New Releases by Rachel Joyce

La famille est ce qu’il y a de plus important, surtout lorsqu’elle s’effondre Alors qu’une vague de chaleur s’abat sur l’Europe, Goose et ses trois sœurs se réunissent dans la maison familiale au bord du lac d’Orta, dans le Piémont italien. Leur père, Vic Kemp, un artiste renommé, vient de mourir. Il s’était récemment remarié avec une femme beaucoup plus jeune, Bella-Mae, et s’était installé en Italie pour terminer son chef-d’œuvre. Mais aucune trace du tableau n’a été retrouvée… Si Goose et ses sœurs ont toujours été proches, tandis qu’ils cherchent des réponses au cours de cet été étouffant, ce qu’ils apprennent – sur eux-mêmes, leur père et leur nouvelle belle-mère – les éloigne les uns des autres avant qu’ils ne puissent comprendre quel est le véritable héritage de leur père. Extraordinairement captivant, ce roman explore les relations entre frères et sœurs et les fissures minuscules qui peuvent apparaître au sein d’une famille. Que se passe-t-il lorsqu’elles se creusent et comment peut-on les réparer ? « J’ai voulu écrire sur ces moments où le chaos vient s’installer dans une famille, ces moments où le désordre fait irruption, non seulement à la mort d’un parent, mais aussi à la suite de tout événement traumatisant ou imprévu. » Rachel Joyce

With sparkling wit and insight, this “gorgeous . . . page-turner” (People) from the bestselling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry reminds us that family is everything, even when it falls apart. “The beautiful writing, unforgettable characters, and stunning setting make this a must-read.”—Bonnie Garmus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry “It’s all here, dear readers. Art. Beauty. Pain. Redemption. Rachel Joyce’s masterful skill and emotional breadth are dazzling.”—Adriana Trigiani, author of The Good Left Undone There is a heatwave across Europe, and four siblings have gathered at their family’s lake house to seek answers about their father, a famous artist, who recently remarried a much younger woman and decamped to Italy to finish his long-awaited masterpiece. Now he is dead. And there is no sign of his final painting. As the siblings try to piece together what happened, they spend the summer in a state of lawlessness: living under the same roof for the first time in decades, forced to confront the buried wounds they incurred as his children, and waiting for answers. Though they have always been close, the things they learn that summer—about themselves—and their father—will drive them apart before they can truly understand his legacy. Meanwhile, their stepmother’s enigmatic presence looms over the house. Is she the force that will finally destroy the family for good? Wonderfully atmospheric, at heart this is a novel about the bonds of siblinghood—what happens when they splinter, and what it might take to reconnect them.

Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online. Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction, introducing language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. The eight levels of Penguin Readers follow the Common European Framework of Reference for language learning (CEFR). Exercises at the back of each Reader help language learners to practise grammar, vocabulary, and key exam skills. Before, during and after-reading questions test readers'' story comprehension and develop vocabulary. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, a Level 5 Reader, is B1 in the CEFR framework. The text is made up of sentences with up to four clauses, introducing present perfect continuous, past perfect, reported speech and second conditional. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear regularly. Harold Fry lives a quiet, ordinary life in England. But when he gets a phone call and learns that his old friend Queenie Hennessey is dying, he decides to post her a letter to her home 500 miles away. As he walks to the post box, Harold begins to think about his past and his family. He decides on walking until he reaches Queenie. Visit the Penguin Readers website Exclusively with the print edition, readers can unlock online resources including a digital book, audio edition, lesson plans and answer keys.

Für alle, die Harold Fry geliebt haben: die berührende Geschichte seiner Frau Maureen, die den Weg aus der Trauer zu Trost und Heilung findet. »Zutiefst bewegend und voller Menschlichkeit. Ich liebe jedes Wort.« Bonnie Garmus, Autorin von »Eine Frage der Chemie« Vor zehn Jahren machte sich Harold Fry zu Fuß auf seine große Reise, um eine Freundin zu retten. Doch die Geschichte ist noch nicht vorbei. Jetzt erhält seine Frau Maureen eine unerwartete Nachricht, die sie um ihre Ruhe bringt. Und dieses Mal ist sie an der Reihe, ihre eigene Reise anzutreten. Aber Maureen ist nicht wie Harold. Sie fährt mit ihrem Wagen los. Es fällt ihr nicht leicht, sich fremden Menschen zu öffnen. Sie hat keine Vorstellung davon, was sie am Ende der Straße finden wird. Sie weiß nur, dass sie dort ankommen muss. Harold und Maureen Fry: der bewegende Film über Harold Frys Pilgerreise ist ab Ende Oktober in den Kinos - mit Jim Broadbent und Penelope Wilton. »Lebensbejahend, voller Mitgefühl und Zartheit.« Observer Die Reihenfolge der Trilogie: Die unwahrscheinliche Pilgerreise des Harold Fry (Band 1) Das Geheimnis der Queenie Hennessy (Band 2) Die erstaunliche Entdeckungsreise der Maureen Fry (Band 3)

