Author:Willa Cather

The first novel in the Great Plains trilogy, this is an ode to the American Midwest and the immigrants who transformed it
To the anger of her brothers, it is Alexandra who is entrusted to manage their family farm in the tough, hostile prairie of Hanover, Nebraska following the death of their father. As the years pass, Alexandra rises heroically to the challenge, finding strength in the savage beauty of the land even as loneliness and personal tragedies crowd in. A rapturous work of understated lyricism, Willa Cather's 1913 tale of a pioneer woman who tames the wild, hostile lands of the Nebraskan prairie is also the story of what it means to be American.
Her voice, laconical and richly sensuous, sings out with a note of unequivocal love for the people she is setting down on the page
—— Marina WarnerThe most sensuous of writers, Willa Cather builds her imagined world almost as solidly as our five senses build the universe around us
—— Rebecca WestTakes a knife and stabs you through the heart, by its joining of such ravishment with such pessimism
—— New YorkerA remarkable book, of exceptional gravity and serious charm... it balances an acute sense of the values of art and intellect with an imaginative sympathy. Its ambition is almost unique in the English novel
—— SpectatorJodi Picoult for beginners
—— Irish TimesIt will delight children and adults
—— TelegraphSo authentic you'll swear a kid wrote the book
—— GlamourFunny, touching, honest, and uplifting - though there's plenty of opportunity for tears, too
—— Daily MailRich and memorable
—— New York TimesTremendously uplifting and a novel of all-too-rare power . . . an unforgettable, deeply moving character
—— Sunday Express[A] beautiful, funny and sometimes sob-making story of quiet transformation
—— The Wall Street Journal[A] glorious exploration of the nature of friendship, tenacity, fear, and most importantly, kindness
—— The Huffington PostD[estined to go the way of Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and then some . . . It is dark, funny, touching
—— The TimesAn amazing book . . . I cried my eyes out
—— Tom FletcherWhat a gem of a story . . . This book made me laugh, made me angry, made me cry
—— Malorie BlackmanThoughtful but never preach
—— Sophie KinsellaWonder is essentially . . . a wonder. [It] touches the heart in the most life-affirming, unexpected ways
—— Nicholas SparksEvery page is honest, brave and delightful
—— Laura DockrillA powerful read
—— StylistA funny, emotional, brilliantly observed story
—— Bella MagazineIt's one of those rare books with almost universal appeal: it will make you laugh, cry and break your heart
—— The BooksellerSimultaneously fabulous and tragic, Swan Song is an incredibly accomplished debut
—— AttitudeOur generation’s The Secret History
—— PendoraTriumphant debut…remarkable
—— Woman & HomeA vivid debut … based on ten years of research, this is a dazzling read that’s been worth the wait
—— Image MagazineStunning... It’s probably one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever owned
—— Bookish Chat BlogHypnotically fascinating
—— The Arts DeskThe book is dripping with atmosphere and character and is such a pleasure to read.
—— And Then I Read A Book blogPure pleasure
—— Evening Standard MagazineShe deftly gives us an insight into their inner lives... while creating defined personalities that resonate and intrigue. Lyrical and fascinating, the fact that this is Greenberg-Jephcott's debut is astounding.
—— Emerald StreetA stunning debut novel that seamlessly blends history, fact and fiction in this imaginative re-telling of the life of novelist Truman Capote
—— Woman's WeeklyA brilliant first novel
—— Rose Tremain , Daily MailA slick debut pulled off with brio, Swan Song is glamorous, vivid and sometimes even daring in its intelligence
—— Irish TimesA dazzling read
—— Image magazineGreenberg-Jephcott’s debut is fizzing with energy and ideas…The novel has style and substance in spades.
—— ObserverWith a grounding in history, it is a fascinating read about the deepest secrets of an iconic author.
—— Hello!Intoxicating
—— PrimaSwan Song is utterly divine.It swept me up and I just couldn't put it down ... it is the writing in this debut novel that astounds most of all. It is vivid, addictive and whips up a terrific portrait of a deeply contradictory and complex man, contrasting scenes from his unorthodox childhood with those from the gilded bubble he ended up in that he lanced through his own actions.
