A Golden Age
Published on 3. May 2012
Book
Paperback/Softback
304 pages
978-1-84767-976-5 (ISBN)
Description
One of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists.
Spring, 1971, East Pakistan. Rehana Haque is throwing a party for her beloved children, Sohail and Maya. Her young family is growing up fast, and Rehana wants to remember this day forever. But out on the hot city streets, something violent is brewing. As the civil war develops, a war which will eventually see the birth of Bangladesh, Rehana struggles to keep her children safe and finds herself facing a heartbreaking dilemma.
Spring, 1971, East Pakistan. Rehana Haque is throwing a party for her beloved children, Sohail and Maya. Her young family is growing up fast, and Rehana wants to remember this day forever. But out on the hot city streets, something violent is brewing. As the civil war develops, a war which will eventually see the birth of Bangladesh, Rehana struggles to keep her children safe and finds herself facing a heartbreaking dilemma.
Reviews / Votes
A real page-turner, with a bravura, heart-stopping ending * * Sunday Telegraph * * Deftly balances the story of nation against that of family . . . heart-shattering -- Kamila Shamsie * * Guardian * * A stunning novel * * Observer * * The authenticity shines through beautiful, simple prose * * Harper's Bazaar * * A striking story of a spirited mother struggling to bring up her children * * Financial Times * * Compellingly twists the personal and the historical, humming with handed down wisdom * * Literary Review * * Anam has done a service to her country . . . No other writer has treated the subject with such clarity before * * Times Literary Supplement * * A stunning debut. Anam writes of torture, brutality, refugees and desperation, but she also writes of love and joy, food and song * * Observer * * I had tears in my eyes * * Woman's Own * * An ambitious and powerful debut * * New Statesman * * An assured, moving read * * The Times * * Pays tribute, with sensitivity and restrained passion, to those who fought for one such arbour: a country called home * * Independent on Sunday * * A steely tale of how one family deals with political unrest . . . Moving and beautifully written * * Woman * * An outstanding debut that glows with the golden hue of the title * * Easy Living * * The book touches on love, devotion and hope -- Hephizibah Anderson * * Vogue * * Anam is an intelligent, evocative and subtle writer and her tale of war from a woman's perspective is artful and moving * * The Age * *More details
Edition
Main
Language
English
Place of publication
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
205 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84767-976-5 (9781847679765)
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Schweitzer Classification
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Person
Tahmima Anam was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She was selected as a Granta Best of Young British Novelist 2013. Her first novel, A Golden Age, was shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award and the Costa First Novel Award in 2007, and was the winner of the 2008 Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book. Her second novel, The Good Muslim, was shortlisted for the 2013 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature and was also longlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize 2011. She lives in London.