Human, Animal
A BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick
Published on 20. February 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
320 pages
978-0-85730-889-4 (ISBN)
Description
Dairy farmer George Calvert is fighting to keep the family business afloat. Worried about the future but resistant to change, he refuses to face the reality of his failing farm, his elderly mother's declining health and his troubled relationship with his youngest son, Tom.
Newly returned from university, Tom isolates himself in his childhood bedroom, guarding the truth of his burgeoning identity.
When animal rights activists break into the cowshed one morning and Tom appears to side with the protesters, father and son lock horns. As the Calverts begin to unravel, a decades-old secret surfaces - one that might rip them apart completely, or finally unite them.
A deeply moving debut about one family's struggle to find connection in a rapidly changing world, Human, Animal is an ode to the wild, a journey of self-discovery and a hopeful path to common ground.
Newly returned from university, Tom isolates himself in his childhood bedroom, guarding the truth of his burgeoning identity.
When animal rights activists break into the cowshed one morning and Tom appears to side with the protesters, father and son lock horns. As the Calverts begin to unravel, a decades-old secret surfaces - one that might rip them apart completely, or finally unite them.
A deeply moving debut about one family's struggle to find connection in a rapidly changing world, Human, Animal is an ode to the wild, a journey of self-discovery and a hopeful path to common ground.
Reviews / Votes
A stunning read that will contribute thoughtfully about how to bridge the generational divide regarding gender differences -- Attitude Beautifully, skilfully told with real tension and gorgeous characters, Human, Animal moved me to tears. Seth Insua writes with so much kindness, empathy and wisdom; everyone is understood and forgiven and revealed. The narrative sneaks up in tiny moments packed with emotion that never become overwrought. Taut, precise, witty, insightful, it barrelled me along. Remarkable, inspirational writing -- Russell T Davies Impressive... The characterisation is so adept... [and] never fails to convince * Financial Times * The novel explores the connections between the social and political and the past and present, looking at how much of our identities we inherit, and the ways in which history repeats and evolves at the same time. A clever debut with an opening line you'll be thinking about for months -- GQ A luminous exploration of how we might create meaningful dialogue in a world often divided by ideology...With remarkable sensitivity, Insua captures the exquisite complexity of human connection: how we hurt, heal, and ultimately transform together... A stunning debut that will resonate with anyone who has ever navigated the challenging, beautiful terrain of becoming fully, unapologetically themselves. -- Scene MagazineMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 196 mm
Width: 127 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
218 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-85730-889-4 (9780857308894)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
02/2025
1st Edition
Verve Books
from
€8.49
Available for download
Person
SETH INSUA is an Anglo-Spanish writer and artist. He was born in Kent in 1989. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a First in English Language and Literature. He has been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize and The London Magazine's Short Story Competition and was a semi-finalist in the BlueCat Screenplay Competition. He lives with his husband, David, between Newcastle upon Tyne and Madrid. Human, Animal is his first novel.