全球熱銷千萬本 本書改編電影為6/25台北電影節參展影片 8月4日全台感動上映!! 一個人活著可以背負多少苦痛， 一段不平凡的旅程能夠記錄怎樣的信念 一場與生命正面對話，重拾人生第二次機會與摯愛的旅程！ 意外的一封信，讓哈洛決定開始一次荒謬的旅程， 從妻兒的不諒解，到陌生人的協助，讓他堅信── 只要繼續走下去， 或許有人會因此而活，有人因此得到救贖。 唯有坦然面對自己的過去，才能重啟一段新的人生。 這是一次意料之外的旅程，因為一封在某個星期二早晨寄達的信件而出發…… 是昆妮，這位二十年沒見的老同事寄信來向哈洛道別，說她患了癌症住在安寧療養院。信的內容讓哈洛既震驚又難過，他開始從記憶中搜尋昆妮的樣子，是啊！二十年了，他已經有這麼長時間沒想到她了，當年，那個唯一把自己當作是朋友、後來不告而別的老同事…… 哈洛懷著一份愧疚寫了封回信，在寄信途中，他心裡想著除了寄信，他應該可以為昆妮做點什麼事？因緣際會下，一個女孩給了他一個希望與信念：他可以走路去探望昆妮，而且，只要他繼續走，他的老朋友昆妮就會繼續活下去！ 這單純的信念讓哈洛開啟了一段看似荒謬卻不平凡的旅程。他，一個六十幾歲的老人，沒帶手機、沒有地圖、沒有計畫，決定從英國最西南的康瓦耳一直走到最東北的蘇格蘭，超過五百公里的路程。途中遇到形形色色的人，有人為他歡呼打氣，也有人對他的行徑嗤之以鼻。 一路上，哈洛開始回想自己的一生，終於有了勇氣去釋放二十年來深埋內心不願去面對的過去。他想到生命中已錯過的太多東西：他一輩子都低下頭避免跟人衝突，然而，他自己的兒子卻是打定了主意將目光直直盯視他，跟他爭個水落石出；和妻子莫琳當年相識相戀時的激情和浪漫，曾幾何時，已經疏離形同陌路…… 哈洛承受著生命中最深沉的悲傷之際，當一切都已太遲時，他勇敢地敞開自己傷痕累累的心，讓世界走進來。這趟旅程改變了路上所遇到的每個人，也讓哈洛有機會回過頭重新面對自己的人生和摯愛的人。 我現在就要出發。 只要我還在走，她就必須活下去。 這次，我不會讓她失望。 【作家、媒體感動熱推】 ¶準確地將深沉的情緒以簡單而不做作的語言傳達出來……毫無疑問地，這個故事證明了平凡人付出的超人努力，深具原創性、在安靜中展現了無比勇氣。——《衛報》 ¶喬伊斯的劇作家經驗展現在她對對話與角色的精細掌握，即使是跑龍套的小角色也像是活生生的人。她的筆調看似輕盈，但哈洛這段自我超越的旅程卻具有深沉的象徵性。——《每日電訊報》 ¶這部首作小說擁有無比豐沛的感情，喬伊斯問著簡單又深邃的問題：即使人到中年，即使一切似乎都已毀壞，我們還能夠再一次開始去活，真正地活，並且作自己嗎？我們仍能相信希望，即使希望似乎已經拋棄我們？我笑中帶淚，為哈洛在旅途中走的每一步打氣，我依然為他加油著。——寶拉．麥克蓮，《我是海明威的巴黎妻子》作者 ¶哈洛的旅途既是平凡的也是不可思議的，這趟旅程穿過自我、走過現代社會百態、跨越時間和地理風景。這是一本有趣、睿智、迷人不已的書……雖有著殘忍的轉折但不顯得過分刻意……也許這是因為哈洛實在太令人喜愛了。——愛瑞卡．華格納，《泰晤士報》文學編輯 ¶當一切似乎都已太遲的時候，哈洛敞開自己傷痕累累的心，讓世界走進來。這個故事關於一個平凡男人踏上一段不凡的旅程，風趣而深刻，感動且啟發了我。——南西．霍蘭，《愛上萊特》作者 ¶哈洛令人生氣，教人捧腹，完全在做力不可及的蠢事！但每次他起水泡或抽筋，我都跟著屏息擔憂，甚至覺得好像只要我一頁頁翻下去，就能幫助他完成這項不可能的旅程。太精彩了！——海倫．西蒙森，《裴少校的最後一戰》作者 ¶溫柔優雅的迷人作品，充滿英式的獨特趣味，深刻而睿智地檢視了愛與奉獻的主題，安靜的力量盤據心頭。肯定會成為讀書俱樂部的最愛選書。 ——《書單》雜誌 ¶道出了人世深邃的美與智慧。——《圖書館雜誌》Library Journal ¶出乎意料而激勵人的故事，讀後在心中縈繞不去，讓你也想要離開家、啟程探尋。 ——梅麗莎．卡楚里Melissa Katsouli，《泰晤士報》 ¶深深觸動人心，同時又帶著有如保羅．托迪或瑪琳娜．路維卡作品般的幽默輕盈。 ——愛莉絲．歐姬芙Alice O’Keefe，《書商》雜誌 ¶出眾的自信……完美的洗鍊文字……閱讀本書必定會為哈洛感動並跟隨他的步伐。 ——《電訊報》 ¶令人笑淚交織的迷人小說……讀完好幾天，我近幾哀悼般懷念著哈洛安靜而勇敢的陪伴。 ——珍．柯林頓Jane Clinton，《每日快報》 ¶令人佩服的聰明寫作，不落入過度傷感或異想天開的窠臼，而帶來一個教人幾乎難以承受的動人結局。 ——《每日郵報》 ¶一個簡單的男人的漫長旅程，寫來匠心獨具、細膩幽微，令人感動。——克萊兒．湯馬林Claire Tomalin，知名傳記作家，最新權威狄更斯傳作者 ¶溫柔風趣的首作，關於一個男人為了不尋常的理由踏上漫長路途，關於人生的第二次機會與重獲的愛。——《美麗佳人》四月讀書會選書 ¶絕妙的閱讀樂趣。 ——德國《柯夢波丹》 ¶哈洛的朝聖帶領他跨過整個國家，也進入他內心的最深處。這個寫作優美的故事時而風趣時而感人，既滑稽好笑，又如史詩般勇敢壯闊。 ——伊莎貝爾．渥芙Isabel Wolff，暢銷作家，《古董衣情緣》作者 ¶一個男人橫跨英國、同時探入自己內心的旅程，令人動容、振奮不已。 ——黛博拉．莫高琪Deborah Moggach，英國知名小說家、編劇，《傲慢與偏見》電影編劇 ¶太棒了……滿溢著哀傷、希望與愛。 ——艾莎．佛洛伊德Esther Freud，知名英國小說家 ¶溫柔、風趣的作品，《一個人的朝聖》讓我們看見，即使是性格上的弱點也能帶來振奮和救贖。 ——愛德華．史鐸頓Edward Stourton，作家、BBC知名主持人 ¶令人愉快、具獨創性且緊抓人心的首作小說。 ——芮貝卡．弗雷恩Rebecca Frayn，英國知名電影編劇、小說家，《以愛之名：翁山蘇姬》編劇

