New Releases by Marlon James

The long-awaited paperback reissue of Booker–Prize Winner Marlon James''s debut novel. —Marlon James won the 2015 Man Booker Prize for his third novel, A Brief History of Seven Killings. —Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Commonwealth Writers'' Prize "A powerful first novel . . . Writing with assurance and control, James uses his small-town drama to suggest the larger anguish of a postcolonial society struggling for its own identity." — New York Times, Editors'' Choice "Elements coalesce in a Jamaican stew spicier than jerk chicken. First novelist James moves effortlessly between lyrical patois and trenchant observations . . . It''s 150-proof literary rum guaranteed to intoxicate and enchant. Highly recommended." — Library Journal, Starred Review This stunning debut novel tells the story of a biblical struggle in a remote Jamaican village in 1957. With language as taut as classic works by Cormac McCarthy, and a richness reminiscent of early Toni Morrison, Marlon James reveals his unique narrative command that will firmly establish his place as one of today''s freshest, most talented young writers. In the village of Gibbeah—where certain women fly and certain men protect secrets with their lives—magic coexists with religion, and good and evil are never as they seem. In this town, a battle is fought between two men of God. The story begins when a drunkard named Hector Bligh (the "Rum Preacher") is dragged from his pulpit by a man calling himself "Apostle" York. Handsome and brash, York demands a fire-and-brimstone church, but sets in motion a phenomenal and deadly struggle for the soul of Gibbeah itself. John Crow''s Devil is a novel about religious mania, redemption, sexual obsession, and the eternal struggle inside all of us between the righteous and the wicked.

« Là où Léopard noir, loup rouge, une quête épique, affrontait d''un pas inexorable d''interminables péripéties, La Sorcière de Lune est une confession dévorée par la rage et le deuil. Sogolon est une protagoniste palpitante et obsédante. » The Washington Post Unanimement salué par la critique, Léopard noir, loup rouge initiait une trilogie fantastique imprégnée de mythologie et de folklore africains. Avec La Sorcière de Lune, Marlon James poursuit son épopée en se concentrant sur une héroïne hors-norme. Élevée dans la misère, maltraitée par ses frères qui l''accusent d''avoir tué leur mère, Sogolon parvient à se libérer. Bientôt, elle bravera une à une les épreuves qui se dressent devant elle, vivra une dizaine de vies, et deviendra la Sorcière de Lune : une femme puissante et redoutée de tous, enfin maîtresse de sa propre destinée. À mi-chemin entre la fantasy et le roman d''apprentissage, le récit fabuleux d''un empowerment.

Úgy mondják, Sogolon, a Holdbanya mindig a sötétben űzi a mesterségét. A több száz éves boszorkány Nyomkövető méltó ellenfelének bizonyult, miközben az eltűnt gyermek után kutattak a Fekete leopárd, vörös farkas burjánzó őserdőkkel, óriási, denevérszerű démonokkal, csontokkal varázsló kuruzslókkal és árnyéklényekkel teli mitikus afrikai táján. A Holdbanya, Pókkirály az ő története. A lányé, aki születésekor végzett az anyjával, aki levágta fivére kezét, a magát egyetlen férfinak sem alávető nőé, akit korábban Csúf Sogolon néven ismertek, míg meg nem halt mindenki, aki így tett. A Booker-díjas Marlon James korszakalkotó afrikai fantasysorozatának második részében Sogolon nézőpontjából ismerjük meg a gyermek utáni kutatás történetét és évszázados viszályát az Aesivel, a király kancellárjával, akinek hálójában ott vergődik az egész királyság népe. A gyermek halott. Ennyi biztos, minden más az eltérő nézőpontok, érdekek és igazságok zűrzavarába vész, elvégre az igazság úgy váltogatja alakját, ahogy a krokodil zabálja fel a holdat. A Holdbanya, Pókkirály lenyűgöző és szédítő utazás egy sosem volt Afrikába.

