Collins 4th Estate\u003c\/strong\u003e ANZ, \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePanMacmillan Mantle\u003c\/strong\u003e, UK\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHouse of Anansi Press\u003c\/strong\u003e, Canada\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRandom House Limes Verlag\u003c\/strong\u003e, Germany\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLuitingh Sijthoff\u003c\/strong\u003e, Holland\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGarzanti\u003c\/strong\u003e, Italy \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdiciones Salamandra\u003c\/strong\u003e, Spain \u0026 Latin America\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdiçions 62\u003c\/strong\u003e, Catalonia region\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMarginesy Publishing\u003c\/strong\u003e, Poland \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePorto Editora\u003c\/strong\u003e, Portugal \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYabanci\u003c\/strong\u003e, Turkey \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTchelet Steimatzky\u003c\/strong\u003e, Israel \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShueisha\u003c\/strong\u003e, Japan \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVulkan\u003c\/strong\u003e, Serbia \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAST Janri\u003c\/strong\u003e, Russia \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFayard\u003c\/strong\u003e, France\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA DEBUT LITERARY NOVEL WITH COMMERCIAL APPEAL:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThis is a beautiful debut literary novel with huge commercial appeal, reminiscent of The Secret Life of Bees. It is also reminiscent of the novels Our Endless Numbered Days and Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Description_for_R_0":"\u003cdiv \u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFlannel flower\n\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\/\u003e\u003cbr\/\u003e\n Meaning: \u003cstrong\u003eWhat is lost is found\n\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\/\u003e\u003cbr\/\u003e\n \u003cem\u003eActinotus helianthi\u003c\/em\u003e | New South Wales\n\u003cbr\/\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe stem, branches and leaves of the plant are a pale grey in colour, covered in downy hair, and flannel-like in texture. Pretty, daisy-shaped flowers bloom in spring, though flowering may be profuse after bushfires.\u003c\/p\u003e\n *\u003cbr\/\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe first story Alice ever learned began on the edge of darkness, where her newborn screams restarted her mother’s heart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe night she was born, a subtropical storm had blown in from the east and caused king tides to flood the river banks, cutting off the lane between the Harts’ property and town. Stranded in the laneway with her water broken and a band of fire seemingly cutting her in half, Agnes Hart pushed life and a daughter out of her body on the back seat of her husband’s truck. Clem Hart, consumed by panic as the storm boomed over the cane fields, was at first too frantic swaddling his newborn to notice his wife’s pallor. When he saw her face turn white as sand, her lips the shade of a pipi shell, Clem fell upon her in a frenzy, forgetting their baby. He shook Agnes, to no avail. It wasn’t until her daughter screamed that Agnes was jolted to consciousness. On either side of the laneway, rain-soaked bushes burst into a flurry of white flowers. Alice’s first breaths were filled with lightning and the scent of storm lilies in bloom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eYou were the true love I needed to wake me from a curse, Bun,\u003c\/em\u003e her mother would say to finish the story. \u003cem\u003eYou’re my fairytale.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWhen Alice was two years old, Agnes introduced her to books; as she read, she pointed to each word on the page. Down at the beach, she repeated: one cuttlefish, two feathers, three pieces of driftwood, four shells, and five shards of sea glass. Around their house, Agnes’s hand-lettered signs: BOOK. CHAIR. WINDOW. DOOR. TABLE. CUP. BATH. BED. By the time Alice started homeschooling when she was five, she was reading by herself. Though her love of books was swift and absolute, Alice always loved her mother’s storytelling more. When they were alone, Agnes spun stories around the two of them. But never in earshot of Alice’s father.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTheir ritual was to walk to the sea and lay on the sand staring up at the sky. With her mother’s gentle voice telling the way, they took winter train trips across Europe, through landscapes with mountains so tall you couldn’t see their tops, and ridges so smothered in snow you couldn’t see the line separating the white sky from white earth. They wore velvet coats in the cobblestoned city of a tattooed king, where the harbour buildings were as colourful as a box of paints, and a mermaid sat, cast in bronze, forever awaiting love. Alice often closed her eyes, imagining that every thread in her mother’s stories might spin them into the centre of a chrysalis, from which they could emerge and fly away.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWhen Alice was six years old, her mother tucked her into her bed one evening, leant forward and whispered in her ear. \u003cem\u003eIt’s time, Bun.\u003c\/em\u003e She sat back smiling as she pulled up the covers. \u003cem\u003eYou’re old enough now to help me in my garden.\u003c\/em\u003e Alice squirmed with excitement; her mother usually left her with a book while she gardened alone. \u003cem\u003eWe’ll start tomorrow,\u003c\/em\u003e Agnes said before she turned out the light. Repeatedly through the night, Alice woke to peer through the dark windows. At last she saw the first thread of light in the sky and threw her sheets back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAlice’s mother was in the kitchen making Vegemite and cottage cheese on toast and a pot of honeyed tea, which she carried on a tray outside to her garden alongside the house. The air was cool, the early sun was warm. Her mother rested the tray on a mossy tree stump and poured sweet tea into two teacups. They sat chewing and drinking in silence. Alice’s pulse beat loudly in her temples. After Agnes ate the last of her toast and finished her tea, she crouched between her ferns and flowers, murmuring as if she was rousing sleeping children. Alice wasn’t sure what to do. Was this gardening? She mimicked her mother and sat with the plants, watching.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSlowly, the lines of worry in her mother’s face vanished. Her furrowed brow relaxed. She didn’t wring her hands, or fidget. Her eyes were full and clear. She became someone Alice didn’t recognise. Her mother was peaceful. She was calm. The sight filled Alice with the kind of green hope she found at the bottom of rock pools at low tide but never managed to cup in her hands.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe more time she spent with her mother in the garden, the more deeply Alice understood — from the tilt of Agnes’s wrist when she inspected a new bud, to the light that reached her eyes when she lifted her chin, and the thin rings of dirt that encircled her fingers as she coaxed new fern fronds from the soil — the truest parts of her mother bloomed among her plants. Especially when she talked to the flowers. Her eyes glazed over and she mumbled in a secret language, a word here, a phrase there as she snapped flowers off their stems and tucked them into her pockets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSorrowful remembrance,\u003c\/em\u003e she’d say as she plucked a bindweed flower from its vine. \u003cem\u003eLove, returned.\u003c\/em\u003e The citrusy scent of lemon myrtle would fill the air as she tore it from a branch. \u003cem\u003ePleasures of memory.\u003c\/em\u003e Her mother pocketed a scarlet palm of kangaroo paw.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eQuestions scratched at the back of Alice’s throat. Why did her mother’s words only flow when she was telling stories about other places and other worlds? What about their world, right in front of them? Where did she go when her eyes were far away? Why couldn’t Alice go with her?\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBy her seventh birthday, Alice’s body was heavy from the burden of unanswered questions. They filled her chest. Why did her mother talk to the native flowers in such cryptic ways? How could her father be two different people? What curse did Alice’s first tears save her mother from? Although they weighed on her mind, Alice’s questions remained stuck, lodged in her windpipe as painfully as if she’d swallowed a seedpod. Moments of opportunity came on good days in the garden, when the light fell just so, yet Alice said nothing. In silence, she followed her mother as her pockets filled with flowers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIf Agnes ever noticed Alice’s silence, she never said anything to break it. It was understood time spent in the garden was quiet time. \u003cem\u003eLike a library,\u003c\/em\u003e her mother once mused as she glided through her maidenhair ferns. Though Alice hadn’t ever been to a library — to see more books in one place than she could imagine, or hear the whispers of collective pages turning — she felt she almost had, through her mother’s stories. From Agnes’s description, Alice imagined a library must be a quiet garden of books, where stories grew like flowers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAlice hadn’t been anywhere else beyond their property either. Her life was confined to its boundaries: from her mother’s garden to the where the cane fields started, to the bay where the sea curled close by. She was forbidden to venture further than those lines, and especially the one that separated their driveway from the lane that led into town. \u003cem\u003eIt’s no place for a girl,\u003c\/em\u003e her father would say, slamming his fist on the dinner table, making the plates and cutlery jump, whenever Alice’s mother suggested sending her to school. \u003cem\u003eShe’s safer here,\u003c\/em\u003e he’d growl, putting an end to the conversation. That’s what her father was most able to do, put an end to everything.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWhether they spent their day in the garden or at the sea, the point always came when a storm bird would call, or a cloud would cross the sun, and Alice’s mother would shake herself awake, as if she’d been sleepwalking through a dream. She became animated, turning on her heel to sprint towards the house, calling over her shoulder at Alice, \u003cem\u003efirst one to the kitchen gets fresh cream on her scones.\u003c\/em\u003e Afternoon tea was a bittersweet time; her father would be home soon. Ten minutes before he was due, her mother would position herself by the front door, her face pulled too tight in a smile, her voice pitched too high, her fingers in knots.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSome days Alice’s mother disappeared from her body altogether. There were no stories or walks to the sea. There was no talking with flowers. Her mother would stay in bed with the curtains drawn against the blanching light, vanished, as if her soul had gone somewhere else entirely.