“A touching tale about heartbreak and healing . . . If you loved The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fryand The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy, make time to read this finale to the trilogy.”—Good Housekeeping Ten years ago, Harold Fry set off on a six-hundred-mile walk to save a friend. But the story doesn’t end there. Now his wife, Maureen, has her own pilgrimage to make. Only she can finish the journey her husband started. Maureen and Harold Fry have settled into a quiet life, but when an unexpected message from the North disturbs their peaceful equilibrium, Maureen realizes that it’s now her turn to make a journey. But she is not like her affable, easygoing husband. By turns outspoken, then vulnerable, she struggles to form bonds with the people she meets—and the landscape she crosses has radically changed. Maureen has no sense of what she will find at the end of the road. All she knows is that she has to get there. A deeply felt, lyrical, and powerful novel, Maureen explores love, loss, and how we come to terms with the past in order to understand ourselves a little better. While this book stands alone, it is also the extraordinarily moving finale to a trilogy that began with the phenomenal bestseller The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and continued in The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy. Like those beloved books, Maureen has all the power and weight of a classic.

19 octobre 1950. La vie de Miss Benson commence aujourd’hui. À quarante-six ans, elle quitte Londres, l’enseignement, la grisaille… pour la Nouvelle-Calédonie. Il est temps pour la célibataire endurcie de partir à la recherche du scarabée d’or que son père lui avait fait découvrir dans un livre. Sur le quai de la gare, affublée de son casque colonial et de son filet à insectes, Miss Benson découvre celle qui sera son assistante durant cette expédition. Avec sa tenue rose vif et ses petites sandales à pompon, Enid Pretty, vingt-six ans, est loin d’être la compagne de voyage qu’elle avait imaginée. Pourquoi Enid, cette petite femme à l’allure délurée, est-elle prête à traverser la planète pour un scarabée ? De toute évidence, Enid emporte, elle aussi, ses secrets. Ces deux-là n’auraient jamais dû se rencontrer. Et pourtant, après des mois d’épreuves et d’aventures, leurs cœurs cabossés vont s’ouvrir. Et s’aider à se relever. Une amitié extraordinaire les liera à jamais… Le voyage inoubliable de deux femmes que tout sépare. Un roman irrésistible qui fait aimer la vie. « A ce jour le meilleur roman de Rachel Joyce. Passionnant, émouvant et plein de rebondissements. » The Times Rachel Joyce vit en Angleterre, dans une ferme du Gloucestershire, avec sa famille. Ses romans ont été vendus à 5,5 millions d’exemplaires dans le monde et traduits dans 32 pays. La lettre qui allait changer le destin d’Harold Fry (XO Éditions, 2012) a été en lice pour le Booker Prize.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A beautifully written, extraordinary quest in which two ordinary, overlooked women embark on an unlikely scientific expedition to the South Seas.”—Helen Simonson, author of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand WINNER OF THE WILBUR SMITH ADVENTURE WRITING PRIZE • From the bestselling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry comes an uplifting, irresistible novel about two women on a life-changing adventure, where they must risk everything, break all the rules, and discover their best selves—together. She’s going too far to go it alone. It is 1950. London is still reeling from World War II, and Margery Benson, a schoolteacher and spinster, is trying to get through life, surviving on scraps. One day, she reaches her breaking point, abandoning her job and small existence to set out on an expedition to the other side of the world in search of her childhood obsession: an insect that may or may not exist—the golden beetle of New Caledonia. When she advertises for an assistant to accompany her, the woman she ends up with is the last person she had in mind. Fun-loving Enid Pretty in her tight-fitting pink suit and pom-pom sandals seems to attract trouble wherever she goes. But together these two British women find themselves drawn into a cross-ocean adventure that exceeds all expectations and delivers something neither of them expected to find: the transformative power of friendship. Praise for Miss Benson’s Beetle “A hilarious jaunt into the wilderness of women’s friendship and the triumph of outrageous dreams.”—Kirkus Reviews

Året är 1988, Thatcher och punken regerar England. På Unity Street i en liten engelsk industristad ligger Franks skivbutik. Frank säljer i princip all sorts musik, bara den är pressad i vinyl. En dag när han spelat Vivaldis De fyra årstiderna för en kund kliver en ung kvinna i ärtgrön kappa in i butiken. Men hon vänder genast på klacken och försvinner ut genom dörren, bara för att svimma på tröskeln. Vem är denna mystiska unga dam? Det visar sig att hon heter Ilse Brauchmann och efter några veckor är hon tillbaka för att suga i sig Franks encyklopediska musikkunskaper. Deras diskussioner på ett närbeläget kafé blir allt mer djuplodande och inom kort står det klart att de är förälskade i varandra. Men Frank drar sig undan, rädd för kärleken som han är efter en ungdomsförälskelse med katastrofal utgång. Ilse blir sårad och försvinner spårlöst. Frågan är om Frank förmår uppbåda allt det mod han saknar för att hitta sin Ilse. Kan musiken föra dem samman som den en gång gjorde? Det ser för mörkt ut för Frank och hans vinylbutik, nu när cd-skivan gjort entré på skivmarknaden och butik efter butik slår igen på Unity Street.

“An unforgettable story of music, loss and hope. Fans of High Fidelity, meet your next quirky love story.”—People NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE TIMES (UK) AND THE WASHINGTON POST It is 1988. On a dead-end street in a run-down suburb there is a music shop that stands small and brightly lit, jam-packed with records of every kind. Like a beacon, the shop attracts the lonely, the sleepless, and the adrift; Frank, the shop’s owner, has a way of connecting his customers with just the piece of music they need. Then, one day, into his shop comes a beautiful young woman, Ilse Brauchmann, who asks Frank to teach her about music. Terrified of real closeness, Frank feels compelled to turn and run, yet he is drawn to this strangely still, mysterious woman with eyes as black as vinyl. But Ilse is not what she seems, and Frank has old wounds that threaten to reopen, as well as a past it seems he will never leave behind. Can a man who is so in tune with other people’s needs be so incapable of connecting with the one person who might save him? The journey that these two quirky, wonderful characters make in order to overcome their emotional baggage speaks to the healing power of music—and love—in this poignant, ultimately joyful work of fiction. Praise for The Music Shop “Captures the sheer, transformative joy of romance.”—The Washington Post “Love, friendship, and especially the healing powers of music all rise together into a triumphant crescendo. . . . This lovely novel is as satisfying and enlightening as the music that suffuses its every page.”—The Boston Globe “Magnificent . . . If you love words, if you love music, if you love love, this [novel] will be without question one of the year’s best.”—BookPage (Top Pick in Fiction) “Joyce has a knack for quickly sketching characters in a way that makes them stick. [The Music Shop] will surprise you.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune “Rachel Joyce has established a reputation for novels that celebrate the dignity and courage of ordinary people and the resilience of the human spirit. . . . But what really elevates The Music Shop is Joyce’s detailed knowledge of—and passion for—music.”—The Guardian

