Undiscovered Country - Softcover

Koning, Christina

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0956521428 ISBN 13: 9780956521422

Publisher: Arbuthnot Books, 1997

Synopsis

Venezuela, 1953. The war is over and people are trying to rebuild their lives. For the privileged expat commu- nity around the Maracaibo oilfields life is still a hedonis- tic round of cocktail parties, salacious gossip, and illicit liaisons. At the centre of this glamorous, hard-drinking ‘set’ is Texan oilman, Jack Lindberg, and his beautiful English wife, Vivienne. But the war has changed every- thing. Observing the shifts and subterfuges of their world is Tony – Vivienne’s eleven year-old daughter. As the cracks begin to show in her parents’ marriage, and as the façade of colonial society starts to disintegrate, a tragic drama unfolds that will change her life forever.‘A beautiful evocation of a tropical childhood. I wish I’d written this book.’ Barbara Trapido‘Koning shows herself to be an expert observer... full of exquisite writing and considerable charm.’ Michael Arditti, Independent‘Undiscovered Country launches with tremendous gusto into some irresistible stories; the traumas of adults, glimpsed by bewildered children, guilt, sex, pas- sion... and a lot of completely blissful Fifties colonial detail (the frocks, the food, the furniture – what a movie!), It whips along in the grand manner, putting the reader under its elegant spell.’ Philip Hensher, Mail on Sunday‘A lovely book – sensuous, sad and often extremely funny... an intense, richly textured narrative. Koning deftly weaves multiple viewpoints...’ Patrick Gale, Daily Telegraph

About this title

About the Author:

Christina Koning was born in Kuala Belait, British Borneo and spent her early childhood in Venezuela and Jamaica. She now reviews fiction for The Times, for which she also writes travel. Her first novel A MILD SUICIDE, was published in 1992 and was shortlisted for the David Higham Prize

About this edition

• Publisher: Arbuthnot Books
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0956521428
• ISBN 13: 9780956521422
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 252