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWhen that happened, Alice tried to distract herself from the way the air in the house pressed on her body; the awful silence as if no one were home; the sight of her mother crumpled in bed. Those were things that made it difficult to breathe. Alice picked up books she’d read a dozen times already and revisited school worksheets she’d already completed. She fled to the sea to caw with the gulls and chase waves along shore. She ran alongside the walls of sugar cane, throwing her hair back and swaying like the green stalks in the hot wind. But no matter how she tried, nothing felt good. Alice wished on feathers and dandelions to be a bird and fly far away into the golden seam of the horizon, where the sea was sewn to the sky. Day after shadowy day passed without her mother. Alice paced the edges of her world. It was only a matter of time before she learned she could disappear too.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Previous_review_q_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW COPIES\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBooklist\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Review_0":"This story about family, love, and reinvention is defiant in its sweetness and is stirring to its end.","OtherText_Review_0_Src":"Foreword Reviews","OtherText_Review_1":"\u003cp\u003eWhat can I say about \u003cem\u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/em\u003e that would live up to the beauty of the words in this book? … A gorgeous book inside and out.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_1_Src":"A Couple Reads","OtherText_Review_2":"An impressive coming-of-age debut.","OtherText_Review_2_Src":"Baking Bookworm","OtherText_Review_3":"An engrossing novel imbued with passion and reverence for the Australian natural world, with a cast of characters that inspire affection in the reader even as they make mistakes.","OtherText_Review_3_Src":"Books and Publishing","OtherText_Review_4":"\u003cp\u003eA dark, floral fairytale ... There is a reason Ringland’s novel, her first, and already a bestseller, has been bought by publishers around the world, and it’s not the native flowers ... The first half of\u003cem\u003e The Lost Flowers\u003c\/em\u003e is delicate and dark as a fairytale, with violent details that stick to you like burrs. But it is in the second half, with Alice out in the real world, where Ringland really gets into gear, and her talent is undeniable ... Ringland’s storytelling is driven by an undimmed sense of wonder at the darkness and light, the damage and love in people. It makes for a determined investigation of abuse and survival accomplished with profound sensitivity.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_4_Auth":"Sydney Morning Herald","OtherText_Review_5":"\u003cp\u003eDomestic violence and the lies that surround it—rarely is the topic explored in such a beautifully written, hopeful, and enthralling tale.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_5_Auth":"Herald Sun","OtherText_Review_6":"\u003cp\u003eLush, powerful ... This is an engrossing novel imbued with passion and reverence for the Australian natural world, with a cast of characters that inspire affection in the reader even as they make mistakes. Those who couldn’t put down \u003cem\u003eThe Natural Way of Things\u003c\/em\u003e will find a gentler but no less compelling journey of female survival in this novel.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_6_Auth":"Books+Publishing","OtherText_Review_7":"\u003cp\u003eThere’s an aching heart beating through Holly Ringland’s narrative that although at times seems almost broken, is stitched back together with shards of optimism that offer constant hope. These are characters we love, care about, and want to nurture ... A vivid and brave tale of love, loss, and inner power.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_7_Auth":"Australian Women’s Weekly","OtherText_Review_8":"\u003cp\u003eAt its heart, this book is about finding a way to care for yourself, in a world that sometimes likes to step on its flowers.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_8_Auth":"Courier‑Mail","OtherText_ShortDescription_0":"An enchanting and captivating novel about how our untold stories haunt us — and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive.","ProductFormDescription":"trade paperback","PublicationDate":"2018-08-07","Publisher":"House of Anansi Press Inc","ShortDescription":"An enchanting and captivating novel about how our untold stories haunt us — and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive.","Width":"5.5","WidthCode":"in"}
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart
An enchanting and captivating novel about how our untold stories haunt us — and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive.
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{"id":7130424705083,"title":"The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding","handle":"the-seven-skins-of-esther-wilding","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA haunting, magical novel about joy, grief, courage and transformation from the international bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e‘On the afternoon that Esther Wilding drove homeward along the coast, a year after her sister had walked into the sea and disappeared, the light was painfully golden.’\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe last time Esther Wilding’s beloved older sister Aura was seen, she was walking along the shore towards the sea. In the wake of Aura’s disappearance, Esther’s family struggles to live with their loss. To seek the truth about her sister’s death, Esther reluctantly travels from Lutruwita\/Tasmania, to Copenhagen, and then to the Faroe Islands, following the trail of the stories Aura left behind: seven fairy tales about selkies, swans and women, alongside cryptic verses Aura wrote and had secretly tattooed on her body. \u003cem\u003eThe Seven Skins of Esther Wilding\u003c\/em\u003e is a sweeping, deeply beautiful and profoundly moving novel about the far reaches of sisterly love, the power of wearing your heart on your skin and the ways life can transform when we find the courage to feel the fullness of both grief and joy.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2023-07-27T13:22:14-04:00","created_at":"2023-05-08T16:36:04-04:00","vendor":"House of Anansi Press Inc","type":"","tags":["Adult New Releases","Anansi International","By (author) Ringland Holly","Feminist Reads","Literary Fiction","pub date: 2024-02-06"],"price":1999,"price_min":1999,"price_max":2699,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":41234856837179,"title":"trade paperback","option1":"trade paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487012748","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding - trade paperback","public_title":"trade paperback","options":["trade paperback"],"price":2699,"weight":553,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487012748","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":41234857656379,"title":"epub","option1":"epub","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487012755","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding - epub","public_title":"epub","options":["epub"],"price":1999,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487012755","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/BNCImageAPI_87cc923e-676f-4526-9487-f5e6b87c10d5.jpg?v=1709589642"],"featured_image":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/BNCImageAPI_87cc923e-676f-4526-9487-f5e6b87c10d5.jpg?v=1709589642","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":24264818524219,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.647,"height":2550,"width":1650,"src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/BNCImageAPI_87cc923e-676f-4526-9487-f5e6b87c10d5.jpg?v=1709589642"},"aspect_ratio":0.647,"height":2550,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/BNCImageAPI_87cc923e-676f-4526-9487-f5e6b87c10d5.jpg?v=1709589642","width":1650}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA haunting, magical novel about joy, grief, courage and transformation from the international bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e‘On the afternoon that Esther Wilding drove homeward along the coast, a year after her sister had walked into the sea and disappeared, the light was painfully golden.’\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe last time Esther Wilding’s beloved older sister Aura was seen, she was walking along the shore towards the sea. In the wake of Aura’s disappearance, Esther’s family struggles to live with their loss. To seek the truth about her sister’s death, Esther reluctantly travels from Lutruwita\/Tasmania, to Copenhagen, and then to the Faroe Islands, following the trail of the stories Aura left behind: seven fairy tales about selkies, swans and women, alongside cryptic verses Aura wrote and had secretly tattooed on her body. \u003cem\u003eThe Seven Skins of Esther Wilding\u003c\/em\u003e is a sweeping, deeply beautiful and profoundly moving novel about the far reaches of sisterly love, the power of wearing your heart on your skin and the ways life can transform when we find the courage to feel the fullness of both grief and joy.\u003c\/p\u003e"}
{"AlsoRecommendedISBN_0":"9781487001193","AlsoRecommendedISBN_1":"9781487002930","AlsoRecommendedISBN_2":"9781487005221","BASICMainSubject":"FIC045020","BASICMainSubjectLiteral":"FICTION \/ Family Life \/ Siblings","BiographicalNote":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong \u003eHOLLY RINGLAND\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of the award-winning international bestseller \u003cem \u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/em\u003e, adapted into a seven-part TV series on Amazon Prime, starring Sigourney Weaver. After living between Australia and the UK for ten years, Holly has been based in the Yugambeh region of southeast Queensland since 2020, where she wrote \u003cem \u003eThe Seven Skins of Esther Wilding \u003c\/em\u003ein her “office,” a vintage caravan named Frenchie. hollyringland.com\u003c\/p\u003e","BISACSubjectLiteral_0":"FICTION \/ Family Life \/ Siblings","BISACSubjectLiteral_1":"FICTION \/ Women","BISACSubjectLiteral_2":"FICTION \/ Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends \u0026amp; Mythology","BISACSubject_0":"FIC045020","BISACSubject_1":"FIC044000","BISACSubject_2":"FIC010000","ContributorBio_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong \u003eHOLLY RINGLAND\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of the award-winning international bestseller \u003cem \u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/em\u003e, adapted into a seven-part TV series on Amazon Prime, starring Sigourney Weaver. After living between Australia and the UK for ten years, Holly has been based in the Yugambeh region of southeast Queensland since 2020, where she wrote \u003cem \u003eThe Seven Skins of Esther Wilding \u003c\/em\u003ein her “office,” a vintage caravan named Frenchie. hollyringland.com\u003c\/p\u003e\n","ContributorRole_0":"By (author)","Contributor_0":"Ringland, Holly","Description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA haunting, magical novel about joy, grief, courage and transformation from the international bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e‘On the afternoon that Esther Wilding drove homeward along the coast, a year after her sister had walked into the sea and disappeared, the light was painfully golden.’