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‘It wasn’t uncommon in my childhood for roti to be off the menu, because the rolling pin was broken again.’ Ernest van der Kwast’s childhood is peopled by an array of colourful characters: from his strait-laced Dutch father, to Bollywood star Uncle Sharma, and talented heptathlete Aunt Jasleen. But it is his overbearing yet loving Indian mother who is at the centre of this big-hearted, hilarious family saga. Veena van der Kwast is a woman with an iron will, hilarious directness, and a talent for haggling. Armed with her trusty rolling pin, every man she meets is eventually beaten to submission — especially her husband and three sons. Intriguing, surprising, and moving in equal measure, this novel inspired by a very unusual family will make you smile from beginning to end.
Follows the experiences of Giovanni Talamini, a poet who is torn between his family's and his own needs when he returns to Italy to help run the ice-cream dynasty he left behind years earlier.
A scintillating collection from the award-winning author of The Ice-Cream Makers and Mama Tandoori The vivid characters in these stories share lives marked by coincidences, deeply felt passions, impulsive decisions, and missed opportunities. There's Ezio, a lonely apple-picker dangerously obsessed with spirited teenager Giovanna. Heinrich is a quiet ticket inspector who watches his passengers live their lives as he longs for a meaningful connection of his own. Klaus is a young man reflecting on his first unrequited love, Eva. And Paul's experiences of loss bring him to a new life. As they look back and narrate their histories, each reflects on the circuitous paths that life took them, and on the relationships that never came to pass. Melancholic yet tender, these beautifully rendered atmospheric stories explore loss, longing, coming of age, and regret, and speak to the humanity in all of us.
From the award-winning author of Legend of a Suicide: “A kind of modern fairy tale . . . Vann’s novels are striking, uncompromising portraits of American life” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). David Vann’s dazzling debut Legend of a Suicide was reviewed in over a 150 major global publications, won eleven prizes worldwide, was on forty “best books of the year” lists, and established its author as a literary master. Now, in crystalline, chiseled yet graceful prose, Aquarium takes us into the heart of a brave young girl whose longing for love and capacity for forgiveness transforms the damaged people around her . . . Twelve-year-old Caitlin lives alone with her mother—a docker at...
"Completely original. A fiction whose poise, compassion and breadth take the reader's breath away"JOAN SMITH "Gripping and touching" Independent "Memorable and moving" The Times Bound by blood, separated by love... Twin sisters, Lotte and Anna, share a bond that is far stronger than anyone except they alone can understand. But when war comes between them, the two discover that even the deepest bonds have their limits. Having been cruelly separated as children, Lotte and Anna are at last reunited. Neither lost hope to see each other again. However, with Europe on the verge of war, much has changed between them. While Lotte has enjoyed a privileged upbringing in liberal Holland, Anna has endur...
The swelling flows of migration from Africa towards Europe have aroused interest not only in the socio-political consequences of the migrants' insistent appeals to 'fortress Europe' but also in the artistic integration of African migrants into the cultural world of Europe. While in recent years the creative output of Africans living in Europe has received attention from the media and in academia, little critical consideration has been given to African migrants' modes of narration and the manner in which these modes give expression to, or are an expression of, their creators' transcultural realities. Transcultural Modernities: Narrating Africa in Europe responds to this need for reflection by...
A fantastic Maeve Binchy - written specially for the World Book Day Quick Reads promotion. Dee loves her children very much, but now they are all grown up, shouldn't they leave home? Rosie moved out when she got married, but it didn't work out, so now she is back with her parents. Helen is a teacher, and doesn't earn enough for a place of her own. Anthony writes songs, and is just waiting for the day when someone will pay him for them. Until then, all three are happy at home. It doesn't cost them anything, and surely their parents like having a full house? When a crisis occurs, Dee decides things have to change for the whole family...whether they like it or not.
Dr. Greg Zacharias, former Chief Scientist of the United States Air Force (2015-18), explores next steps in autonomous systems (AS) development, fielding, and training. Rapid advances in AS development and artificial intelligence (AI) research will change how we think about machines, whether they are individual vehicle platforms or networked enterprises. The payoff will be considerable, affording the US military significant protection for aviators, greater effectiveness in employment, and unlimited opportunities for novel and disruptive concepts of operations. Autonomous Horizons: The Way Forward identifies issues and makes recommendations for the Air Force to take full advantage of this transformational technology.
'A sheer delight from start to finish' Sophie Kinsella ___________________________________ On a tiny island of the coast of Scotland, a nugget of opportunity awaits . . . ***WINNER OF THE RNA ROMANTIC COMEDY NOVEL AWARD 2018*** 'An evocative, sweet treat' Jojo Moyes 'Gorgeous, glorious, uplifting' Marian Keyes 'Irresistible' Jill Mansell 'Just lovely' Katie Fforde 'Naturally funny, warm-hearted' Lisa Jewell 'A gobble-it-all-up-in-one-sitting kind of book' Mike Gayle Flora is definitely, absolutely sure that escaping from the quiet Scottish island where she grew up to the noise and hustle of the big city was the right choice. What was there for her on Mure? It's a place where everyone has kno...
Sobriety and moderation are alien concepts to the men in Dimmy's family. Useless in all other respects, his three uncles have a rare talent for drinking, a flair for violence, and an unwavering commitment to the pub. And his father Pierre is no slouch either. Within hours of his son's birth, Pierre plucks him from the maternity ward, props him on his bike, and takes him on an introductory tour of the village bars. His mother soon leaves them to it and as Dimmy grows up amid the stench of stale beer, he seems destined to follow the path of his forebears and make a low-life career in inebriation, until he begins to piece together his own plan for the future... In this semi-autobiographical novel, Dimitri Verhulst brings his shambolic upbringing to life, with characteristic warmth, colour, and wit.