The Outside Lands

De: Hannah Kohler

Narrado por: Tavia Gilbert, Michael Crouch

Jeannie is 19 when the world changes, Kip only 14. The sudden accident that robs them of their mother leaves them adrift, with only their father to guide them. Jeannie seeks escape in work and later marriage to a man whose social connections propel her into an unfamiliar world of wealth and politics. Ill equipped and unprepared, Jeannie finds comfort where she can. Meanwhile Kip's descent into a life of petty crime is halted only when he volunteers for the marines.

By 1968 the conflict in Vietnam is at its height, and with the antiwar movement raging at home, Jeannie and Kip are swept along by events larger than themselves, driven by disillusionment to commit unforgiveable acts of betrayal that will leave permanent scars.

The Outside Lands is the story of people caught in the slipstream of history, how we struggle in the face of loss to build our world, and how easily and with sudden violence it can be swept away. With extraordinary skill and accuracy, Hannah Kohler takes us from 1960s California to Vietnam, capturing what it means to live through historic times. This powerful debut novel announces Kohler as a remarkable new literary talent.

2017, International Dylan Thomas Prize, Long-listed

©2016 Hannah Kohler (P)2016 Macmillan Digital Audio