Meet a pair of beloved characters—Harold Fry and Queenie Hennessy—in an eBook bundle that collects two linked novels from a wise and utterly irresistible storyteller. “[Rachel Joyce] has a lovely sense of the possibilities of redemption. . . . She’s cleared space where miracles are still possible.”—Ron Charles, The Washington Post Rachel Joyce’s unforgettable debut, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, became a runaway international bestseller as readers fell in love with her unassuming hero as he embarked on an incredible adventure spurred by a letter from his old friend Queenie. In The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy, Joyce reveals the other side of the story in a journey just as remarkable as Harold’s. Together these exquisite parallel novels illuminate the feelings we all bury deep within our hearts, and the small yet pivotal moments that can change a person’s life. Praise for The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry “[A] gorgeously poignant novel of hope and transformation.”—O: The Oprah Magazine “Joyce’s beguiling debut is [a] modest-seeming story of ‘ordinary’ English lives that enthralls and moves you as it unfolds.”—People (four stars) “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is not just a book about lost love. It is about all the wonderful everyday things Harold discovers through the mere process of putting one foot in front of the other.”—Janet Maslin, The New York Times “A moving story about an ordinary man on an extraordinary journey.”—Nancy Horan, author of Loving Frank “A gentle adventure with an emotional wallop . . . a smart, feel-good story.”—Bob Minzesheimer, USA Today “I found myself laughing through tears, rooting for Harold at every step of his journey. I’m still rooting for him.”—Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife Praise for The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy “This lovely book is full of joy. . . . [Queenie’s] love song is for us. Thank you, Rachel Joyce.”—The Washington Post “Joyce’s writing at moments has a simplicity that sings. She captures hope best of all.”—The Guardian “[A] deeply affecting novel . . . Culminating in a shattering revelation, [Queenie’s] tale is funny, sad, hopeful: She’s bound for death, but full of life.”—People “Like Harold Fry, Queenie is delightful and dark. . . . But Joyce is so deft that when the book is over and you close the cover, the darkness fades. What sticks with you is the light of Queenie’s unwavering love.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune “Wonderful . . . It is not necessary to read Harold’s story before reading Queenie’s to enjoy this bittersweet novel, which is a pleasure in its own right. However, reading both will only serve to double that pleasure.”—The Independent “After two such involving novels, readers are bound to wish for a third.”—The Telegraph

Een hartverwarmende en ontroerende roman over de vriendschap tussen twee oude mensen. Wanneer Queenie Hennessy te horen krijgt dat Harold Fry dwars door Engeland loopt en op weg is naar háár, is ze verbijsterd. Ze had in haar brief uitgelegd dat ze ging sterven, en tijd om op hem te wachten heeft ze niet meer. Een vrijwilliger bij het hospice stelt voor dat ze Harold nog een brief schrijft, waarin ze alles aan hem vertelt. Waarom ze twintig jaar geleden verdween zonder vaarwel te zeggen. Hoe Harold haar leven heeft veranderd, en zij zonder dat hij het doorhad het zijne.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry comes an exquisite love story about Queenie Hennessy, the remarkable friend who inspired Harold’s cross-country journey. “This lovely book is full of joy. Much more than the story of a woman’s enduring love for an ordinary, flawed man, it’s an ode to messy, imperfect, glorious, unsung humanity.”—The Washington Post A runaway international bestseller, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry followed its unassuming hero on an incredible journey as he traveled the length of England on foot—a journey spurred by a simple letter from his old friend Queenie Hennessy, writing from a hospice to say goodbye. Harold believed that as long as he kept walking, Queenie would live. What he didn’t know was that his decision to walk had caused her both alarm and fear. How could she wait? What would she say? Forced to confront the past, Queenie realizes she must write again. In this poignant parallel story to Harold’s saga, acclaimed author Rachel Joyce brings Queenie Hennessy’s voice into sharp focus. Setting pen to paper, Queenie makes a journey of her own, a journey that is even bigger than Harold’s; one word after another, she promises to confess long-buried truths—about her modest childhood, her studies at Oxford, the heartbreak that brought her to Kingsbridge and to loving Harold, her friendship with his son, the solace she has found in a garden by the sea. And, finally, the devastating secret she has kept from Harold for all these years. A wise, tender, layered novel that gathers tremendous emotional force, The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy underscores the resilience of the human spirit, beautifully illuminating the small yet pivotal moments that can change a person’s life.

