Awards

• Long-listed for ABDA Best Designed Literary Fiction Cover 2020 (Australia)
• Long-listed for Man Booker International Prize 2019 (UK)
• Short-listed for ABDA Best Designed Literary Fiction Cover 2020 (Australia)
• Winner of ABDA Best Designed Literary Fiction Cover 2020 (Australia)

Overview

Longlisted for the International Man Booker Prize. Two venturesome women on a journey through the land of their fathers and mothers. A wrong turn. A bad decision. They had no idea, when they arrived in Morocco, that their usual freedoms as young European women would not be available. So, when the spry Saleh presents himself as their guide and saviour, they embrace his offer. He extracts them from a tight space, only to lead them inexorably into an even tighter one: and from this far darker space there is no exit. Their tale of confinement and escape is as old as the landscapes and cultures so vividly depicted in this story of where Europe and Africa come closest to meeting, even if they never quite touch.

Full Product Details

9781911344896

Table of Contents

Reviews

Praise for Tommy Wieringa: 'The best contemporary novels are a quest made out of literary and moral ambition. Those who have successfully pursued this Holy Grail in recent times are Bolano with his The Savage Detectives, Sebald in Austerlitz, Coetzee with Disgrace and the late Philip Roth. From now on, to that august list must be added the name of Tommy Wieringa.' * Le Figaro * Praise for Joe Speedboat: 'Joe Speedboat is never just another would-be inspirational read about overcoming adversity ... Expertly translated from the Dutch by Sam Garrett, Tommy Wieringa's novel offers a rewarding journey into the unfamiliar. It is also witty, thoughtful and surprisingly tender.' * The Independent (UK) * Praise for A Beautiful Young Wife: 'Brilliantly written ... the last few pages are mesmerising.' * The Saturday Age * Praise for A Beautiful Young Wife: 'Wieringa takes us on a journey deep into the psyche of an ageing male in this potent work ... No words are wasted in this thought-provoking love story.' * Herald Sun * 'A powerful and moving tale. It confronts the horror and cruelty of the migrant dilemma with understated but stark honesty.' -- Graeme Barrow * Daily Post * 'All of a sudden the pace takes off, rocketing the reader to a satisfying conclusion.' -- Lauren Novak * Adelaide Advertiser * 'The prose is tight, the story packed into 100 pages, stripped of superfluous detail as a short story might be ... Engaging and thought-provoking.' -- Anne Goodwin * Annecdotal * 'Based on a shocking true story, this novel will make you question your belief in humanity ... The book is short, a fast read, at an almost breathless pace. It will make you appreciate where you are now.' -- Sophie Foster * Q Weekend * 'A compact novella pulling powerful punches. A must read.' -- Alice Farrant * Shiny New Books * 'Wieringa's writing and Garrett's translation are elegant. From the creation of the Strait of Gibraltar to the aftermath of Murat's death, it is as if each sentence, each word, has been chosen with care. Both the writing and story merge into a beautiful symmetry, where it's not possible to appreciate the devastating story without appreciating the paradoxically beautiful writing. I was able to easily slip within the minds of each character, understand their motives and anxieties. For such a short novel, it felt very full.' -- Alice Farrant * Shiny New Books * 'As scintillating as it is unforgiving, this tiny diamond of a novel from Dutch author Tommy Wieringa is such a masterpiece of compression it could stand as an object lesson for students of creative writing ... [A] deceptively simple, yet intricately layered, tale of complicity and exploitation.' -- Cameron Woodhead * The Age * 'A lucidly written reflection on the migrant crisis, by a Dutch master storyteller.' -- Rose Shepherd * Saga Magazine * 'The Death of Murat Idrissi is a powerful tale of identity, relationships and the desire to both fit in and to escape ... The Death of Murat Idrissi is a dark and deeply profound tale that examines the fragile humanity of ordinary people and exposes just how cheaply a life can be valued.' FOUR STARS -- Erin Britton * New Books Magazine * 'The sentences are concise, propelling the action along and keeping readers on the edge of their seats ... a vital must-read.' -- Clayton McKee * Asymptote * 'A savagely effective little novel ... A nasty masterpiece of narrative tension; it's brutally spare.' -- Anthony Cummins * Evening Standard * 'This brutally searing mini-masterpiece has haunted me all year ... a razor-sharp exploration of migration.' -- Anthony Cummins * Daily Mail * 'It has the grip of a nightmare that is all too plausible.' -- David Mills * The Sunday Times * 'The gifted Dutch writer Tommy Wieringa is a bold, intelligent stylist, unafraid of exposing the ugliness of society juxtaposed with the vagaries of human nature. A taut, intense contemporary thriller of multiple exploitations ... The full mercilessness of the migrant dilemma is confronted here to devastating effect.' -- Eileen Battersby * The Observer *

