We Are Now Beginning Our Descent
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Price:
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$29.95
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On Sale:
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21/04/2008
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Formats:
Hardcover
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Adam Kellas’s world—his life—is not
just crumbling, but cracking. An aspiring novelist, Kellas was in the midst of
writing a thriller about terrorists and destruction in September 2001 when real
life overtook his fictional plot. The terrible events of 9/11 left him scarred,
disconnected from the people around him and the meaningless passivity of words.
Now headed to the battlefields of Afghanistan as a war correspondent, he drives
himself toward action, seeking “some violent blow, inarticulate noise or mad
mime-show of truth.”
In a country that
is itself descending into chaos, however, Kellas is not the only broken soul.
Astrid, an American journalist who is also struggling to keep her world from
splitting apart, is another. As Kellas’s plane touches down in Kabul, the last
thing on his mind is a relationship—and the last thing he hopes for is
redemption.
Like his highly
acclaimed The People’s Act of Love, James Meek’s We Are Now Beginning
Our Descent is a novel that demands to be read and contemplated, its bold
cinematic story and complex characters rooted in Meek’s own experience as an
award-winning journalist. Moving from the mountains of Northern Afghanistan to
London and the waterlands of east Virginia, We Are Now Beginning Our Descent
is a tautly paced story of flawed individuals searching for perfect love, set
against the incendiary politics and shifting ethics of our time.
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Author Extras
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Critical Praise for
We Are Now Beginning Our Descent
“Abundantly rich in theme, drama and implication. At once about
technology, morality, love, madness and a world that makes sense if you let it
speak on its own terms.”
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Toronto Star
“Astonishing. . . . A love story that owes everything to the
great collision of bin Laden and Bush Jr’s foreign policy.”
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The Times (London)
“A sharply observed meditation on modern war.”
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The New York Times Book Review
Reader Reviews from First Look
A thought-provoking story that makes you take a second look at how we define our relationships, our values, and our lives. A wonderful book that is perfect for sharing with friends and family, but don't lose your copy because you'll want to read it again!
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Siobhan (Thunder Bay, ON)
A thought-provoking story that makes you take a second look at how we define our relationships, our values, and our lives. A wonderful book that is perfect for sharing with friends and family, but don't lose your copy because you'll want to read it again!
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Siobhan (Thunder Bay, ON)
I found myself being drawn into the lives of the characters, eagerly reading to see how the relationships developed and how they interwined with each other. One mans journey through war and in search of love.
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Annie (Boisdale, NS)
I was surprised at the poetic writing employed by Meek. I almost expected a colder style, perhaps because of the relation to 9/11. James Meek definitely knows how to conjure up beautiful imagery, and he surprised me with the love story so intertwined within these pages.
I found this novel to be intelligent and brilliantly written, and would definitely recommend it to others!
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Arezoo (Brampton, ON)
Loved this book! You can read and enjoy this book on a number of levels. It prompts you to ask yourself a myriad of questions. Very thought provoking. I'll be recommending it to my book club. You won't be disappointed!
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C. Jo (Toronto, AK)
This book is a literature lover's dream. Take some time, consume it, enjoy the language Meek uses and indulge yourself!
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Lori (Oshawa, ON)
Meek's use of detail and dialogue immerse the reader in Kellas' life. The imagery allows the reader to feel like they are part of the action. Meek's use of flashbacks although at times difficult to follow allow the reader to feel the emotions of Kellas as he voyages towards Astrid.
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Tanis (Red Deer, AB)
A compelling and thought-provoking read. Meek provided us with characters who were interesting yet not particularly likable. A very satisfying book, something that needs to be read once, put aside, and then read again in the future just to catch all of the smaller details that may have been missed the first time.
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Jonita (Simcoe, ON)
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The People's Act of Love
1919, Siberia. Deep in the unforgiving landscape, a shunned Christian community practises its esoteric religion. With their town under the military rule of a demented Kurtz-like commander fighting the Russian Civil War, they await the remorseless assault of Bolsheviks along the Trans-Siberian...
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We Are Now Beginning Our Decent
At the dawn of the 21st century, Adam Kellas finds himself hurled on a journey between continents and cultures. From the war-torn mountains of Afghanistan to the elegant dinner tables of north London and then the marshlands of the American South, only the memory of the beautiful, elusive Astrid...
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