Andrea Levy

Andrea Levy, Orange-díjas írónő regénye Július, a fekete háziszolga életét meséli el. Júlus a 19. századi Jamaicán rabszolgaként éli mindennapjait. "leleményes, ravasz, kedves, vonzó, szívós, kétségbeesett és szerelmes." Így próbál életben maradni, és előrébb jutni a rabszolgaság kegyetlen és megalázó korszakában. Júliust fiatalon szakítják el anyjától, hogy az Angliából nemrég érkezett Caroline Mortimernek társasága és komornája legyen az Amity ültetvényen. A sok megaláztatás ellenére életvidám fiatal nővé serdül, aki apró fortélyokkal próbálja megkönnyíteni életét. Miközben tanúi lehetünk egy rabszolgalázadás kíméletlen leverésének, a rabszolgaság eltörlését kísérő drámai változásoknak: a rabszolgák eufórikus hangulatának, majd kiábrándulásának, és az Amity ültetvény hanyatlásának, nyomon követhetjük Július életének állomásait is. Beleszeret az ültetvény jóképű, fiatal intézőjébe, az idealista Robert Goodwinba, s gyermekeik születnek. Megtapasztalja az éhezést, és a kilátástalanságot, mégis békés, nyugodt életet találhat fia családjának körében.

Andrea Levy, author of the Man Booker shortlisted novel THE LONG SONG and the prize-winning, million-copy bestseller SMALL ISLAND, draws together a remarkable collection of short stories from across her writing career, which began twenty years ago with the publication of her first novel, the semi-autobiographical EVERY LIGHT IN THE HOUSE BURNIN'. "None of my books is just about race," Levy has said. "They're about people and history." Her novels have triumphantly given voice to the people and stories that might have slipped through the cracks in history. From Jamaican slave society in the nineteenth century, through post-war immigration into Britain, to the children of migrants growing up in '60s London, her books are acclaimed for skilful storytelling and vivid characters. And her unique voice, unflinching but filled with humour, compassion and wisdom, has made her one of the most significant and exciting contemporary authors. This collection opens with an essay about how writing has helped Andrea Levy to explore and understand her heritage. She explains the context of each piece within the chronology of her career and finishes with a new story, written to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War in 1914. As with her novels, these stories are at once moving and honest, deft and humane, filled with insight, anger at injustice and her trademark lightness of touch.

Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and longlisted for the Orange Prize, THE LONG SONG is breathtaking, hauntingly beautiful, heartbreaking and unputdownable You do not know me yet. My son Thomas, who is publishing this book, tells me, it is customary at this place in a novel to give the reader a little taste of the story that is held within these pages. As your storyteller, I am to convey that this tale is set in Jamaica during the last turbulent years of slavery and the early years of freedom that followed.

Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and longlisted for the Orange Prize, THE LONG SONG is breathtaking, hauntingly beautiful, heartbreaking and unputdownable You do not know me yet. My son Thomas, who is publishing this book, tells me, it is customary at this place in a novel to give the reader a little taste of the story that is held within these pages. As your storyteller, I am to convey that this tale is set in Jamaica during the last turbulent years of slavery and the early years of freedom that followed.