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Original Essays | February 8, 2012

Kent Hartman: IMG A Raider by Any Other Name

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Perhaps you are aware of the fact that there is an oddly popular trivia game floating around that a group of clever (and likely bored) college... Continue »
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The Post-Birthday World (P.S.)

by Lionel Shriver

The Post-Birthday World (P.S.) Cover

 

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

American children's book illustrator Irina McGovern enjoys a secure, settled life in London with her smart, loyal, disciplined partner, Lawrence — until the night she finds herself inexplicably drawn to kissing another man, a passionate, extravagant, top-ranked snooker player. Two competing alternate futures hinge on this single kiss, as Irina's decision — to surrender to temptation or to preserve her seemingly safe partnership with Lawrence—will have momentous consequences for her career, her friendships and familial relationships, and the texture of her daily life.

Review:

"The smallest details of staid coupledom duel it out with a lusty alternate reality that begins when a woman passes up an opportunity to cheat on her longtime boyfriend in Shriver's latest (after the Orange Prize-winning We Need to Talk About Kevin). Irina McGovern, a children's book illustrator in London, lives in comfortable familiarity with husband-in-everything-but-marriage-certificate Lawrence Trainer, and every summer the two have dinner with their friend, the professional snooker player Ramsey Acton, to celebrate Ramsey's birthday. One year, following Ramsey's divorce and while terrorism specialist "think tank wonk" Lawrence is in Sarajevo on business, Irina and Ramsey have dinner, and after cocktails and a spot of hash, Irina is tempted to kiss Ramsey. From this near-smooch, Shriver leads readers on a two-pronged narrative: one consisting of what Irina imagines would have happened if she had given in to temptation, the other showing Irina staying with Lawrence while fantasizing about Ramsey. With Jamesian patience, Shriver explores snooker tournaments and terrorism conferences, passionate lovemaking and passionless sex, and teases out her themes of ambition, self-recrimination and longing. The result is an impressive if exhausting novel." Publishers Weekly (Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Review:

"[T]he two versions are seamlessly knit, and in the end both are convincing and beautifully told. Highly recommended." Library Journal

Review:

"A layered and unflinching portrait of infidelity — with a narrative appropriately split in two.... Readers will wonder which choice was best for Irena, but Shriver masterfully confounds any attempt to arrive at a sure answer." Kirkus Reviews
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About the Author

Lionel Shriver's novels include the New York Timesbestseller The Post-Birthday Worldand the international bestseller We Need to Talk About Kevin, which won the 2005 Orange Prize and has now sold over a million copies worldwide. Earlier books include Double Fault, A Perfectly Good Family, and Checker and the Derailleurs. Her novels have been translated into twenty-five languages. Her journalism has appeared in the Guardian, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. She lives in London.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 2 comments:
Ann Sandhorst, January 4, 2010 (view all comments by Ann Sandhorst)
This book is definitely on my top ten list. It's clever,
well-written and very entertaining. I learned a lot about billiards, too. It's her best, by far.
Highly recommended.
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Alethea, January 24, 2009 (view all comments by Alethea)
I'm a sucker for "alternate reality" stories (i.e., Gwyneth Paltrow's SLIDING DOORS), so this was right up my ally
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780061187896
Subtitle:
A Novel
Author:
Shriver, Lionel
Author:
by Lionel Shriver
Publisher:
Harper Perennial
Subject:
General
Subject:
General Fiction
Subject:
Married people
Subject:
Americans
Subject:
Mate selection
Subject:
Domestic fiction
Subject:
Literature-A to Z
Copyright:
2008
Edition Description:
Trade PB
Series:
P.S.
Publication Date:
20080226
Binding:
Paperback
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Pages:
544
Dimensions:
8.00x5.72x.95 in. .92 lbs.
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Related Aisles

The Post-Birthday World (P.S.) Used Trade Paper
0 stars - 0 reviews
$5.95 In Stock
Product details 544 pages Harper Perennial - English 9780061187896 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "The smallest details of staid coupledom duel it out with a lusty alternate reality that begins when a woman passes up an opportunity to cheat on her longtime boyfriend in Shriver's latest (after the Orange Prize-winning We Need to Talk About Kevin). Irina McGovern, a children's book illustrator in London, lives in comfortable familiarity with husband-in-everything-but-marriage-certificate Lawrence Trainer, and every summer the two have dinner with their friend, the professional snooker player Ramsey Acton, to celebrate Ramsey's birthday. One year, following Ramsey's divorce and while terrorism specialist "think tank wonk" Lawrence is in Sarajevo on business, Irina and Ramsey have dinner, and after cocktails and a spot of hash, Irina is tempted to kiss Ramsey. From this near-smooch, Shriver leads readers on a two-pronged narrative: one consisting of what Irina imagines would have happened if she had given in to temptation, the other showing Irina staying with Lawrence while fantasizing about Ramsey. With Jamesian patience, Shriver explores snooker tournaments and terrorism conferences, passionate lovemaking and passionless sex, and teases out her themes of ambition, self-recrimination and longing. The result is an impressive if exhausting novel." Publishers Weekly (Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information, Inc.)
"Review" by , "[T]he two versions are seamlessly knit, and in the end both are convincing and beautifully told. Highly recommended."
"Review" by , "A layered and unflinching portrait of infidelity — with a narrative appropriately split in two.... Readers will wonder which choice was best for Irena, but Shriver masterfully confounds any attempt to arrive at a sure answer."
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