\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe last time Esther Wilding’s beloved older sister Aura was seen, she was walking along the shore towards the sea. In the wake of Aura’s disappearance, Esther’s family struggles to live with their loss. To seek the truth about her sister’s death, Esther reluctantly travels from Lutruwita\/Tasmania, to Copenhagen, and then to the Faroe Islands, following the trail of the stories Aura left behind: seven fairy tales about selkies, swans and women, alongside cryptic verses Aura wrote and had secretly tattooed on her body. \u003cem\u003eThe Seven Skins of Esther Wilding\u003c\/em\u003e is a sweeping, deeply beautiful and profoundly moving novel about the far reaches of sisterly love, the power of wearing your heart on your skin and the ways life can transform when we find the courage to feel the fullness of both grief and joy.\u003c\/p\u003e","EAN":"9781487012748","excerpt_0":"https:\/\/biblioshare.org\/BNCservices\/BNCServices.asmx\/Samples?token=fcf85c1c1b298e99\u0026amp;ean=9781487012748\u0026amp;SAN=\u0026amp;Perspective=excerpt\u0026amp;FileNumber=0","Height":"8.5","HeightCode":"in","Imprint":"Anansi International","MetaKeywords":"folk tales;family saga;mystery;lost spells;book club;sibling relationships;witchy;radical kindness;australian literature","NumberOfPages":"560","OtherText_Accolades_0":"\u003cp\u003eMyths and legends are the touchstone to truth in this epic journey through love, loss, courage, and kinship. But \u003cem\u003eThe Seven Skins of Esther Wilding\u003c\/em\u003e is also an elegant and mesmerising tribute to the places that hold our stories, heart, and memories. Holly Ringland writes with such tenderness, wit, and imagination about all these things that it’s impossible to come away from this magical story unchanged.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_0_Auth":"Sally Piper, author of Bone Memories","OtherText_Accolades_1":"\u003cp\u003eAnother spell is cast by Holly Ringland. I was swept away by this triumphant and luminous story.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_1_Auth":"Myfanwy Jones, Miles Franklin Literary Award shortlisted author for Leap","OtherText_Accolades_2":"\u003cp\u003eNobody writes about the pain of being alive more deftly than Holly Ringland. She brings such empathy to the topics of grief, love, family conflict, and loss. Some of her sentences took my breath away, and I found myself madly flicking pages, days later, to find them again for safekeeping. Astonishing in its scope, detail, and sensitivity, \u003cem\u003eThe Seven Skins of Esther Wilding\u003c\/em\u003e is tender, magical, epic, funny, and devastating. This is a very special writer at her best.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_2_Auth":"Kate Leaver, author of The Friendship Cure","OtherText_Back_cover_copy_0":"\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe seven-part TV series of \u003cem\u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/em\u003e starring Sigourney Weaver will be launched in over 240 countries and territories via Amazon Prime in 2023.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/em\u003e was one of the publishing sensations of 2018, selling over 120K across all formats in Australia. Holly Ringland was a hit at the Winter Institute in 2019.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHarperCollins Australia is Ringland’s originating publisher.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Review_0":"\u003cp\u003eVivid and soaring ... \u003cem\u003eThe Seven Skins of Esther Wilding\u003c\/em\u003e is a haunting story of trauma and redemption that is nonetheless compelling and accessible. It’s a great recommendation for fans of Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s \u003cem\u003eThe Language of Flowers\u003c\/em\u003e or Elizabeth Gilbert’s \u003cem\u003eThe Signature of All Things\u003c\/em\u003e, as well as Ringland’s debut \u003cem\u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_0_Auth":"Books+Publishing","OtherText_Review_0_Src":"Books+Publishing","OtherText_Review_1":"\u003cp\u003eThrough its powerful narrative surrounding grief, \u003cem \u003eThe Seven Skins of Esther Wilding \u003c\/em\u003ereminds us to hold fast to our loved ones and to cherish every moment that we get to experience with them.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_1_Src":"White Wall Review","OtherText_Review_2":"\u003cp\u003eA tribute to messy, uncontrollable grief, of making terrible decisions and hurting those around you in your pain, and getting to apologize and think about what healing might look like. Ringland paints Esther’s pain onto the page without judgment.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_2_Src":"The Miramichi Reader","OtherText_Review_3":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem \u003eThe Seven Skins of Esther Wilding\u003c\/em\u003e is an enjoyable read infused with folklore, mythology, and mystery … It is a story that is raw and honest, that explores the slippery parts of grief and how love and joy eventually help us resurface from it. Through Esther, Ringland shows us that no one survives grief alone.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_3_Src":"West Trade Review","OtherText_ShortDescription_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong \u003eA haunting, magical novel about joy, grief, courage and transformation from the international bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","ProductFormDescription":"trade paperback","PublicationDate":"2024-02-06","Publisher":"House of Anansi Press Inc","ShortDescription":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong \u003eA haunting, magical novel about joy, grief, courage and transformation from the international bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThe Lost Flowers of Alice Hart\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","Width":"5.5","WidthCode":"in"}
The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding
A haunting, magical novel about joy, grief, courage and transformation from the international bestselling author of The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart.
Quick View
{"id":6582762963003,"title":"The Speed of Mercy","handle":"the-speed-of-mercy","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Dark family secrets, the lore of the sea, and a tender, protective friendship between women all converge in \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e, an unusual and surprising story set in idyllic rural Nova Scotia. With subtle humour, Conlin picks the locks on the long-closed doors of two families and bares the ugly, painful skeletons everyone knew were there but chose to hide.” — Sylvia D. Hamilton, author of \u003cem\u003eAnd I Alone Escaped To Tell You\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e captures the unbearable cost of childhood betrayal and what happens when history is suppressed, our past is forgotten — yet finding the truth can change the future. Christy Ann Conlin rips into the myths and stereotypes about older women and those on the edge of conventional society to reveal the timeless gift of mercy in this feminist tour de force.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e“Christy Ann Conlin is a conjurer: of place, people, and the haunting past. I was instantly caught up in the darkly mysterious world and indelible characters she has brought to life. Gripping, suspenseful, and lyrically written, \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e caught me by the throat and didn’t let go.” — Alix Ohlin, Scotiabank Giller Prize–shortlisted author of \u003cem\u003eDual Citizens\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2021-05-13T13:15:25-04:00","created_at":"2021-05-13T13:15:25-04:00","vendor":"House of Anansi Press Inc","type":"","tags":["Book Club Pick","By (author) Conlin Christy Ann","Feminist Reads","House of Anansi Press","pub date: 2021-03-23"],"price":1995,"price_min":1995,"price_max":2495,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":39403471667259,"title":"epub","option1":"epub","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487003418","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Speed of Mercy - epub","public_title":"epub","options":["epub"],"price":1995,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487003418","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":39413883338811,"title":"trade paperback","option1":"trade paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487003401","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Speed of Mercy - trade paperback","public_title":"trade paperback","options":["trade paperback"],"price":2495,"weight":490,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487003401","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":39413883928635,"title":"mobi","option1":"mobi","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487003425","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Speed of Mercy - mobi","public_title":"mobi","options":["mobi"],"price":1995,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487003425","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9781487003401.jpg?v=1626441848"],"featured_image":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9781487003401.jpg?v=1626441848","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":20719149776955,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.656,"height":2400,"width":1575,"src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9781487003401.jpg?v=1626441848"},"aspect_ratio":0.656,"height":2400,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9781487003401.jpg?v=1626441848","width":1575}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Dark family secrets, the lore of the sea, and a tender, protective friendship between women all converge in \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e, an unusual and surprising story set in idyllic rural Nova Scotia. With subtle humour, Conlin picks the locks on the long-closed doors of two families and bares the ugly, painful skeletons everyone knew were there but chose to hide.” — Sylvia D. Hamilton, author of \u003cem\u003eAnd I Alone Escaped To Tell You\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e captures the unbearable cost of childhood betrayal and what happens when history is suppressed, our past is forgotten — yet finding the truth can change the future. Christy Ann Conlin rips into the myths and stereotypes about older women and those on the edge of conventional society to reveal the timeless gift of mercy in this feminist tour de force.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e“Christy Ann Conlin is a conjurer: of place, people, and the haunting past. I was instantly caught up in the darkly mysterious world and indelible characters she has brought to life. Gripping, suspenseful, and lyrically written, \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e caught me by the throat and didn’t let go.” — Alix Ohlin, Scotiabank Giller Prize–shortlisted author of \u003cem\u003eDual Citizens\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