Praise for Joe Speedboat: `Joe Speedboat is never just another would-be inspirational read about overcoming adversity ... Expertly translated from the Dutch by Sam Garrett, Tommy Wieringa's novel offers a rewarding journey into the unfamiliar. It is also witty, thoughtful and surprisingly tender.' * The Independent (UK) * Praise for A Beautiful Young Wife: `Brilliantly written ... the last few pages are mesmerising.' * The Saturday Age * Praise for A Beautiful Young Wife: `Wieringa takes us on a journey deep into the psyche of an ageing male in this potent work ... No words are wasted in this thought-provoking love story.' * Herald Sun * `A powerful and moving tale. It confronts the horror and cruelty of the migrant dilemma with understated but stark honesty.' -- Graeme Barrow * Daily Post * `All of a sudden the pace takes off, rocketing the reader to a satisfying conclusion.' -- Lauren Novak * Adelaide Advertiser * `The prose is tight, the story packed into 100 pages, stripped of superfluous detail as a short story might be ... Engaging and thought-provoking.' -- Anne Goodwin * Annecdotal * `Based on a shocking true story, this novel will make you question your belief in humanity ... The book is short, a fast read, at an almost breathless pace. It will make you appreciate where you are now.' -- Sophie Foster * Q Weekend * `A compact novella pulling powerful punches. A must read.' -- Alice Farrant * Shiny New Books * `Wieringa's writing and Garrett's translation are elegant. From the creation of the Strait of Gibraltar to the aftermath of Murat's death, it is as if each sentence, each word, has been chosen with care. Both the writing and story merge into a beautiful symmetry, where it's not possible to appreciate the devastating story without appreciating the paradoxically beautiful writing. I was able to easily slip within the minds of each character, understand their motives and anxieties. For such a short novel, it felt very full.' -- Alice Farrant * Shiny New Books * `As scintillating as it is unforgiving, this tiny diamond of a novel from Dutch author Tommy Wieringa is such a masterpiece of compression it could stand as an object lesson for students of creative writing ... [A] deceptively simple, yet intricately layered, tale of complicity and exploitation.' -- Cameron Woodhead * The Age * `A lucidly written reflection on the migrant crisis, by a Dutch master storyteller.' -- Rose Shepherd * Saga Magazine * `The Death of Murat Idrissi is a powerful tale of identity, relationships and the desire to both fit in and to escape ... The Death of Murat Idrissi is a dark and deeply profound tale that examines the fragile humanity of ordinary people and exposes just how cheaply a life can be valued.' FOUR STARS -- Erin Britton * New Books Magazine * `The sentences are concise, propelling the action along and keeping readers on the edge of their seats ... a vital must-read.' -- Clayton McKee * Asymptote * `It has the grip of a nightmare that is all too plausible.' -- David Mills * The Sunday Times * `The gifted Dutch writer Tommy Wieringa is a bold, intelligent stylist, unafraid of exposing the ugliness of society juxtaposed with the vagaries of human nature. [A] taut, intense contemporary thriller of multiple exploitations ... The full mercilessness of the migrant dilemma is confronted here to devastating effect.' -- Eileen Battersby * The Observer * `A savagely effective little novel ... A nasty masterpiece of narrative tension; it's brutally spare.' -- Anthony Cummins * Evening Standard *

Praise for Joe Speedboat: 'Joe Speedboat is never just another would-be inspirational read about overcoming adversity ... Expertly translated from the Dutch by Sam Garrett, Tommy Wieringa's novel offers a rewarding journey into the unfamiliar. It is also witty, thoughtful and surprisingly tender.' * The Independent (UK) * Praise for A Beautiful Young Wife: 'Brilliantly written ... the last few pages are mesmerising.' * The Saturday Age * Praise for A Beautiful Young Wife: 'Wieringa takes us on a journey deep into the psyche of an ageing male in this potent work ... No words are wasted in this thought-provoking love story.' * Herald Sun * 'A powerful and moving tale. It confronts the horror and cruelty of the migrant dilemma with understated but stark honesty.' -- Graeme Barrow * Daily Post * 'All of a sudden the pace takes off, rocketing the reader to a satisfying conclusion.' -- Lauren Novak * Adelaide Advertiser * 'The prose is tight, the story packed into 100 pages, stripped of superfluous detail as a short story might be ... Engaging and thought-provoking.' -- Anne Goodwin * Annecdotal * 'Based on a shocking true story, this novel will make you question your belief in humanity ... The book is short, a fast read, at an almost breathless pace. It will make you appreciate where you are now.' -- Sophie Foster * Q Weekend * 'A compact novella pulling powerful punches. A must read.' -- Alice Farrant * Shiny New Books * 'Wieringa's writing and Garrett's translation are elegant. From the creation of the Strait of Gibraltar to the aftermath of Murat's death, it is as if each sentence, each word, has been chosen with care. Both the writing and story merge into a beautiful symmetry, where it's not possible to appreciate the devastating story without appreciating the paradoxically beautiful writing. I was able to easily slip within the minds of each character, understand their motives and anxieties. For such a short novel, it felt very full.' -- Alice Farrant * Shiny New Books * 'As scintillating as it is unforgiving, this tiny diamond of a novel from Dutch author Tommy Wieringa is such a masterpiece of compression it could stand as an object lesson for students of creative writing ... [A] deceptively simple, yet intricately layered, tale of complicity and exploitation.' -- Cameron Woodhead * The Age * 'A lucidly written reflection on the migrant crisis, by a Dutch master storyteller.' -- Rose Shepherd * Saga Magazine * 'The Death of Murat Idrissi is a powerful tale of identity, relationships and the desire to both fit in and to escape ... The Death of Murat Idrissi is a dark and deeply profound tale that examines the fragile humanity of ordinary people and exposes just how cheaply a life can be valued.' FOUR STARS -- Erin Britton * New Books Magazine * 'The sentences are concise, propelling the action along and keeping readers on the edge of their seats ... a vital must-read.' -- Clayton McKee * Asymptote * 'It has the grip of a nightmare that is all too plausible.' -- David Mills * The Sunday Times * 'The gifted Dutch writer Tommy Wieringa is a bold, intelligent stylist, unafraid of exposing the ugliness of society juxtaposed with the vagaries of human nature. [A] taut, intense contemporary thriller of multiple exploitations ... The full mercilessness of the migrant dilemma is confronted here to devastating effect.' -- Eileen Battersby * The Observer * 'A savagely effective little novel ... A nasty masterpiece of narrative tension; it's brutally spare.' -- Anthony Cummins * Evening Standard *