—— Victoria SadlerA sumptuous look at the icons of Manhattan's high society scene in the mid-20th century ... An immersive readthat will have you questioning real histories versus the ones we create for ourselves.
—— History ExtraHe offers the reader a masterful study of a mind devoted to fairness… The Children Act is also a fascinating, painstakingly researched look inside the judicial process… Conveyed in crisp prose, this attention to detail elevates the moral conundrums…beyond the sensationalism lesser authors might have pursued. It is, in all respects, a novel that is carefully judged.
—— Irish ExaminerIt explores the tension between cool-headed secularism and ardent belief. It is at times preposterous – and yet it has a magical readability and is slender enough to read in one intense, absorbing sitting.
—— Jason Cowley , New StatesmanIn typical McEwan style, The Children Act is unputdownable and hauntingly beautiful.
—— Sushmita Bose , Khaleej TimesThe Children Act is a…sophisticated exploration of how society treats children and how children’s welfare can be considered in the complex world in which we live, where issues about how children should be raised are not subject to consensus.
—— Carol Storer , Legal ActionIf you have any unanswered letters on your desk, McEwan’s latest will have you grabbing your pen pronto.
—— IndependentThe Children Act shows McEwan as a master of fiction who strives to teach us how to live.
—— Olivia Cole , GQ Magazine UKPowerful and moving.
—— Sir David Bell , Times Higher EducationTaut, sparing and effortless, this is another exquisitely wrought novel from the master of the novella.
—— Good Book GuideA subtly musical arrangement of urgently topical issues…it may be read at a sitting, but resonates for much longer.
—— Lewis Jones , SpectatorIt’s absorbing and, almost a novella, it doesn’t outstay its welcome.
—— Nick Bevan , Times Higher EducationDefinitely one of the best books I have read this year.
—— Natalie K. Watson , Church TimesThis is a wonderful read with sharp, crystalline prose and, together with a superb moral dilemma, this is a beautiful and moving story.
—— Bath ChronicleOffering a window into a compelling world of life or death dilemmas, this is told in prose as polished as you’d expect.
—— Daily MailThe book is bursting of beautiful writing. You’ll want to read it all over again.
—— Kirsty Brimelow , The TimesA story of human behavior told in a raw, uncluttered, unforgiving way.
—— Cambridge NewsRenowned author McEwan manages to surprise throughout this book, right to the last page.
—— Mayfair MagazineA story of human behavior told in a raw, uncluttered, unforgiving way – and we could all have done with another couple of hundred pages.
—— Cambridge MagazineMcEwan writes in taut, sparing and effortless prose.
—— Good Book GuideIan McEwan writes stories of exquisite precision and clarity. This one is ace.
—— William Leith , Evening StandardA page-turning novel
—— John Koski , Mail on SundayAs one has come to expect, McEwan sets up the moral issues with delicacy and precision.
—— John Sutherland , The TimesIan McEwan is at his most compelling with the story of Fiona Maye… Awesome
—— Marcus Field , IndependentA wonderfully readable and thought-provoking book
—— Kathryn Atkins , Bristol MagazineA short novel that will linger in your mind for a long time
—— Woman’s WeeklyAnother beautifully written masterpiece
—— Beyondrelevant, emotive, moving, this is beautifully written and a guaranteed page turner
—— Matthew Smith , H EditionOne of our best authors at his best.
—— Murray Neil , Hertfordshire LifeOne of my favourite authors… McEwan’s fascination with judicial issues, with music and poetry, and with the moral conundrum of how far you place your religious beliefs above the life of someone you love, all feature in this book which will leave you thinking long after you have finished it.
—— Frances Colville , Frost MagazineIt's an enjoyable and often surprising novella.
—— Charlotte Heathcote , Daily ExpressIt asks fundamental questions in a sober, intelligent way about the choices we make and our blindness when it comes to our beliefs.
—— Francois Ozon, film-maker , ObserverHere he is again: vulnerable, insightful, passionate and utterly in control. He’s amazing.
—— Robert Webb , Mail on Sunday