La segunda entrega de la trilogía con la que Marlon James, ganador del Booker Prize, ha dado la vuelta al género fantástico. «Mucho más adictiva e imaginativa que su predecesora. Como Tolkien colocado de ayahuasca.» The Observer «Las escenas de lucha de Marlon James hacen que las películas de Quentin Tarantino parezcan tranquilas en comparación. Sogolon es una heroína turbadora y apasionante.» The Washington Post «Un libro imprescindible que funciona por sí solo o como secuela. De lectura obligada.» NPR En Leopardo Negro, Lobo rojo, Sogolon, la Bruja Luna, demostró ser un personaje secundario fascinante: una hechicera de 177 años con sus propios intereses, que supo encandilar al público lector y que fue un digno adversario para el Rastreador durante la búsqueda del misterioso niño desparecido. En Bruja Luna, Rey Araña, ha llegado su turno: Sogolon adquiere el protagonismo y ofrece su propia versión de lo ocurrido, su propio relato de lo que le sucedió al niño, de cómo planeó y luchó, triunfó y fracasó en esa búsqueda. Pero esta novela es también la historia de una enemistad de un siglo entre Sogolon y Aesi, el canciller del rey, un personaje oscuro, letal y poderoso, a quien no es fácil desafiar. Sogolon lo hace por sus propios motivos. En un giro narrativo brillante, Bruja Luna, Rey Araña muestra la historia contada en Leopardo Negro, Lobo Rojo desde la perspectiva de esta mujer indomable que no se inclina ante ningún hombre, mientras ahonda en la lucha que se desarrolla en el interior del imperio.

Un bambino perduto, una strega ultracentenaria, un mistero con molte risposte possibili sullo sfondo di un mondo mitico. In Leopardo Nero, Lupo Rosso, Sogolon la Strega della Luna si è dimostrata una degna avversaria dell''Inseguitore nel loro scontro epico attraverso un paesaggio africano fantastico, entrambi sulle tracce di un misterioso bambino scomparso. Ora è lei a prendersi la scena e a fornire la sua versione dei fatti, raccontando intrighi e battaglie, successi e fallimenti che l''hanno vista protagonista durante la ricerca del bambino. Ma questa è anche la storia della sua lotta, lunga un secolo, contro l''Aesi, cancelliere del Re e così vicino a quest''ultimo che insieme sono come le otto zampe di un ragno. Il potere dell''Aesi è notevole - e letale. Ci vogliono cervello e coraggio per sfidarlo, che alla strega Sogolon di certo non mancano, insieme a numerose buone ragioni per farlo. Perché questo straordinario romanzo di avventura è anche la storia di una donna indomita che non ha intenzione di inchinarsi a nessun uomo. Strega della Luna, Re Ragno - secondo capitolo della serie Dark Star - è concepito in maniera originale da Marlon James non come sequel del primo volume, bensì come un racconto a esso speculare, ossia la versione dei fatti narrata da un punto di vista diverso e antitetico: quello della Strega della Luna, personaggio che si staglia sulla pagina per ingegno, coraggio e una personalità irresistibile.

« Une Afrique antique, dangereuse, hallucinatoire, qui devient un monde fantastique aussi réaliste que tout ce que Tolkien a pu imaginer. » Neil Gaiman " Léopard noir, loup rouge est d''ores et déjà un géant en fantasy, une ode merveilleuse à la Grande Afrique, un chef-d''oeuvre d''imagination, de violence, de fureur et de grâce. " Page des libraires « Aucun roman n''est aussi grisant que cette oeuvre de fantasy sanglante, profane, bourrée de références. » The Wall Street Journal « Grivois (ok, sale), lyrique, poignant, violent, tapageur, drôle (salement hilarant), complexe, mystérieux, mais toujours élégamment contrôlé. Une oeuvre incontestablement brillante. » The Los Angeles Times « Imprégné de mythologie et de folklore africains, ce texte grouille de créatures et bâtit des royaumes tels que je n''en ai jamais vu en littérature. Révolutionnaire. » Entertainment Weekly À la croisée des univers de Gabriel García Márquez, de Jérôme Bosch et des comics Marvel, le nouveau roman de Marlon James est une fantastique quête initiatique qui nous entraîne dans une Afrique de légende peuplée de créatures extraordinaires, de sorcières et de personnages hors du commun. Un tour de force littéraire, et une aventure incroyable.