{"AlsoRecommendedISBN_0":"9781487001117","AlsoRecommendedISBN_1":"9781487001711","AlsoRecommendedISBN_4":"9781487006884","BASICMainSubject":"FIC031000","BASICMainSubjectLiteral":"FICTION \/ Thrillers \/ General","BiographicalNote":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCHRISTY ANN CONLIN\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of two acclaimed novels, \u003cem\u003eHeave\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Memento\u003c\/em\u003e. She is also the author of the short-fiction collection \u003cem\u003eWatermark\u003c\/em\u003e, which was a finalist for the Danuta Gleed Literary Award and the Forest of Reading Evergreen Award. \u003cem\u003eHeave\u003c\/em\u003e was a national bestseller, a \u003cem\u003eGlobe and Mail \u003c\/em\u003eTop 100 Book, and a finalist for the Amazon.ca First Novel Award, the Thomas H. Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award, and the Dartmouth Book Award. Her work has appeared in numerous literary journals including \u003cem\u003eBest Canadian Stories\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eBrick\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eGeist\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eRoom\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eNuméro Cinq\u003c\/em\u003e. Her short fiction has also been longlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize and the American Short Fiction Prize. Her radio broadcast work includes co-creating and hosting CBC \u003cem\u003eFear Itself\u003c\/em\u003e, a national summer radio series. Christy Ann studied theatre at the University of Ottawa and screenplay writing at the University of British Columbia. She was born and raised in seaside Nova Scotia, where she still resides.\u003c\/p\u003e","BISACSubjectLiteral_0":"FICTION \/ Thrillers \/ General","BISACSubjectLiteral_1":"FICTION \/ Literary","BISACSubjectLiteral_2":"FICTION \/ Small Town \u0026amp; Rural","BISACSubject_0":"FIC031000","BISACSubject_1":"FIC019000","BISACSubject_2":"FIC066000","ContributorBio_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCHRISTY ANN CONLIN\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of two acclaimed novels, \u003cem\u003eHeave\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Memento\u003c\/em\u003e. She is also the author of the short-fiction collection \u003cem\u003eWatermark\u003c\/em\u003e, which was a finalist for the Danuta Gleed Literary Award and the Forest of Reading Evergreen Award. \u003cem\u003eHeave\u003c\/em\u003e was a national bestseller, a \u003cem\u003eGlobe and Mail \u003c\/em\u003eTop 100 Book, and a finalist for the Amazon.ca First Novel Award, the Thomas H. Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award, and the Dartmouth Book Award. Her work has appeared in numerous literary journals including \u003cem\u003eBest Canadian Stories\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eBrick\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eGeist\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eRoom\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eNuméro Cinq\u003c\/em\u003e. Her short fiction has also been longlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize and the American Short Fiction Prize. Her radio broadcast work includes co-creating and hosting CBC \u003cem\u003eFear Itself\u003c\/em\u003e, a national summer radio series. Christy Ann studied theatre at the University of Ottawa and screenplay writing at the University of British Columbia. She was born and raised in seaside Nova Scotia, where she still resides.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n","ContributorRole_0":"By (author)","Contributor_0":"Conlin, Christy Ann (CA)","Description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Dark family secrets, the lore of the sea, and a tender, protective friendship between women all converge in \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e, an unusual and surprising story set in idyllic rural Nova Scotia. With subtle humour, Conlin picks the locks on the long-closed doors of two families and bares the ugly, painful skeletons everyone knew were there but chose to hide.” — Sylvia D. Hamilton, author of \u003cem\u003eAnd I Alone Escaped To Tell You\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e captures the unbearable cost of childhood betrayal and what happens when history is suppressed, our past is forgotten — yet finding the truth can change the future. Christy Ann Conlin rips into the myths and stereotypes about older women and those on the edge of conventional society to reveal the timeless gift of mercy in this feminist tour de force.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e“Christy Ann Conlin is a conjurer: of place, people, and the haunting past. I was instantly caught up in the darkly mysterious world and indelible characters she has brought to life. Gripping, suspenseful, and lyrically written, \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e caught me by the throat and didn’t let go.” — Alix Ohlin, Scotiabank Giller Prize–shortlisted author of \u003cem\u003eDual Citizens\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","EAN":"9781487003418","excerpt_0":"https:\/\/biblioshare.org\/BNCservices\/BNCServices.asmx\/Samples?token=fcf85c1c1b298e99\u0026amp;ean=9781487003418\u0026amp;SAN=\u0026amp;Perspective=excerpt\u0026amp;FileNumber=0","Imprint":"House of Anansi Press","MetaKeywords":"feminism;small town;east coast;canada;family drama;corruption;trauma;assisted living;abuse of power;rural;nova scotia;repressed memories;friendship;elderly;senior citizens;relationships;secrets;cold case;investigation;mental illness;canadian fiction;womens literature;gender studies;gerontology;heave;momento;watermark;literary;mystery;mothers day;book club;reading circle","NumberOfPages":"384","OtherText_Accolades_0":"The Speed of Mercy is a disturbing, elliptical, powerful mystery that becomes intoxicating as the pages turn. It is a lyrical meditation on betrayal and loss, the cruel forces of aging and confinement, and the quirkiness of memory as it recedes and rises like the salty Bay of Fundy waters that haunt this compelling novel. The Speed of Mercy is also a passionate testament to the resilience of those who have been wronged, and to their refusal to cave in the face of human evil. I love this novel.","OtherText_Accolades_0_Auth":"Lawrence Hill, bestselling and award-winning author of The Illegal and The Book of Negroes","OtherText_Accolades_1":"Moving, funny, and propulsive. In prose both lyrical and sharp, compassionate and wise, Christy Ann Conlin delivers a page-turner with a fierce heart at its core.","OtherText_Accolades_1_Auth":"Mona Awad, author of Bunny","OtherText_Accolades_2":"Christy Ann Conlin is a conjurer: of place, people, and the haunting past. I was instantly caught up in the darkly mysterious world and indelible characters she has brought to life. Gripping, suspenseful, and lyrically written, The Speed of Mercy caught me by the throat and didn’t let go.","OtherText_Accolades_2_Auth":"Alix Ohlin, Scotiabank Giller Prize–shortlisted author of Dual Citizens","OtherText_Accolades_3":"Dark family secrets, the lore of the sea, and a tender, protective friendship between women all converge in The Speed of Mercy, an unusual and surprising story set in idyllic rural Nova Scotia. With subtle humour, Conlin picks the locks on the long-closed doors of two families and bares the ugly, painful skeletons everyone knew were there but chose to hide. At the end she has you wondering just what mysteries your own family might be hiding.","OtherText_Accolades_3_Auth":"Sylvia D. Hamilton, author of And I Alone Escaped To Tell You","OtherText_Back_cover_copy_0":"\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe story is both timely and topical, touching on young female friendship and the value of one’s chosen family.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eThe author is a well-known and celebrated East Coast talent, a master of the North Atlantic Gothic style and tone.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eChristy Ann Conlin’s debut novel, \u003cem\u003eHeave \u003c\/em\u003e(2002), was a finalist for the Amazon.ca First Novel Award.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Previous_review_q_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW COPIES:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eBooklist\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Quote_from_review_0":"\u003cp\u003e“Eerie and timeless, this powerful story about trauma, resilience, and finding your voice proves powerfully relevant for 2021 … Conlin shows a remarkable ability to evoke an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.”\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n","OtherText_Quote_from_review_1":"\u003cp\u003e“[Christy Ann Conlin] uses breathtaking prose to explore insidious commodification of women, ruthlessly deconstructing stereotypes of female capability, worth, ageism, and mental illness … \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e is a stunning literary work. Conlin’s writing is nothing short of brilliant, and her ability to create characters who are flawed, mercurial and magnetic is effortless.”\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n","OtherText_Quote_from_review_2":"\u003cp\u003e“Written with the intrigue of a thriller and executed with the mystical grace of poetry, \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy \u003c\/em\u003eis a fierce and thoughtful novel about trauma, healing, and the tender covenant made between survivors.”\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n","OtherText_Review_0":"\u003cp\u003e“[Christy Ann Conlin] uses breathtaking prose to explore insidious commodification of women, ruthlessly deconstructing stereotypes of female capability, worth, ageism, and mental illness … \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e is a stunning literary work. Conlin’s writing is nothing short of brilliant, and her ability to create characters who are flawed, mercurial and magnetic is effortless.”\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_0_Src":"Globe and Mail","OtherText_Review_1":"\u003cp\u003e“[Christy Ann Conlin has] a truly distinctive voice … [\u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e] features characters you don’t usually see: older, rural women.”\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_1_Src":"Toronto Star","OtherText_Review_2":"\u003cp\u003e“Eerie and timeless, this powerful story about trauma, resilience, and finding your voice proves powerfully relevant for 2021 … Conlin shows a remarkable ability to evoke an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.”\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_2_Src":"Winnipeg Free Press","OtherText_Review_3":"\u003cp\u003e“Written with the intrigue of a thriller and executed with the mystical grace of poetry, \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy \u003c\/em\u003eis a fierce and thoughtful novel about trauma, healing, and the tender covenant made between survivors.”\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_3_Src":"Quill \u0026amp; Quire","OtherText_ShortDescription_0":"A riveting and lyrical novel about a childhood friendship and the dark secrets uncovered in a small Nova Scotia town over the course of one summer.","ProductFormDescription":"epub","PublicationDate":"2021-03-23","Publisher":"House of Anansi Press Inc","ShortDescription":"A riveting and lyrical novel about a childhood friendship and the dark secrets uncovered in a small Nova Scotia town over the course of one summer."}
The Speed of Mercy
A riveting and lyrical novel about a childhood friendship and the dark secrets uncovered in a small Nova Scotia town over the course of one summer.
