2012 Puddly Awards
 
 
Follow us on TwitterFollow us on FacebookFollow us on Google+Follow us on TumblrSubscribe to RSS


Recently Viewed clear list


Book News | May 24, 2012

Sadie Jones: IMG On Advice Given to Writers



When you are a young writer, or an unproven writer, you receive a great deal of well-meaning advice from people who don't write and can't understand... Continue »
  1. $17.49 Sale Hardcover add to wish list

    The Uninvited Guests

    Sadie Jones 9780062116505

spacer
Ships free on qualified orders.
$5.95
Used Trade Paper
Usually ships in 5 to 7 business days
Add to Wishlist
available for shipping or prepaid pickup only
Qty Store Section
1 Remote Warehouse Literature- A to Z

eBook editions

The Cellist of Sarajevo

by Steven Galloway

The Cellist of Sarajevo Cover

ISBN13: 9781594483653
ISBN10: 1594483655
Condition: Standard
All Product Details

Only 1 left in stock at $5.95!

 

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

A spare and haunting, wise and beautiful novel about the endurance of the human spirit and the subtle ways individuals reclaim their humanity in a city ravaged by war.

In a city under siege, four people whose lives have been upended are ultimately reminded of what it is to be human. From his window, a musician sees twenty-two of his friends and neighbors waiting in a breadline. Then, in a flash, they are killed by a mortar attack. In an act of defiance, the man picks up his cello and decides to play at the site of the shelling for twenty-two days, honoring their memory. Elsewhere, a young man leaves home to collect drinking water for his family and, in the face of danger, must weigh the value of generosity against selfish survivalism. A third man, older, sets off in search of bread and distraction and instead runs into a long-ago friend who reminds him of the city he thought he had lost, and the man he once was. As both men are drawn into the orbit of cello music, a fourth character — a young woman, a sniper — holds the fate of the cellist in her hands. As she protects him with her life, her own army prepares to challenge the kind of person she has become.

A novel of great intensity and power, and inspired by a true story, The Cellist of Sarajevo poignantly explores how war can change one's definition of humanity, the effect of music on our emotional endurance, and how a romance with the rituals of daily life can itself be a form of resistance.

Review:

"I cannot imagine a lovelier, more beautifully wrought book about the depravity of war as The Cellist of Sarajevo. Each chapter is a brief glimpse at yet another aspect of the mind, the heart, [and] the soul." ZZ Packer, author of Drinking Coffee Elsewhere.

Review:

"Steven Galloway's The Cellist of Sarajevo is a wonderful story, a tribute to the human spirit in the face of insanity." Kevin Baker, author of Dreamland and Paradise Alley

Review:

"A grand and powerful novel about how people retain or reclaim their humanity when they are under extreme duress." Yann Martel, author of Life of Pi

Review:

"Indelible imagery and heartbreaking characters give authority to this chilling story and make human a crisis typically overlooked in literature." Kirkus Reviews

Synopsis:

The acclaimed and inspiring international bestseller that is a tribute to the human spirit.

In a city ravaged by war, a musician plays his cello for twenty-two days at the site of a mortar attack, in memory of the fallen. Among the strangers drawn into the orbit of his music are a young father in search of water for his family, an older man in search of the humanity he once knew, and a young woman, a sniper, who will decide the fate of the cellist — and the kind of person she wants to be.

About the Author

Steven Galloway teaches creative writing at the University of British Columbia.

What Our Readers Are Saying

Add a comment for a chance to win!
Average customer rating based on 9 comments:

nana k, March 23, 2012 (view all comments by nana k)
This is a short book with a big message. The author follows 3 characters in Sarajevo for a short time during the siege. The brutality of war is vividly portrayed through their eyes. Though the author uses some historical context and some real events, it is a beautiful work of fiction. His characters are so real and their hopes and fears crawl into your heart. The cellist is an incredible catalyst and a view into the souls of the characters.

This book is a must read!
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
nana k, March 23, 2012 (view all comments by nana k)
This is a short book with a big message. The author follows 3 characters in Sarajevo for a short time during the siege. The brutality of war is vividly portrayed through their eyes. Though the author uses some historical context and some real events, it is a beautiful work of fiction. His characters are so real and their hopes and fears crawl into your heart. The cellist is an incredible catalyst and a view into the souls of the characters.

This book is a must read!
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
Jena, January 23, 2011 (view all comments by Jena)
I read a lot of unforgettable books in 2010, but this is at the top of the list of books I find myself reflecting on. A nearly seamless weaving of a glimpse into the lives of people who all, in some way, are touched by the cellist who sits in the center of a bomb crater and plays one day for every person who was killed in that explosion.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
View all 9 comments

Product Details

ISBN:
9781594483653
Author:
Galloway, Steven
Publisher:
Riverhead Books
Author:
Klam, Julie
Subject:
Literary
Subject:
War stories
Subject:
Snipers.
Subject:
Literature-A to Z
Edition Description:
Mass Market
Publication Date:
20090331
Binding:
TRADE PAPER
Grade Level:
from 12
Language:
English
Pages:
256
Dimensions:
7.12x4.96x.66 in. .46 lbs.
Age Level:
18-17

Other books you might like

  1. $11.99 Google eBooks add to wish list

    Unaccustomed Earth

    Jhumpa Lahiri 9780307268686
  2. $9.99 Google eBooks add to wish list

    Say You're One of Them

    Uwem Akpan 9780316032520
  3. $9.50 Used Trade Paper add to wish list
  4. $11.99 Google eBooks add to wish list

    The White Tiger

    Aravind Adiga 9781416562733
  5. $11.99 Google eBooks add to wish list

    The Elegance of the Hedgehog

    Muriel Barbery 9781609450137
  6. $11.99 Google eBooks add to wish list

Related Subjects

Fiction and Poetry » Literature » A to Z
Languages » Foreign Languages » Spanish » Fiction and Poetry » Literature » A to Z

The Cellist of Sarajevo Used Trade Paper
0 stars - 0 reviews
$5.95 In Stock
Product details 256 pages Riverhead Books - English 9781594483653 Reviews:
"Review" by , "I cannot imagine a lovelier, more beautifully wrought book about the depravity of war as The Cellist of Sarajevo. Each chapter is a brief glimpse at yet another aspect of the mind, the heart, [and] the soul."
"Review" by , "Steven Galloway's The Cellist of Sarajevo is a wonderful story, a tribute to the human spirit in the face of insanity."
"Review" by , "A grand and powerful novel about how people retain or reclaim their humanity when they are under extreme duress."
"Review" by , "Indelible imagery and heartbreaking characters give authority to this chilling story and make human a crisis typically overlooked in literature."
"Synopsis" by , The acclaimed and inspiring international bestseller that is a tribute to the human spirit.

In a city ravaged by war, a musician plays his cello for twenty-two days at the site of a mortar attack, in memory of the fallen. Among the strangers drawn into the orbit of his music are a young father in search of water for his family, an older man in search of the humanity he once knew, and a young woman, a sniper, who will decide the fate of the cellist — and the kind of person she wants to be.

spacer
spacer
  • back to top
Follow us on...



Powell's City of Books is an independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon, that fills a whole city block with more than a million new, used, and out of print books. Shop those shelves — plus literally millions more books, DVDs, and eBooks — here at Powells.com.