“Masterfully flips the first installment on its head... James makes the mythic tantalizingly real.’” —Esquire "Even more brilliant than the first.” —Buzzfeed An Instant New York Times Bestseller and NPR Best Book of 2022 pick From Marlon James, author of the bestselling National Book Award finalist Black Leopard, Red Wolf, the second book in the Dark Star trilogy. In Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Sogolon the Moon Witch proved a worthy adversary to Tracker as they clashed across a mythical African landscape in search of a mysterious boy who disappeared. In Moon Witch, Spider King, Sogolon takes center stage and gives her own account of what happened to the boy, and how she plotted and fought, triumphed and failed as she looked for him. It’s also the story of a century-long feud—seen through the eyes of a 177-year-old witch—that Sogolon had with the Aesi, chancellor to the king. It is said that Aesi works so closely with the king that together they are like the eight limbs of one spider. Aesi’s power is considerable—and deadly. It takes brains and courage to challenge him, which Sogolon does for reasons of her own. Both a brilliant narrative device—seeing the story told in Black Leopard, Red Wolf from the perspective of an adversary and a woman—as well as a fascinating battle between different versions of empire, Moon Witch, Spider King delves into Sogolon’s world as she fights to tell her own story. Part adventure tale, part chronicle of an indomitable woman who bows to no man, it is a fascinating novel that explores power, personality, and the places where they overlap.

Em um épico fantástico ― com elementos que vão de Gabriel García Márquez ao universo Marvel ―, Marlon James conduz o leitor por toda a riqueza das histórias e dos folclores do continente africano Com um faro infalível para encontrar coisas que preferem ficar perdidas, o Rastreador achará tudo o que quiser. E, mesmo ciente de que o objeto de sua busca já não está mais no mundo dos vivos, o habilidoso caçador aceita a missão de localizar um garoto desaparecido. Afinal, o menino pode ser o herdeiro legítimo do trono de um império. Seguindo rastros deixados por seu alvo, o Rastreador passa por cidades ancestrais, desbrava rios e florestas, imerge em culturas e costumes, vivência lendas e mitos, enfrenta todo tipo de perigos: demônios, feiticeiros, bruxas, necromantes. Confrontado pela vastidão do continente, por toda a beleza e o terror em seu caminho, o Rastreador decide ir contra seus princípios de caçador solitário ao perceber que seus inimigos são mercenários atrás do mesmo objetivo. O grupo ao qual se junta é heterogêneo e composto por personagens fantásticos, entre eles o misterioso metamorfo ― metade homem, metade Leopardo ―, que irá conduzi-lo em sua jornada. Enquanto lutam para sobreviver e concluir a tarefa, o Rastreador é assombrado por questionamentos: quem é o menino desaparecido? O que o fez desaparecer? Por que há tanto interesse em que não seja encontrado? Mas, sobretudo, quem está mentindo e quem está dizendo a verdade? Inspirado nas histórias e nos folclores da África, valendo-se de uma imaginação aparentemente ilimitada, Marlon James cria uma aventura multicolorida e surrealista na qual questiona os limites da verdade e do poder e o preço da ambição. Desdobrando personagens e lendas em uma cascata vigorosa, Leopardo Negro, Lobo Vermelho é uma ode à beleza e à pluralidade da mitologia africana.

The American Civil Liberties Union partners with award-winning authors Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman in this “forceful, beautifully written” (Associated Press) collection that brings together many of our greatest living writers, each contributing an original piece inspired by a historic ACLU case. On January 19, 1920, a small group of idealists and visionaries, including Helen Keller, Jane Addams, Roger Baldwin, and Crystal Eastman, founded the American Civil Liberties Union. A century after its creation, the ACLU remains the nation’s premier defender of the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. In collaboration with the ACLU, authors Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman have curated an anthology of essays “full of struggle, emotion, fear, resilience, hope, and triumph” (Los Angeles Review of Books) about landmark cases in the organization’s one-hundred-year history. Fight of the Century takes you inside the trials and the stories that have shaped modern life. Some of the most prominent cases that the ACLU has been involved in—Brown v. Board of Education, Roe v. Wade, Miranda v. Arizona—need little introduction. Others you may never even have heard of, yet their outcomes quietly defined the world we live in now. Familiar or little-known, each case springs to vivid life in the hands of the acclaimed writers who dive into the history, narrate their personal experiences, and debate the questions at the heart of each issue. Hector Tobar introduces us to Ernesto Miranda, the felon whose wrongful conviction inspired the now-iconic Miranda rights—which the police would later read to the man suspected of killing him. Yaa Gyasi confronts the legacy of Brown v. Board of Education, in which the ACLU submitted a friend of- the-court brief questioning why a nation that has sent men to the moon still has public schools so unequal that they may as well be on different planets. True to the ACLU’s spirit of principled dissent, Scott Turow offers a blistering critique of the ACLU’s stance on campaign finance. These powerful stories, along with essays from Neil Gaiman, Meg Wolitzer, Salman Rushdie, Ann Patchett, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Louise Erdrich, George Saunders, and many more, remind us that the issues the ACLU has engaged over the past one hundred years remain as vital as ever today, and that we can never take our liberties for granted. Chabon and Waldman are donating their advance to the ACLU and the contributors are forgoing payment.