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{"id":6841712738363,"title":"The Speed of Mercy - Digital Braille Edition","handle":"the-speed-of-mercy-digital-braille-edition","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Dark family secrets, the lore of the sea, and a tender, protective friendship between women all converge in \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e, an unusual and surprising story set in idyllic rural Nova Scotia. With subtle humour, Conlin picks the locks on the long-closed doors of two families and bares the ugly, painful skeletons everyone knew were there but chose to hide.” — Sylvia D. Hamilton, author of \u003cem\u003eAnd I Alone Escaped To Tell You\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAvailable in a Braille edition, \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e captures the unbearable cost of childhood betrayal and what happens when history is suppressed, our past is forgotten — yet finding the truth can change the future. Christy Ann Conlin rips into the myths and stereotypes about older women and those on the edge of conventional society to reveal the timeless gift of mercy in this feminist tour de force.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e“Christy Ann Conlin is a conjurer: of place, people, and the haunting past. I was instantly caught up in the darkly mysterious world and indelible characters she has brought to life. Gripping, suspenseful, and lyrically written, \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e caught me by the throat and didn’t let go.” — Alix Ohlin, Scotiabank Giller Prize–shortlisted author of \u003cem\u003eDual Citizens\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe digital braille edition of this title can be downloaded for free \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3jBsZtz\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cu\u003ehere\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2022-04-26T16:42:35-04:00","created_at":"2022-04-26T15:58:04-04:00","vendor":"House of Anansi Press Inc","type":"","tags":["Book Club Pick","By (author) Conlin Christy Ann","Feminist Reads","House of Anansi Press","pub date: 2021-03-23"],"price":0,"price_min":0,"price_max":0,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":40321064108091,"title":"digital braille","option1":"digital braille","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487010010","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Speed of Mercy - Digital Braille Edition - digital braille","public_title":"digital braille","options":["digital braille"],"price":0,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487010010","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_52393591-786d-4059-845a-2b78698b3f78.jpg?v=1651003125"],"featured_image":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_52393591-786d-4059-845a-2b78698b3f78.jpg?v=1651003125","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":21989125161019,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.656,"height":2400,"width":1575,"src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_52393591-786d-4059-845a-2b78698b3f78.jpg?v=1651003125"},"aspect_ratio":0.656,"height":2400,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_52393591-786d-4059-845a-2b78698b3f78.jpg?v=1651003125","width":1575}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Dark family secrets, the lore of the sea, and a tender, protective friendship between women all converge in \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e, an unusual and surprising story set in idyllic rural Nova Scotia. With subtle humour, Conlin picks the locks on the long-closed doors of two families and bares the ugly, painful skeletons everyone knew were there but chose to hide.” — Sylvia D. Hamilton, author of \u003cem\u003eAnd I Alone Escaped To Tell You\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAvailable in a Braille edition, \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e captures the unbearable cost of childhood betrayal and what happens when history is suppressed, our past is forgotten — yet finding the truth can change the future. Christy Ann Conlin rips into the myths and stereotypes about older women and those on the edge of conventional society to reveal the timeless gift of mercy in this feminist tour de force.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e“Christy Ann Conlin is a conjurer: of place, people, and the haunting past. I was instantly caught up in the darkly mysterious world and indelible characters she has brought to life. Gripping, suspenseful, and lyrically written, \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e caught me by the throat and didn’t let go.” — Alix Ohlin, Scotiabank Giller Prize–shortlisted author of \u003cem\u003eDual Citizens\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe digital braille edition of this title can be downloaded for free \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3jBsZtz\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cu\u003ehere\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e"}
{"BASICMainSubject":"FIC031000","BASICMainSubjectLiteral":"FICTION \/ Thrillers \/ General","BiographicalNote":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCHRISTY ANN CONLIN\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of two acclaimed novels, \u003cem\u003eHeave\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Memento\u003c\/em\u003e. She is also the author of the short-fiction collection \u003cem\u003eWatermark\u003c\/em\u003e, which was a finalist for the Danuta Gleed Literary Award and the Forest of Reading Evergreen Award. \u003cem\u003eHeave\u003c\/em\u003e was a national bestseller, a \u003cem\u003eGlobe and Mail \u003c\/em\u003eTop 100 Book, and a finalist for the Amazon.ca First Novel Award, the Thomas H. Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award, and the Dartmouth Book Award. Her work has appeared in numerous literary journals including \u003cem\u003eBest Canadian Stories\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eBrick\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eGeist\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eRoom\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eNuméro Cinq\u003c\/em\u003e. Her short fiction has also been longlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize and the American Short Fiction Prize. Her radio broadcast work includes co-creating and hosting CBC \u003cem\u003eFear Itself\u003c\/em\u003e, a national summer radio series. Christy Ann studied theatre at the University of Ottawa and screenplay writing at the University of British Columbia. She was born and raised in seaside Nova Scotia, where she still resides.\u003c\/p\u003e","BISACSubjectLiteral_0":"FICTION \/ Thrillers \/ General","BISACSubjectLiteral_1":"FICTION \/ Small Town \u0026amp; Rural","BISACSubjectLiteral_2":"FICTION \/ Literary","BISACSubject_0":"FIC031000","BISACSubject_1":"FIC066000","BISACSubject_2":"FIC019000","ContributorBio_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCHRISTY ANN CONLIN\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of two acclaimed novels, \u003cem\u003eHeave\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Memento\u003c\/em\u003e. She is also the author of the short-fiction collection \u003cem\u003eWatermark\u003c\/em\u003e, which was a finalist for the Danuta Gleed Literary Award and the Forest of Reading Evergreen Award. \u003cem\u003eHeave\u003c\/em\u003e was a national bestseller, a \u003cem\u003eGlobe and Mail \u003c\/em\u003eTop 100 Book, and a finalist for the Amazon.ca First Novel Award, the Thomas H. Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award, and the Dartmouth Book Award. Her work has appeared in numerous literary journals including \u003cem\u003eBest Canadian Stories\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eBrick\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eGeist\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eRoom\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eNuméro Cinq\u003c\/em\u003e. Her short fiction has also been longlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize and the American Short Fiction Prize. Her radio broadcast work includes co-creating and hosting CBC \u003cem\u003eFear Itself\u003c\/em\u003e, a national summer radio series. Christy Ann studied theatre at the University of Ottawa and screenplay writing at the University of British Columbia. She was born and raised in seaside Nova Scotia, where she still resides.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n","ContributorRole_0":"By (author)","Contributor_0":"Conlin, Christy Ann (CA)","Description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Dark family secrets, the lore of the sea, and a tender, protective friendship between women all converge in \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e, an unusual and surprising story set in idyllic rural Nova Scotia. With subtle humour, Conlin picks the locks on the long-closed doors of two families and bares the ugly, painful skeletons everyone knew were there but chose to hide.” — Sylvia D. Hamilton, author of \u003cem\u003eAnd I Alone Escaped To Tell You\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAvailable in a Braille edition, \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e captures the unbearable cost of childhood betrayal and what happens when history is suppressed, our past is forgotten — yet finding the truth can change the future. Christy Ann Conlin rips into the myths and stereotypes about older women and those on the edge of conventional society to reveal the timeless gift of mercy in this feminist tour de force.