Seven stories to span the Christmas holidays: A Faraway Smell of Lemon: The School Term has ended. It is almost Christmas but Binny, out last-minute shopping couldn''t feel less like wishing glad tidings to all men. Ducking out of the rain she finds herself in the sort of shop she would never normally visit. The Marriage Manual: Christmas Eve. Two parents endeavour to construct their son''s Christmas present from a DIY kit and in the process find themselves deconstructing their marriage. Christmas at the Airport: A glitch in the system, travellers stranded and all sorts of lives colliding in the face of a sudden birth... The Boxing Day Ball: Maureen has never been out with the local girls before. Who knew that a disco in the Village Hall could be life-changing? A Snow Garden: Two little boys, dumped with their divorced father for his share of the Christmas holidays and none of them with a clue how to enjoy it. I''ll Be Home for Christmas The most famous boy in the world comes home hoping to escape the madness with a normal family Christmas. Trees: As if Christmas wasn''t wearing enough, now his elderly parent is asking for a hole in the ground ... Father and son break old habits and plant a tree to mark the start of the new year. Six stories as funny, joyous, poignant and memorable as Christmas should be.

Sotto forma di lettera, tanto più profondo ed emozionante perché così totalmente vero, "La canzone d'amore di Queenie Hennessy" è un romanzo bellissimo fatto di coraggio, speranza e gioia, la storia di una donna unica, capace di un sentimento gratuito e infinito.

Das Buch über die Frau, zu der Harold Fry 1.000 Kilometer weit läuft Wenn dir nicht mehr viel Zeit bleibt, ist es Zeit für die ganze Wahrheit Queenie ist die Frau, die rückwärts singen kann. Harold ist der Mann, der allein mit seinem Schatten im Schnee tanzt. Queenie und Harold sind erst Kollegen, dann Freunde, dann ... geschieht ein schreckliches Unglück, und Queenie geht für immer. Als Harold viele Jahre später ihren Abschiedsbrief erhält, macht er sich auf den Weg zu ihr. Und Queenie erkennt, dass sie ihm endlich die Wahrheit gestehen muss. Ein tief berührender Roman voller Humor und Trost – über Liebe, Schuld, Hoffnung und ein Geheimnis, das alles in Frage stellt. Die Reihenfolge der Trilogie: Die unwahrscheinliche Pilgerreise des Harold Fry (Band 1) Das Geheimnis der Queenie Hennessy (Band 2) Die erstaunliche Entdeckungsreise der Maureen Fry (Band 3)