''This collection is [like] the Beatles'' "White Album": massive in size and scope, with individually brilliant pieces presented together because the only context they need is how good they are'' MARLON JAMES A captivating collection of fiction from one of the world''s most beloved writers, introduced with a foreword by Booker Prize-winning author, Marlon James. With a writer as prolific as Neil Gaiman, where do you begin? Or how do you know what to try next? Spanning his career to date, this collection of ambitious, groundbreaking and endlessly imaginative fiction will be your guide. Curated within this book are nearly fifty of Gaiman''s short stories and novellas, interposed with excerpts from his five novels for adults - Neverwhere, Stardust, American Gods, Anansi Boys and The Ocean at the End of the Lane. It is both an entryway to his oeuvre and a literary trove Gaiman fans old and new will return to time and again. Start where it suits you. There aren''t any rules. NEIL GAIMAN. WITH STORIES COME POSSIBILITIES.

Sucher, der Jäger mit dem besonderen Sinn, wird vor seine schwierigste Aufgabe gestellt. Er muss einen Jungen aufspüren, der vor drei Jahren spurlos verschwand. Seine Fährte führt ihn durch Wälder und Städte, zu Gestaltwandlern, Ausgestoßenen und Hexen. Aber kann er den Jungen retten und die Welten wieder in Einklang bringen? »Man Booker Prize«-Träger Marlon James legt mit »Schwarzer Leopard, roter Wolf« den Auftakt zu einer Trilogie vor, die afrikanische Geschichte und Mythen zu einem gewaltigen Fantasy-Epos verflicht.

La novel·la que revoluciona la fantasia èpica. «HEU VINGUT A BUSCAR UNA HISTÒRIA I JO TINC GANES DE PARLAR, ELS DÉUS ENS HAN SOMRIGUT A TOTS DOS» El Rastrejador és un caçador, conegut arreu dels tretze regnes com algú amb un olfacte prodigiós i que sempre treballa sol. Però trenca les seves pròpies normes quan es troba formant part d''un inusual grup de mercenaris a la recerca d''un nen desaparegut tres anys enrere. Tots ells estranys, cadascun més perillós que l''altre, i tots amb secrets per amagar. Qui és aquest nen misteriós? Per què hi ha tanta gent que no vol que el trobin? I, el més important, qui diu la veritat i qui menteix, en aquest joc on reis i comerciants d''esclaus, bruixes i bèsties fantàstiques tenen els seus propis interessos? Guanyador del prestigiós Man Booker Prize, Marlon James ha creat una obra destinada a revolucionar la fantasia èpica. Un tour de force de geni i ambició en què la inesgotable riquesa dels mites africans es fon amb la cultura del còmic i els superherois. Una història impulsada pel poder hipnòtic de les narracions orals, per la potència creadora del llenguatge i per una imaginació que sembla no tenir límits. I amb una parella de protagonistes, el Rastrejador i el Lleopard, que ja són història del gènere fantàstic. Amb la col·laboració de la Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament de Cultura.

