Civilisations
From the bestselling author of HHhH
Published on 14. April 2022
Book
Paperback/Softback
320 pages
978-1-5291-1281-8 (ISBN)
Description
It's world history. But not as we know it.
c.1000AD: Erik the Red's daughter heads south from Greenland
1492: Columbus does not discover America
1531: the Incas invade Europe
Freydis is the leader of a band of Viking warriors who get as far as Panama. Nobody knows what became of them. Five hundred years later, Christopher Columbus is sailing for the Americas, dreaming of gold and conquest. Even when captured, his faith in his mission is unshaken.
Thirty years after that, Atahualpa, the last Inca emperor, arrives in a Europe ready for revolution. Fortunately, he has a recent guidebook to acquiring power - Machiavelli's The Prince. So, the stage is set for a Europe ruled by Incas and, when the Aztecs arrive on the scene, for a great war that will change history forever.
'Binet's best book yet: the work of a major writer just hitting his stride. A delightful counterfactual novel' ***** - Daily Telegraph
c.1000AD: Erik the Red's daughter heads south from Greenland
1492: Columbus does not discover America
1531: the Incas invade Europe
Freydis is the leader of a band of Viking warriors who get as far as Panama. Nobody knows what became of them. Five hundred years later, Christopher Columbus is sailing for the Americas, dreaming of gold and conquest. Even when captured, his faith in his mission is unshaken.
Thirty years after that, Atahualpa, the last Inca emperor, arrives in a Europe ready for revolution. Fortunately, he has a recent guidebook to acquiring power - Machiavelli's The Prince. So, the stage is set for a Europe ruled by Incas and, when the Aztecs arrive on the scene, for a great war that will change history forever.
'Binet's best book yet: the work of a major writer just hitting his stride. A delightful counterfactual novel' ***** - Daily Telegraph
Reviews / Votes
Glorious, funny and profound * Daily Telegraph * A wild romp of a book that turns history on its head * Guardian * A bold and thrilling experiment in counter-factual history from a masterful storyteller * Financial Times * Characteristically ambitious, brilliant...Combining all the pleasure of a period romp with vital questions about our shared origin stories...a triumph * i * A propulsive 'counter-factual' romp...both dizzying and fun -- Claire Allfree * Metro, *Summer Reads of 2021* * Civilisations provides a whole series of what-ifs, concertinaing known facts in new and surprising ways * Literary Review * Imagine that Christopher Columbus never made it back to Spain - and that the Incas weren't conquered by Spain but instead invaded Europe, replacing Christianity with sun worship....the distant tone enables some enjoyably tart humour about European mores as seen through Incan eyes * The Times * Binet's best book yet: the work of a major writer just hitting his stride. A delightful counterfactual novel. ***** -- Tim Smith-Laing * Daily Telegraph * Tremendous fun. * Guardian * One of the most successful French writers of his generation... a wild romp of a book that turns history on its head * Guardian *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Vintage Publishing
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 196 mm
Width: 127 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
232 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5291-1281-8 (9781529112818)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Persons
Laurent Binet (Author)
Laurent Binet lives and works in France. His first novel, HHhH, was an international bestseller which won the prestigious Prix Goncourt du premier roman, among other prizes. The 7th Function of Language won the Prix de la FNAC and Prix Interallie. Civilisations is a bestseller that has won the Grand Prix de l'Academie francaise.
Sam Taylor (Translator)
Sam Taylor is an award-winning literary translator and novelist. He has translated more than 60 books from French including Laurent Binet's HHhH and Leila Slimani's Lullaby.
Laurent Binet lives and works in France. His first novel, HHhH, was an international bestseller which won the prestigious Prix Goncourt du premier roman, among other prizes. The 7th Function of Language won the Prix de la FNAC and Prix Interallie. Civilisations is a bestseller that has won the Grand Prix de l'Academie francaise.
Sam Taylor (Translator)
Sam Taylor is an award-winning literary translator and novelist. He has translated more than 60 books from French including Laurent Binet's HHhH and Leila Slimani's Lullaby.