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e“Christy Ann Conlin is a conjurer: of place, people, and the haunting past. I was instantly caught up in the darkly mysterious world and indelible characters she has brought to life. Gripping, suspenseful, and lyrically written, \u003cem\u003eThe Speed of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e caught me by the throat and didn’t let go.” — Alix Ohlin, Scotiabank Giller Prize–shortlisted author of \u003cem\u003eDual Citizens\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe digital braille edition of this title can be downloaded for free \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3jBsZtz\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cu\u003ehere\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","EAN":"9781487010010","Imprint":"House of Anansi Press","MetaKeywords":"feminism;small town;east coast;canada;family drama;corruption;trauma;assisted living;abuse of power;rural;nova scotia;repressed memories;friendship;elderly;senior citizens;relationships;secrets;cold case;investigation;mental illness;canadian fiction;womens literature;gender studies;gerontology;heave;momento;watermark;literary;mystery;mothers day;book club;reading circle","OtherText_Back_cover_copy_0":"\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe story is both timely and topical, touching on young female friendship and the value of one’s chosen family.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eThe author is a well-known and celebrated East Coast talent, a master of the North Atlantic Gothic style and tone.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eChristy Ann Conlin’s debut novel, \u003cem \u003eHeave \u003c\/em\u003e(2002), was a finalist for the Amazon.ca First Novel Award.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Review_0":"Eerie and timeless, this powerful story about trauma, resilience, and finding your voice proves powerfully relevant for 2021 … Conlin shows a remarkable ability to evoke an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.","OtherText_Review_0_Src":"Winnipeg Free Press","OtherText_ShortDescription_0":"\u003cp\u003eA riveting and lyrical novel about a childhood friendship and the dark secrets uncovered in a small Nova Scotia town over the course of one summer.\u003c\/p\u003e","ProductFormDescription":"digital braille","PublicationDate":"2021-03-23","Publisher":"House of Anansi Press Inc","ShortDescription":"\u003cp\u003eA riveting and lyrical novel about a childhood friendship and the dark secrets uncovered in a small Nova Scotia town over the course of one summer.\u003c\/p\u003e"}
The Speed of Mercy - Digital Braille Edition
A riveting and lyrical novel about a childhood friendship and the dark secrets uncovered in a small Nova Scotia town over the course of one summer.
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{"id":7130422345787,"title":"The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society","handle":"the-syrian-ladies-benevolent-society","description":"\u003cp\u003eWith imaginative aplomb and abiding passion, \u003cem\u003eThe Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society\u003c\/em\u003e masterfully traces the deep roots of the Arab immigrant experience. These unforgettable interlocking stories follow an Arab family as they flee the Middle East in the nineteenth century, settle in Montreal in the twentieth, and face the collision between tradition and modernity in the twenty-first. This family includes trailblazing Lebanese freedom fighters, undercover operatives in World War II, and brave Syrian refugees trying to find their place in Canadian society. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe line of daring women culminates in Azurée, a young Arab woman living in the echoes of her ancestors' voices. \u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2023-05-08T16:56:27-04:00","created_at":"2023-05-08T16:26:05-04:00","vendor":"House of Anansi Press Inc","type":"","tags":["Adult BIPOC Voices","Adult New Releases","Adult Short Stories","Astoria","By (author) Estima Christine","Feminist Reads","Literary Fiction","pub date: 2023-11-14"],"price":1899,"price_min":1899,"price_max":2299,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":41234823446587,"title":"trade paperback","option1":"trade paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487012335","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society - trade paperback","public_title":"trade paperback","options":["trade paperback"],"price":2299,"weight":200,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487012335","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":41234824626235,"title":"epub","option1":"epub","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487012342","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society - epub","public_title":"epub","options":["epub"],"price":1899,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487012342","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/BNCImageAPI_70149b1b-75a2-42bb-88c2-bfd7ca3b5e7d.jpg?v=1707585291"],"featured_image":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/BNCImageAPI_70149b1b-75a2-42bb-88c2-bfd7ca3b5e7d.jpg?v=1707585291","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":24177625956411,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.786,"height":2100,"width":1650,"src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/BNCImageAPI_70149b1b-75a2-42bb-88c2-bfd7ca3b5e7d.jpg?v=1707585291"},"aspect_ratio":0.786,"height":2100,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/BNCImageAPI_70149b1b-75a2-42bb-88c2-bfd7ca3b5e7d.jpg?v=1707585291","width":1650}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003eWith imaginative aplomb and abiding passion, \u003cem\u003eThe Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society\u003c\/em\u003e masterfully traces the deep roots of the Arab immigrant experience. These unforgettable interlocking stories follow an Arab family as they flee the Middle East in the nineteenth century, settle in Montreal in the twentieth, and face the collision between tradition and modernity in the twenty-first. This family includes trailblazing Lebanese freedom fighters, undercover operatives in World War II, and brave Syrian refugees trying to find their place in Canadian society. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe line of daring women culminates in Azurée, a young Arab woman living in the echoes of her ancestors' voices. \u003c\/p\u003e"}
{"AlsoRecommendedISBN_0":"9781487006020","AlsoRecommendedISBN_1":"9781487010874","AlsoRecommendedISBN_2":"9781487011383","BASICMainSubject":"FIC111000","BASICMainSubjectLiteral":"FICTION \/ World Literature \/ Middle East \/ General","BiographicalNote":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCHRISTINE ESTIMA\u003c\/strong\u003e is an Arab woman of mixed ethnicity (Lebanese, Syrian, and Portuguese) whose essays and short stories have appeared in the \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e, the \u003cem\u003eWalrus\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eVICE\u003c\/em\u003e, the \u003cem\u003eGlobe and Mail\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eChatelaine\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMaisonneuve\u003c\/em\u003e, and many more. She was shortlisted for the 2018 Allan Slaight Prize for Journalism, longlisted for the 2015 CBC Canada Writes Creative Nonfiction prize, and a finalist for the 2011 Writers’ Union of Canada short prose competition. Born in Trois-Rivières and raised in Montreal, she lives in Toronto.\u003c\/p\u003e","BISACSubjectLiteral_0":"FICTION \/ World Literature \/ Middle East \/ General","BISACSubjectLiteral_1":"FICTION \/ Women","BISACSubjectLiteral_2":"FICTION \/ Short Stories (single author)","BISACSubject_0":"FIC111000","BISACSubject_1":"FIC044000","BISACSubject_2":"FIC029000","ContributorBio_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCHRISTINE ESTIMA\u003c\/strong\u003e is an Arab woman of mixed ethnicity (Lebanese, Syrian, and Portuguese) whose essays and short stories have appeared in the \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e, the \u003cem\u003eWalrus\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eVICE\u003c\/em\u003e, the \u003cem\u003eGlobe and Mail\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eChatelaine\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMaisonneuve\u003c\/em\u003e, and many more. She was shortlisted for the 2018 Allan Slaight Prize for Journalism, longlisted for the 2015 CBC Canada Writes Creative Nonfiction prize, and a finalist for the 2011 Writers’ Union of Canada short prose competition. Born in Trois-Rivières and raised in Montreal, she lives in Toronto.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n","ContributorRole_0":"By (author)","Contributor_0":"Estima, Christine (CA)","Description":"\u003cp\u003eWith imaginative aplomb and abiding passion, \u003cem\u003eThe Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society\u003c\/em\u003e masterfully traces the deep roots of the Arab immigrant experience. These unforgettable interlocking stories follow an Arab family as they flee the Middle East in the nineteenth century, settle in Montreal in the twentieth, and face the collision between tradition and modernity in the twenty-first. This family includes trailblazing Lebanese freedom fighters, undercover operatives in World War II, and brave Syrian refugees trying to find their place in Canadian society. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe line of daring women culminates in Azurée, a young Arab woman living in the echoes of her ancestors' voices. \u003c\/p\u003e","EAN":"9781487012335","excerpt_0":"https:\/\/biblioshare.org\/BNCservices\/BNCServices.asmx\/Samples?token=fcf85c1c1b298e99\u0026amp;ean=9781487012335\u0026amp;SAN=\u0026amp;Perspective=excerpt\u0026amp;FileNumber=0","Height":"7","HeightCode":"in","Imprint":"Astoria","MetaKeywords":"coming of age;historical fiction;middle east;melting pot;damascus;trauma narratives;syrian diaspora;chrysalis;anuja varghese;canadian literature;short stories","NumberOfPages":"208","OtherText_Accolades_0":"\u003cp\u003eVivid and arresting from the very first line, this accomplished debut will leave an indelible imprint on your heart and mind with its powerful prose and compassionate storytelling. This collection weaves women together through the fabric of time and through their bravery, humanity, and hope even in the face of atrocities and defeat. Compulsively readable and intricately wrought, \u003cem \u003eThe Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society\u003c\/em\u003e is a must-read from a writer to watch.