Una aventura mágica y violenta que explora los límites del poder, la ambición y la búsqueda de la verdad. El Rastreador es conocido por sus habilidades como cazador: «Tiene un buen olfato», se dice de él. Contratado para encontrar a un misterioso niño que ha desaparecido, el Rastreador rompe su propia regla de no trabajar con nadie y se encuentra de pronto como parte de un grupo que debe colaborar y apoyarse para llevar su objetivo a buen puerto. Se trata de un grupo heterogéneo, formado por personajes inusuales, cada uno con sus propios secretos, incluido un hombre capaz de cambiar de forma a su antojo conocido como el Leopardo. Mientras el Rastreador sigue el olor del chico, el grupo se enfrenta a criaturas que intentan que no lleguen a su objetivo. Y mientras luchan para sobrevivir, el Rastreador empieza a preguntarse quién es realmente ese niño, por qué ha estado perdido durante tanto tiempo y por qué todos intentan evitar que sea encontrado. Y algo más importante: ¿quién está contando la verdad en esta historia y quién está mintiendo? Hundiendo su propia imaginación en la mitología y en la historia africana, Marlon James ha escrito una novela que no se parece a nada: una saga de aventuras capaz de cortar el aliento, tan ambiciosa como imposible de dejar de leer. Huyendo de las etiquetas y repleta de personajes inolvidables, Leopardo negro, lobo rojo es un ejercicio de literatura tan sorprendente como profundo que explora nuestra necesidad de entender cómo funcionan la verdad y el poder.

One of TIME’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time Winner of the L.A. Times Ray Bradbury Prize Finalist for the 2019 National Book Award The New York Times Bestseller Named a Best Book of 2019 by The Wall Street Journal, TIME, NPR, GQ, Vogue, and The Washington Post "A fantasy world as well-realized as anything Tolkien made." --Neil Gaiman "Gripping, action-packed....The literary equivalent of a Marvel Comics universe." --Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times The epic novel from the Man Booker Prize-winning author of A Brief History of Seven Killings In the stunning first novel in Marlon James''s Dark Star trilogy, myth, fantasy, and history come together to explore what happens when a mercenary is hired to find a missing child. Tracker is known far and wide for his skills as a hunter: "He has a nose," people say. Engaged to track down a mysterious boy who disappeared three years earlier, Tracker breaks his own rule of always working alone when he finds himself part of a group that comes together to search for the boy. The band is a hodgepodge, full of unusual characters with secrets of their own, including a shape-shifting man-animal known as Leopard. As Tracker follows the boy''s scent--from one ancient city to another; into dense forests and across deep rivers--he and the band are set upon by creatures intent on destroying them. As he struggles to survive, Tracker starts to wonder: Who, really, is this boy? Why has he been missing for so long? Why do so many people want to keep Tracker from finding him? And perhaps the most important questions of all: Who is telling the truth, and who is lying? Drawing from African history and mythology and his own rich imagination, Marlon James has written a novel unlike anything that''s come before it: a saga of breathtaking adventure that''s also an ambitious, involving read. Defying categorization and full of unforgettable characters, Black Leopard, Red Wolf is both surprising and profound as it explores the fundamentals of truth, the limits of power, and our need to understand them both.

December 1976. Våldsamma politiska stridigheter pågår i Jamaica, och det är bara ett par veckor kvar till valet, när sju beväpnade män stormar in i Bob Marleys hem i Kingston. Ingen av männen bakom mordförsöket grips, men ryktet säger att sångaren har blivit en bricka i ett spel med intressen långt utanför landets gränser. Papa-Lo är don över gettot Copenhagen City och vill få ett slut på striderna med Shotta Sherrif i Eight Lanes, men alla tycker inte att fred är någon bra idé. Weeper kommer ut ur fängelset. På gatan pratas det om att han har blivit en battyboy. Utanför Bob Marleys hus på Hope Road väntar Nina Burgess på att han ska känna igen henne, medan Rolling Stone-journalisten Alex Pierce jagar en story som ingen tycks vilja att han får tag i. Marlon James tar sin utgångspunkt i verklighetens attentat mot Bob Marley, i en berättelse om mördare, politiker och langare, CIA-agenter, journalister och bedragare. En brutal och intensiv roman om musik, droger, sex och våld, som rör sig från sjuttiotal till nittiotal, från Jamaica till New York via Miami och Kuba. Belönad med Man Booker-priset.