◆讀者引頸期待！出版即攻佔英國各大媒體暢銷榜單。 ◆泰晤士報、衛報、每日電訊報盛情推薦。 ◆英國Heat雜誌評為當月必看小說。 「1972年，全球時間多出了兩秒鐘。」 兩秒鐘，可以發生什麼難以挽回的意外？ 一個選擇，如何撼動人的一生？ 2014年最值得期待的一本小說，文壇最動人的一次寫作。 驚豔全球的暢銷作家蕾秋．喬伊斯超越《一個人的朝聖》，再推年度新作。 我們越呵護完美，完美越容易破碎。 生命是，歷經一次次的愛與失落， 然後慢慢在破碎中，一片一片把自己補回去。 當淚水沖淡成微笑，傷害沉澱為遺憾，我們才終於體會愛的真諦。 這是一個關於完美的故事，催淚不捨的故事， 是跨越半世紀的悲喜，也是愛與傷害的動人和解。 1972年，因地球運轉和時間無法配合，全球時間多加了兩秒鐘。 十一歲的小男孩拜倫，單純的世界裡只有媽媽。 太美又太寂寞的母親黛安娜，是他唯一想守護的美好。 直到因為那多出來的兩秒鐘，使黛安娜造成一次毀滅性的意外。 拜倫就此看著他的完美世界片片粉碎。他想抓住什麼，卻什麼也無法挽回…… 時間來到2014年。 剛從精神療養院出院的吉姆，是個沒有根、沒有過去的人， 最恐懼的是自己的錯誤和不完美，會對愛的人造成傷害。 他怯生生地盼望人生或許還能重新活過，過往的創傷卻不斷搖晃著他。 他只能從一個傷害他的女人身上學習怎麼去愛…… 是命運還是意外？跨越兩個時空，兩個不完美的靈魂，努力在愛中彌補傷害。真實多出的兩秒鐘，真的能夠撼動人的一生？無情的暴雨落下，過去的錯誤在燃燒－－一則關於意外、選擇、失去和原諒的動人詩篇，最終的結局讓每個人都屏息震撼……而人生，真的能夠重新開始嗎？ 【讀者推薦】 「《完美》有更複雜的層次與面向，如光與影同時存在於文學的靜物畫，文筆嫻熟，小說成熟而完整，對我來說，喜歡《完美》多於首作《一個人的朝聖》。小說像拜倫寫給媽媽的情書。讀者會在某個閱讀片段找到自己，或許是小男孩拜倫的擔心，或許是如一首詩的黛安娜，或許是吉姆的怪異與崩壞，或許是世界的脆弱，而完美其實不存在。」 －－讀者快雪 「作者蕾秋．喬伊斯功力了得，以短短兩秒鐘的時間寫下影響大半輩子命運的變化，文字洗鍊，毫不拖泥帶水又字字直擊人心，令人再三回味，閱讀時心中澎湃的情緒難以抑止，人何苦如此對待自我，為求完美，要付出多大的代價？這樣的人生功課，拜倫做了數十年，重新學習去面對，去付出，一路走來是多麼辛苦，也讓人為最終結局的轉折，有了幾近重新而生的感動。」 －－讀者苦悶中年男 「蕾秋．喬伊斯在新作《完美》中又更加深並描繪承擔秘密與重啟人生的勇氣，絲絲入扣、娓娓道來，讓生命的過錯在轉瞬之間以一種平和的面貌，讓人想要從蒼白變成明亮。她的劇作才華使平凡的人物蒙上一層詩意與哲思，在細微處閃現一縷慧黠，表象寧靜的文字底蘊下，埋藏深刻而又難解的課題，她語調如此溫柔，如此憂傷，一如完美。」 －－讀者薩芙 「《完美》是一堂對外開放的人生哲學課。課堂中，讀者或許會被故事情節所吸引、被文字凝結的氛圍給壓得喘不過氣，也可能被字裡行間帶出的哲理所迷惑。這些哲理透過故事，平鋪直敘地遞到讀者眼前，一句句似乎讓人心有所感、能靜心體會。然後，你會發現，下了課、闔上了書，並不代表這堂課程真的結束了，故事以不同的面貌，出現在我們的人生中，並不斷不斷延續下去……」 －－讀者Astraes廢墟迷思 「《完美》再次展現出作者寫了二十多年劇本的功力，書中的文字敘述，充分的表達的故事的核心，以及主角的感受，直擊讀者心中。