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_0_Auth":"Marissa Stapley, New York Times bestselling author of Lucky","OtherText_Accolades_1":"\u003cp\u003eGorgeous and gutting, \u003cem \u003eThe Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society\u003c\/em\u003e asks (screams, whispers): What makes us? Are we our pasts, all our histories and families and generational traumas stacked on top of each other like a piece of additive sculpture? Or are we our present, our choices, remaking ourselves each day in a continual act of becoming? Instead of answering with either\/or, this book says (screams, whispers), over and over again, \u003cem \u003eyes\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_1_Auth":"Natalie Zina Walschots, author of Hench","OtherText_Accolades_2":"\u003cp\u003eChristine Estima’s debut is startling and heartrending, generous and vivid. It’s easy to fall in love with Christine’s insistence on compassion for women who are afforded little of it. With extraordinary prose and boundless empathy, \u003cem \u003eThe Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society\u003c\/em\u003e asks us to consider if we are inevitable products of our family history. No matter what answer you land on, this book will transform you.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_2_Auth":"Elamin Abdelmahmoud, author of Son of Elsewhere","OtherText_Accolades_3":"\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eThe Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society\u003c\/em\u003e, the past is very much a living character that shapes and informs the present moment. Christine Estima has penned a refreshingly vibrant and multicultural portrait of Montreal that braids together different branches of the historical record with precise prose and a sharp eye for human complexity.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_3_Auth":"Dimitri Nasrallah, author of Hotline","OtherText_Back_cover_copy_0":"\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eEstima was inspired to write this collection about Arab immigrants in Canada after Don Cherry made racist remarks in 2019 about “you people” not wearing a poppy for Remembrance Day. She tweeted about her grandfather who fought for Canada in World War II and went viral and spawned a feature essay entitled “Living Legacy” in \u003cem\u003eMaisonneuve Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe stories draw from the deep roots of the author’s Lebanese\/Syrian family in Canada. Her great-grandfather founded the first Syrian Orthodox church in Canada and the first Arabic-language newspaper in Canada, \u003cem\u003eAsh-Shehab\u003c\/em\u003e (the brilliant star). His son Victor was one of the few Arabs in the Canadian army during WWII, most notably in the Battle of Ortona. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSimilar to Jack Wang’s \u003cem\u003eWe Two Alone\u003c\/em\u003e, this collection includes stories that explore historical and contemporary fiction genres and themes, illuminating Arab women’s early-twentieth-century struggles with traditional roles to contemporary issues of sex, gender, and race.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Review_0":"\u003cp\u003eMemorable, vivid, and subversive at times, the stories bring to life a type of female experience seldom seen in immigrant narratives.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_0_Src":"New Canadian Media","OtherText_Review_1":"\u003cp\u003eA genuine and compelling narrative … \u003cem \u003eThe Syrian Ladies’ Benevolent Society\u003c\/em\u003e is smart, elegant, and a necessary contribution to the overall literature challenging so many suffocating cultural stereotypes in Canadian society.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_1_Src":"The Miramichi Reader","OtherText_Review_2":"\u003cp\u003eThe material in these stories often does more than just flirt with dark subject matter, but the author’s empathy and sharp understanding of human frailty nevertheless injects \u003cem\u003eThe Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society \u003c\/em\u003ewith the vibrancy of life. The book opens with a reference to fire, and Estima is a valiant recorder of the heat that burns us, inside and out.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_2_Src":"That Shakespearean Rag","OtherText_Review_3":"\u003cp\u003eIn writing across cultures, borders, and centuries, Estima credits her ancestors with direct inspiration: ‘I hear your voices in my veins; you will not be forgotten.’ Neither will Estima's enthralling writing.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_3_Src":"Shelf Awareness","OtherText_Review_4":"\u003cp\u003eAcross the varying settings and time periods, what remains consistent is Estima’s detailed and evocative prose as she weaves a haunting tale of how the pain of loss—whether of our home, our loved ones or our sense of self—reverberates across generations.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_4_Src":"Maisonneuve","OtherText_Review_5":"\u003cp\u003eYears in the making, [\u003cem \u003eThe Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society]\u003c\/em\u003e reveals a writer who is sure of her subject and craft … Precise and sensitive.\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_5_Src":"Literary Review of Canada","OtherText_ShortDescription_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong \u003eIndelible linked stories centred around Azurée, a young Arab woman living in the echoes of her ancestor’s voices.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","PrizeCodeText_0":"Commended","PrizeCode_0":"03","PrizeName_0":"CBC 2023 Best Canadian Fiction","PrizeYear_0":"2023","ProductFormDescription":"trade paperback","PublicationDate":"2023-11-14","Publisher":"House of Anansi Press Inc","ShortDescription":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong \u003eIndelible linked stories centred around Azurée, a young Arab woman living in the echoes of her ancestor’s voices.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","Width":"5.5","WidthCode":"in"}
The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society
Indelible linked stories centred around Azurée, a young Arab woman living in the echoes of her ancestor’s voices.
Quick View
{"id":6813793321019,"title":"These Festive Nights","handle":"these-festive-nights","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe first volume in the beloved novelist Marie-Claire Blais’ prize-winning novel cycle — acclaimed as one of the greatest undertakings in modern Quebec fiction — reissued in a handsome A List edition, featuring an introduction by \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLisa Moore\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginally published in 1995 under the title \u003ci\u003eSoifs\u003c\/i\u003e, the first novel in Marie-Claire Blais’ masterful series won the Governor General’s Award for French Fiction and was hailed by critics around the world as a tour de force, comparing Blais to such literary greats as Virginia Woolf, Dante, Sophocles, and Shakespeare. In this dazzling rendering, \u003ci\u003eThese Festive Nights\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003ecelebrated translator Sheila Fischman brings Blais’ novel to life for English-speaking readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA sun-drenched paradise in the Gulf of Mexico surrounded by the glimmering blue sea; Renata is convalescing on this island poised between two worlds: between great wealth and extreme poverty, between the past and an uncertain future, between the beauty of the world and the horrors of history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDuring her time here, Renata becomes tormented by thirst — for justice, for pleasure, for intoxication — while all around her, festivities are going on in joint celebration of the birth of baby Vincent and the end of the twentieth century. Over the course of three days and three nights a flock of characters assembles — an entire spectrum of humanity is depicted in the grip of doubt and suffering. In this swirling, baroque fresco, Marie-Claire Blais captures the essence of our apocalyptic age, rendering it in powerfully evocative prose.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2022-03-23T13:02:38-04:00","created_at":"2022-03-23T09:20:11-04:00","vendor":"House of Anansi Press Inc","type":"","tags":["A List","By (author) Blais Marie-Claire","Feminist Reads","Introduction by Moore Lisa","Literary Fiction","pub date: 2018-08-07","Translated by Fischman Sheila"],"price":1495,"price_min":1495,"price_max":1695,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":40205708263483,"title":"trade paperback","option1":"trade paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487004583","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"These Festive Nights - trade paperback","public_title":"trade paperback","options":["trade paperback"],"price":1695,"weight":340,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487004583","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":40205802799163,"title":"epub","option1":"epub","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487004590","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"These Festive Nights - epub","public_title":"epub","options":["epub"],"price":1495,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487004590","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":40205804077115,"title":"mobi","option1":"mobi","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487004606","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"These Festive Nights - mobi","public_title":"mobi","options":["mobi"],"price":1495,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487004606","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_3cb662d7-40ca-4a48-a7fd-10fa7b523bfe.jpg?v=1678609958"],"featured_image":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_3cb662d7-40ca-4a48-a7fd-10fa7b523bfe.jpg?v=1678609958","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":23324618915899,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.647,"height":2550,"width":1650,"src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_3cb662d7-40ca-4a48-a7fd-10fa7b523bfe.jpg?v=1678609958"},"aspect_ratio":0.647,"height":2550,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/houseofanansi.