Der Teufel kämpft nicht mit fairen Mitteln Im Dorf Gibbeah beginnt der Sonntag mit einem bösen Omen: Während der Morgenmesse fliegt ein Geier durch das geschlossene Kirchenfenster und schlägt tot auf der Kanzel auf. Nur wenige Minuten später wirft ein schwarz gekleideter Fremder den Dorfprediger zu Boden und übernimmt die Kontrolle über die Gemeinde. Als selbst ernannter Apostel York predigt er Rache und Verdammnis. Doch der alte Prediger weigert sich, seinen Platz widerstandslos abzugeben. Ein gnadenloser Glaubenskampf beginnt. Das Dorf scheint dem Untergang geweiht.

Em 3 de dezembro de 1976, às vésperas das eleições na Jamaica e dois dias antes de Bob Marley realizar o show Smile Jamaica para aliviar as tensões políticas em Kingston, sete homens não identificados invadiram a casa do cantor com metralhadoras em punho. O ataque feriu Marley, a esposa e o empresário, entre várias outras pessoas. Poucas informações oficiais foram divulgadas sobre os atiradores. No entanto, muitos boatos circularam a respeito do destino deles. Breve história de sete assassinatos é uma obra de ficção que explora esse período instável na história da Jamaica e vai muito além. Marlon James cria com magistralidade personagens — assassinos, traficantes, jornalistas e até mesmo fantasmas — que andaram pelas ruas de Kingston nos anos 1970, dominaram o submundo das drogas de Nova York na década de 1980 e ressurgiram em uma Jamaica radicalmente transformada nos anos 1990. Um romance épico, brilhante e arrebatador, vencedor do Man Booker Prize de 2015.

Ausgezeichnet mit dem Man Booker Prize Jamaika, 1976: Sieben bewaffnete Männer dringen in das Haus des Reggae-Musikers Bob Marley ein und eröffnen das Feuer. Marleys Manager wirft sich schützend über ihn und erleidet dabei lebensgefährliche Verletzungen. Marleys Frau Rita wird ebenfalls schwer verwundet, er selbst bleibt mit leichteren Verletzungen an Armen und Brust zurück. Wer waren die Täter? Was waren ihre Motive? Ausgehend von dem Attentat und den Spekulationen, die sich darum ranken, entwirft Marlon James ein vielseitiges Stimmungsbild Jamaikas in den 70er und 80er Jahren voll Gewalt, politischer Willkür, Drogen und Intrigen, ausgestaltet bis ins kleinste Detail. (Quelle: buchhandel.de).

Kingston, 3 décembre 1976. Deux jours avant un concert en faveur de la paix organisé par le parti au pouvoir, dans un climat d''extrême tension politique, sept hommes armés font irruption au domicile de Bob Marley. Le chanteur est touché à la poitrine et au bras. Pourtant, à la date prévue, il réunit 80 000 personnes lors d''un concert historique Construit comme une vaste fresque épique abritant plusieurs voix et des dizaines de personnages, ce livre monumental, couronné par le Man Booker Prize 2015, nous entraîne en Jamaïque et aux États-Unis, des années 1970 à nos jours. Convoquant hommes politiques, journalistes, agents de la CIA, barons de la drogue et membres de gangs, il s''interroge avec force sur les éternelles questions du pouvoir, de l''argent, de la politique et de la violence du monde. S''affirmant ici comme le fils spirituel de Toni Morrison et James Ellroy, Marlon James signe un livre hors normes, tour à tour sombre, drôle, cru, et toujours passionnant, signe d''une rare ambition littéraire et d''un talent prodigieux. « Un roman à la fois terrifiant, lyrique et magnifique, écrit par l''un des jeunes auteurs les plus talentueux d''aujourd''hui. » Russell Banks

Construida sobre los testimonios ficticios de quienes participaron en aquellos acontecimientos (sicarios, mafiosos, políticos o espías; víctimas y verdugos; simples espectadores e, incluso, algún fantasma), "Breve historia de siete asesinatos" nos lleva al corazón de las tinieblas jamaicanas recorriendo tres décadas turbulentas e infinidad de episodios estremecedores (no exentos, pese a todo, de un elemento cómico). Manejada con increíble pericia, la estructura coral permite a Marlon James plasmar los hechos desde múltiples perspectivas y texturas verbales. Ese aspecto esencial del relato, la volcánica trama del habla, era un auténtico desafío literario que los escritores Javier Calvo y Wendy Guerra han logrado superar de forma brillante en su espléndida traducción.

