Author:Herman Melville

Wellington Redburn is a fifteen-year-old from the state of New York, with only one dream - to run away to sea. However, when he does fulfil this long-held fantasy, he quickly finds that reality as a cabin boy is far harsher than he ever imagined. Mocked by the crew on board the Highlander for his weakness and bullied by the vicious and merciless sailor Jackson, Wellington must struggle to endure the long journey from New York to Liverpool. But when he does reach England, he is equally horrified by what he finds there: poverty, desperation and moral corruption. Inspired by Melville's own youthful experiences on board a cargo boat, this is a compelling tale of innocence transformed, through bitter experience, into disillusionment. A fascinating sea journal and coming-of-age tale, Redburn provides a unique insight into the mind of one of America's greatest novelists.
Sensational... Another exemplary tale of suffering from one of the best writers of our time, who dares to articulate our incomprehensible existence, and manages it with extraordinary and sensitive eloquence
—— The Times[Slow Man] finds the Nobel laureate on top form... A consummate writer of fiction
—— ObserverCoetzee is a unique voice; no novelist explores the ideas and the power of literature and the sense of displacement so boldly. Slow Man will add to his immense reputation
—— Independent on SundayRemorselessly human, it is also funny and touching: Coetzee the artist remains the complete novelist
—— Irish TimesA tremendous and startling novel... Coetzee is a novelist who cares about every word. Slow Man confirms him as among our greatest living authors
—— The TimesCompelling
—— Woman's OwnJoughin's characters are always tangible. Yet while her dialogue has the ring of authenticity, the inclusion of selected lines from Larkin, Hughes and Yeats ensures an appealing languor
—— The ObserverJoughin's second novel confirms her gift for mining tragi-comic gems from outposts of shabby bohemia
—— The IndependentJoughin's poetic prose perfectly conveys the delicacy of human emotion, and the frequent disjunction between art and life'
—— Choice MagazineLike a cross between Margaret Drabble and Francoise Sagan
—— The TimesJoughin has an appealing darkness and urgency, as she potently conveys the pleasures and pains of human interactions
—— The Sunday TimesAdeptly written and enjoyable... Ruth's childhood perspectives are extremely well captured
—— TelegraphStriking story of Ruth and Gray under the spell of famous poets' lives
—— Good Housekeeping's 8 Great ReadsReading Joughin's second novel is like immersing yourself in a cool pool at a hazy summer party ...as addictively abrasive as a shot of cold vodka, this wil leave you both refreshed and gasping for stability
—— Time OutThis darkly comic story about unpredictable love is perfect if you're looking for some intelligent chicklit
—— Family Circle