一個小細節的改變，卻造成後來一連串的變化，無可回復的改變。更因為這些奇妙的生命之旅，讓這本書籍有了「完美」的演繹。」 －－讀者Enzozach 「這本書其實提到很多情感上的因素，像女性被壓抑、無愛情婚姻、男方只重工作、詐騙、自卑、操控等，但是這本書卻把這些情感隱藏得非常好，只會讓人有細細的感覺，卻不會有明顯的說明，這本書適合喜歡細細品味書中感覺的人，才能讀出書中的那些細微的氣味。」 －－讀者MRW 【國際讚譽】 「《完美》是一個淒美而強大的故事，以作者唯美、擅於製造氣氛的文筆寫下一個令人充滿同情的故事。」 －－塔娜．法蘭琪（《神秘海灣》作者） 「聰明、有趣、迷人但讀不膩，本書有個殘酷的轉折，我愛這本書。」 －－泰晤士報 「作者具有一種精準的能力，能夠用簡潔不做作的語言去傳達深厚的情感。喬伊斯是個魅力與技巧兼具的作家。」 －－衛報 「一本情感真摯，幾乎完美無缺的小說。作者用精準又天才的文筆寫作這個故事，探索了有層次的情感，讓人無法釋手，作者的巧思讓我在讀到結局巨大的轉折時，完全身陷其中，在章節中掙扎著，瞠目結舌。」 －－倫敦旗幟晚報 「感人而有魅力，讓我笑中帶淚。作者文字的力量在於她精微又聰明的觀察力，她微妙的文筆讓這本書緊湊，但卻帶點催眠的感覺。緊張又引人入勝，喜愛《一個人的朝聖》的讀者不會失望。」 －－週日快報 「和《一個人的朝聖》相比，這是一本相對黑暗又複雜多的小說。不只當中情節的轉折讓你暈眩，因為傷痛的逝去，最終結局的救贖也許更是甜蜜的，這是一本當代經典，《完美》讓蕾秋．喬伊斯成為英國新一代的文學之聲。」 －－英國每日快報 「這本書的優點是什麼？你會愛上書中的角色。他們善良、焦慮、有缺陷、有趣而美好。缺點是什麼？沒有缺點，這本書是傑作。結論：振奮人心、引人入勝、憂傷但有趣。一本繼《一個人的朝聖》候的完美續作。」 －－英國Heat雜誌 「書中的黛安娜的角色本身就是完美的，就像《一個人的朝聖》的哈洛一樣：一個完整的英雄、讓人想跟她談一場戀愛，讓人想要跟她吵架、想要珍愛她或者訓斥她，就像她是個活生生的人。如果有更多像蕾秋．喬伊斯這樣的小說家就好了。」 －－每日電訊報 「完美的敘事毫不匠氣，加上怪異行為離奇支線，使用簡單，無矯飾的意象直擊深層的情感......充滿感動人心的魔力。」 －－文學評論 「本月最佳小說，以下是閱讀《完美》的三個理由：你會愛上當中鮮活的角色，你會因為這本書產生很多疑問，你會對生命中註定要發生的錯誤產生困惑。 －－心理學雜誌 「令你深深同情的一本書。訴說分裂的兩個錯誤讓兩段生命脫軌，這是一個心碎的故事。」 －－時尚好管家雜誌 「一本扣人心弦的小說，訴說的是階級限制的粉碎、性別的壓力，父母期望的負擔，以及精神疾病的恥辱。」 －－週日獨立報 「出色地呈現悲傷、失去、內疚、抑鬱、精神疾病等重大課題，還有愛的終極力量，在每一頁緊扣讀者的心。」 －－每日郵報 「去年的暢銷處女作《一個人的朝聖》的作者回來了，這次是一本截然不同但同樣迷人的小說。這是一個心碎的故事，令人充滿同情，溫柔但殘酷地在七零年代郊區生活的背景中揭開。《完美》確立了蕾秋．喬伊斯文壇一代新聲的地位。」 －－書商周刊七月選書評論 「在《完美》中，喬伊斯寫出了一種超越微小悲傷的救贖。」 －－簡單雜誌 出版社??馬可孛羅 (城邦)