Il 3 dicembre, alla vigilia delle elezioni politiche, e a due soli giorni dal grande «concerto per la pacificazione», organizzato da Bob Marley («il Cantante») per attenuare le tensioni che dilaniano l''isola e la sua disperata capitale, sette uomini armati irrompono nella villa di Marley, e feriscono lui, la moglie, il manager e molte altre persone. È un episodio storicamente accertato, del quale pubblicamente si è detto pochissimo, mentre moltissimo è stato raccontato, sussurrato e cantato per le strade di West Kingston. Chi erano gli attentatori? Che fine hanno fatto? Chi li aveva mandati? "Breve storia di sette omicidi" è senza dubbio alcuno il libro più acclamato dalla critica americana nel 2014. Nominato tra i migliori libri dell''anno praticamente da tutte le testate specializzate (Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, BookPage) e dai più importanti giornali americani (New York Times, Boston Globe, Time, Newsweek, Chicago Tribune).

Jamaica, 3 december 1976. Twee dagen voor het Smile Jamaica-concert - bedoeld om te verbroederen, maar door de twee grootste politieke partijen gebruikt om de komende verkiezingen te beïnvloeden - worden in het huis van Bob Marley 56 kogels afgevuurd. Marley, zijn vrouw en zijn manager overleven de kogelregen op miraculeuze wijze. De mislukte aanslag op de Zanger en de zoektocht naar de motieven van de daders staan centraal in deze epische roman, die je meesleurt naar de meest onstabiele en gevaarlijke tijd in de recente geschiedenis van Jamaica. Bendeleden, CIA-agenten, een journalist, een vrijgevochten jonge vrouw en de geest van een vermoorde politicus nemen je mee naar hun wereld, van het door bendeoorlogen en machtspolitiek geteisterde eiland in de jaren ''70 naar de door rudeboys gedomineerde crackpanden van New York in de jaren ''80, om te eindigen op een onherkenbaar veranderd Jamaica in de jaren ''90. Rekeningen worden vereffend, identiteiten verwisseld, en de opkomst en ondergang van een internationaal drugssyndicaat tot in detail geschetst. Een beknopte geschiedenis van zeven moorden is een monumentaal werk over criminaliteit, politiek, geschiedenis, muziek, en een zoektocht naar de ziel van Jamaica.

Winner of the Booker Prize One of the New York Times’s 100 Best Books of the 21st Century One of Entertainment Weekly’s Top 10 Books of the Decade One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years A “thrilling, ambitious . . . intense” (Los Angeles Times) novel that explores the attempted assassination of Bob Marley in the late 1970s, from the author of Black Leopard, Red Wolf In A Brief History of Seven Killings, Marlon James combines brilliant storytelling with his unrivaled skills of characterization and meticulous eye for detail to forge an enthralling novel of dazzling ambition and scope. On December 3, 1976, just before the Jamaican general election and two days before Bob Marley was to play the Smile Jamaica Concert to ease political tensions in Kingston, seven gunmen stormed the singer’s house, machine guns blazing. The attack wounded Marley, his wife, and his manager, and injured several others. Little was officially released about the gunmen, but much has been whispered, gossiped and sung about in the streets of West Kingston. Rumors abound regarding the assassins’ fates, and there are suspicions that the attack was politically motivated. A Brief History of Seven Killings delves deep into that dangerous and unstable time in Jamaica’s history and beyond. James deftly chronicles the lives of a host of unforgettable characters – gunmen, drug dealers, one-night stands, CIA agents, even ghosts – over the course of thirty years as they roam the streets of 1970s Kingston, dominate the crack houses of 1980s New York, and ultimately reemerge into the radically altered Jamaica of the 1990s. Along the way, they learn that evil does indeed cast long shadows, that justice and retribution are inextricably linked, and that no one can truly escape his fate. Gripping and inventive, shocking and irresistible, A Brief History of Seven Killings is a mesmerizing modern classic of power, mystery, and insight.

From a young writer who radiates charisma and talent comes a sweeping, stylish historical novel of Jamaican slavery that can be compared only to Toni Morrison''s "Beloved." (Literary)On sale February 19