Praise for Joe Speedboat: `Joe Speedboat is never just another would-be inspirational read about overcoming adversity ... Expertly translated from the Dutch by Sam Garrett, Tommy Wieringa's novel offers a rewarding journey into the unfamiliar. It is also witty, thoughtful and surprisingly tender.' * The Independent (UK) * Praise for A Beautiful Young Wife: `Brilliantly written ... the last few pages are mesmerising.' * The Saturday Age * Praise for A Beautiful Young Wife: `Wieringa takes us on a journey deep into the psyche of an ageing male in this potent work ... No words are wasted in this thought-provoking love story.' * Herald Sun * `A powerful and moving tale. It confronts the horror and cruelty of the migrant dilemma with understated but stark honesty.' -- Graeme Barrow * Daily Post * `All of a sudden the pace takes off, rocketing the reader to a satisfying conclusion.' -- Lauren Novak * Adelaide Advertiser * `The prose is tight, the story packed into 100 pages, stripped of superfluous detail as a short story might be ... Engaging and thought-provoking.' -- Anne Goodwin * Annecdotal * `Based on a shocking true story, this novel will make you question your belief in humanity ... The book is short, a fast read, at an almost breathless pace. It will make you appreciate where you are now.' -- Sophie Foster * Q Weekend * `A compact novella pulling powerful punches. A must read.' -- Alice Farrant * Shiny New Books * `Wieringa's writing and Garrett's translation are elegant. From the creation of the Strait of Gibraltar to the aftermath of Murat's death, it is as if each sentence, each word, has been chosen with care. Both the writing and story merge into a beautiful symmetry, where it's not possible to appreciate the devastating story without appreciating the paradoxically beautiful writing. I was able to easily slip within the minds of each character, understand their motives and anxieties. For such a short novel, it felt very full.' -- Alice Farrant * Shiny New Books * `As scintillating as it is unforgiving, this tiny diamond of a novel from Dutch author Tommy Wieringa is such a masterpiece of compression it could stand as an object lesson for students of creative writing ... [A] deceptively simple, yet intricately layered, tale of complicity and exploitation.' -- Cameron Woodhead * The Age * `A lucidly written reflection on the migrant crisis, by a Dutch master storyteller.' * Saga Magazine * `The Death of Murat Idrissi is powerful tale of identity, relationships and the desire to both fit in and to escape ... The Death of Murat Idrissi is a dark and deeply profound tale that examines the fragile humanity of ordinary people and exposes just how cheaply a life can be valued.' FOUR STARS -- Erin Britton * New Books Magazine * `The sentences are concise, propelling the action along and keeping readers on the edge of their seats ... a vital must-read.' -- Clayton McKee * Asymptote * `It has the grip of a nightmare that is all too plausible.' -- David Mills * The Sunday Times * `The gifted Dutch writer Tommy Wieringa is a bold, intelligent stylist, unafraid of exposing the ugliness of society juxtaposed with the vagaries of human nature. [A] taut, intense contemporary thriller of multiple exploitations ... The full mercilessness of the migrant dilemma is confronted here to devastating effect.' -- Eileen Battersby * The Observer * `A savagely effective little novel ... A nasty masterpiece of narrative tension; it's brutally spare.' -- Anthony Cummins * Evening Standard *

Author Information

Tommy Wieringa was born in 1967 and grew up partly in the Netherlands, and partly in the tropics. He began his writing career with travel stories and journalism, and is the author of several internationally bestselling novels. His fiction has been longlisted for the Booker International Prize, shortlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the Oxford/Weidenfeld Prize, and has won Holland's Libris Literature Prize. Sam Garrett has translated some fifty novels and works of nonfiction. He has won prizes and appeared on shortlists for some of the world's most prestigious literary awards, and is the only translator to have twice won the British Society of Authors' Vondel Prize for Dutch-English translation.

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