Rachel Joyce, internationally bestselling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Perfect, delivers an unforgettable Christmas story of moving on from lost love, now available exclusively as an e-short. It’s Christmas Eve, and Binny has only five hours to decorate her house and fix a proper dinner. Dropping her children off at school, she runs into town to do some last-minute shopping, yet her mind and heart are wholly elsewhere. Fighting off the sting of recent heartbreak, Binny stumbles into a small store, and in striking up conversation with the saleswoman she is suddenly overcome with memories of old friends, family, loves that have come and gone. And in this tiny shop, in the unlikely company of a complete stranger, Binny discovers a surprising sense of peace. Includes an enthralling preview of Rachel Joyce’s forthcoming novel Perfect. Praise for Rachel Joyce “Perfect is a poignant and powerful book, rich with empathy and charged with beautiful, atmospheric writing.”—Tana French, author of In the Woods, on Perfect “[Perfect’s] unputdownable factor . . . lies in its exploration of so many multilayered emotions. There is the unbreakable bond between mother and son, the fear of not belonging . . . and how love can offer redemption.”—London Evening Standard, on Perfect “Beguiling . . . enthralls and moves you as it unfolds.”—People (four stars), on The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry “[A] gorgeously poignant novel of hope and transformation.”—O: The Oprah Magazine, on The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

''Tense and engrossing... readers who loved The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry will not be disappointed.'' - Sunday Times ''An instant classic.'' - Daily Express ''You will end up grinning dippily and recommending this wild, searching book to everyone you know.'' - The Times ''Brilliantly realized... a powerful study of grief, loss, guilt, depression, mental illness - and ultimately the power of love - which grips the reader on every page.'' - Daily Mail Summer, 1972: Two seconds have been added to the Atomic clock so as to counteract the irregularities in the Earth''s rate of rotation. Eleven-year-old Byron has been told this but still struggles to understand. What might it mean? In the claustrophobic heat, he and his friend begin ‘Operation Perfect’, a hapless mission to rescue Byron’s mother from impending crisis. Winter, present day: As frost creeps across the moor, Jim cleans tables in the local café, a solitary figure struggling with OCD. His job is a relief from the rituals that govern his nights. Little would seem to connect them except that two seconds can change everything. If your world can be shattered in an instant, might time also put things right?

La 4ème de couverture indique : Il aura suffi d'une lettre - la lettre d'adieu d'une amie qui se meurt - pour jeter Harold Fry sur les routes d'Angleterre. Quelques sous en poche, une paire de chaussures-bateau et l'espoir de la revoir une fois encore... Cottage après cottage, bocage après bocage, Harold marche, persuadé que, tant qu'il avance, son amie vivra. Il marche et repense à sa vie. Mille kilomètres parcourus pour que le destin d'Harold Fry rejoigne celui de sa femme, son fils, son amie, et tous ceux qu'il croise sur sa route...