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/BNCImageAPI_3cb662d7-40ca-4a48-a7fd-10fa7b523bfe.jpg?v=1678609958","width":1650}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe first volume in the beloved novelist Marie-Claire Blais’ prize-winning novel cycle — acclaimed as one of the greatest undertakings in modern Quebec fiction — reissued in a handsome A List edition, featuring an introduction by \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLisa Moore\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginally published in 1995 under the title \u003ci\u003eSoifs\u003c\/i\u003e, the first novel in Marie-Claire Blais’ masterful series won the Governor General’s Award for French Fiction and was hailed by critics around the world as a tour de force, comparing Blais to such literary greats as Virginia Woolf, Dante, Sophocles, and Shakespeare. In this dazzling rendering, \u003ci\u003eThese Festive Nights\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003ecelebrated translator Sheila Fischman brings Blais’ novel to life for English-speaking readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA sun-drenched paradise in the Gulf of Mexico surrounded by the glimmering blue sea; Renata is convalescing on this island poised between two worlds: between great wealth and extreme poverty, between the past and an uncertain future, between the beauty of the world and the horrors of history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDuring her time here, Renata becomes tormented by thirst — for justice, for pleasure, for intoxication — while all around her, festivities are going on in joint celebration of the birth of baby Vincent and the end of the twentieth century. Over the course of three days and three nights a flock of characters assembles — an entire spectrum of humanity is depicted in the grip of doubt and suffering. In this swirling, baroque fresco, Marie-Claire Blais captures the essence of our apocalyptic age, rendering it in powerfully evocative prose.\u003c\/p\u003e"}
{"AlsoRecommendedISBN_3":"9781487005801","AlsoRecommendedISBN_4":"9781770892040","AlsoRecommendedISBN_5":"9781770898318","BASICMainSubject":"FIC019000","BASICMainSubjectLiteral":"FICTION \/ Literary","BiographicalNote":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMARIE-CLAIRE BLAIS\u003c\/strong\u003e (1939-2001) was the internationally revered author of more than twenty-five books, many of which have been published around the world. In addition to the Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction, which she won four times, Blais was awarded the Gilles-Corbeil Prize, the Médicis Prize, the Molson Prize, and Guggenheim Fellowships. She divided her time between Key West, Florida, and Quebec.\u003c\/p\u003e","BISACSubjectLiteral_0":"FICTION \/ Literary","BISACSubjectLiteral_1":"FICTION \/ General","BISACSubject_0":"FIC019000","BISACSubject_1":"FIC000000","ContributorBio_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMARIE-CLAIRE BLAIS\u003c\/strong\u003e (1939-2001) was the internationally revered author of more than twenty-five books, many of which have been published around the world. In addition to the Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction, which she won four times, Blais was awarded the Gilles-Corbeil Prize, the Médicis Prize, the Molson Prize, and Guggenheim Fellowships. She divided her time between Key West, Florida, and Quebec.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n","ContributorBio_1":"Sheila Fischman is the translator of more than 150 novels. She has been awarded numerous prizes, including the Governor General’s Literary Award for Translation, the Canada Council Translation Prize, and the Molson Prize for the Arts. She lives in Montreal.","ContributorBio_2":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLISA MOORE\u003c\/strong\u003e is the acclaimed author of the novels \u003cem\u003eCaught\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eFebruary\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eAlligator\u003c\/em\u003e; the story collections \u003cem\u003eOpen\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eSomething for Everyone\u003c\/em\u003e; and the young-adult novel \u003cem\u003eFlannery\u003c\/em\u003e. Her books have won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and CBC’s Canada Reads, been finalists for the Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize and the Scotiabank Giller Prize, and been longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Moore is also the co-librettist, along with Laura Kaminsky, of the opera \u003cem\u003eFebruary\u003c\/em\u003e, based on her novel of the same name. She lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n","ContributorRole_0":"By (author)","ContributorRole_1":"Translated by","ContributorRole_2":"Introduction by","Contributor_0":"Blais, Marie-Claire (CA)","Contributor_1":"Fischman, Sheila (CA)","Contributor_2":"Moore, Lisa (CA)","Description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe first volume in the beloved novelist Marie-Claire Blais’ prize-winning novel cycle — acclaimed as one of the greatest undertakings in modern Quebec fiction — reissued in a handsome A List edition, featuring an introduction by \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLisa Moore\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginally published in 1995 under the title \u003ci\u003eSoifs\u003c\/i\u003e, the first novel in Marie-Claire Blais’ masterful series won the Governor General’s Award for French Fiction and was hailed by critics around the world as a tour de force, comparing Blais to such literary greats as Virginia Woolf, Dante, Sophocles, and Shakespeare. In this dazzling rendering, \u003ci\u003eThese Festive Nights\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003ecelebrated translator Sheila Fischman brings Blais’ novel to life for English-speaking readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA sun-drenched paradise in the Gulf of Mexico surrounded by the glimmering blue sea; Renata is convalescing on this island poised between two worlds: between great wealth and extreme poverty, between the past and an uncertain future, between the beauty of the world and the horrors of history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDuring her time here, Renata becomes tormented by thirst — for justice, for pleasure, for intoxication — while all around her, festivities are going on in joint celebration of the birth of baby Vincent and the end of the twentieth century. Over the course of three days and three nights a flock of characters assembles — an entire spectrum of humanity is depicted in the grip of doubt and suffering. In this swirling, baroque fresco, Marie-Claire Blais captures the essence of our apocalyptic age, rendering it in powerfully evocative prose.\u003c\/p\u003e","EAN":"9781487004583","excerpt_0":"https:\/\/biblioshare.org\/BNCservices\/BNCServices.asmx\/Samples?token=fcf85c1c1b298e99\u0026amp;ean=9781487004583\u0026amp;SAN=\u0026amp;Perspective=excerpt\u0026amp;FileNumber=0","Height":"8.5","HeightCode":"in","Imprint":"A List","NumberOfPages":"312","OtherText_Back_cover_copy_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAN INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED LITERARY ICON:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMarie-Claire Blais is a literary icon. Her work is treasured in Canada, and it is widely revered in the U.S. Her writing has been described as “magical,” “powerful,” and “enriching,” and her award-winning series about contemporary North America has been compared to works by Virginia Woolf. As her stature as a literary legend grows, House of Anansi wishes to aptly honour her \u003cem\u003eoeuvre\u003c\/em\u003e with special editions of her most acclaimed novels in English translation.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA SEMINAL TRANSLATION:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSheila Fischman is the preeminent translator of French fiction in Canada and has twice received the Félix Antoine-Savard Award from the Translation Center at Columbia University. Her translation work has helped to spread a new generation of French voices across North America, including Michel Tremblay, Hubert Aquin, Jacques Poulin, Anne Hébert, and Kim Thúy.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA SPECIAL REISSUE FOLLOWING AN ANTICIPATED NEW NOVEL:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThis A List reissue will land just a few short months after Marie-Claire Blais’ newest novel in the Soifs cycle, \u003cem\u003eA Twilight Celebration\u003c\/em\u003e, publishes in June 2018. Reviewers and prize juries will surely be buzzing about the new work, and this will be an excellent time to reinvigorate Blais’ impressive backlist for rediscovery and for a brand-new generation of readers.\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Previous_review_q_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW COPIES\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eBooklist\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Review_0":"Marie-Claire Blais’s best, and without a doubt, the richest and most impressive tableau d’époque I have read in a long time . . . Blais has modestly, generously, written The Divine Comedy of our time.","OtherText_Review_0_Src":"Le Devoir","OtherText_Review_1":"[These Festive Nights] resounds with what has become a Blais leitmotif: the spiritual thirst born of hardship, and the hunger for redemption in a brutal world.","OtherText_Review_1_Src":"The Gazette","OtherText_Review_2":"[In These Festive Nights] Marie-Claire Blais appeals to the best part of who we are. It’s a book that we finish reluctantly and with a deep sense of gratitude for the characters who, like the heroes of Sophocles and Shakespeare, are the messengers of a hidden truth of fundamental concern to the human heart.","OtherText_Review_2_Src":"Magazine Littéraire","OtherText_ShortDescription_0":"The first volume in Marie-Claire Blais’ ten-book \"Soifs\" novel cycle, acclaimed as one of the greatest undertakings in modern Quebec fiction.","ProductFormDescription":"trade paperback","PublicationDate":"2018-08-07","Publisher":"House of Anansi Press Inc","Series":"A List","ShortDescription":"The first volume in Marie-Claire Blais’ ten-book \"Soifs\" novel cycle, acclaimed as one of the greatest undertakings in modern Quebec fiction.","Width":"5.5","WidthCode":"in"}
These Festive Nights
The first volume in Marie-Claire Blais’ ten-book "Soifs" novel cycle, acclaimed as one of the greatest undertakings in modern Quebec fiction.
