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The 2011 Award

 

Malouf

 

Ransom

by David Malouf

 

 

 

 

Nominated by:

  • The State Library of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
  • The National Library of Australia, Canberra.
  • Warsaw Public Library / Biblioteka Glowna Województwa Mazowieckiego, Poland.

Publisher of Nominated Edition:

Random House Australia

 
the complete A-Z listing of nominated authors
ABOUT THE BOOK

 

 
David Malouf shines new light on Homer’s ILIAD, adding twists and reflections, as well as flashes of earthy humour, to surprise and enchant. 
 
In this exquisite gem of a novel, Achilles is maddened by grief at the death of his friend Patroclus. From the walls of Troy, King Priam watches the body of his son, Hector, being dragged behind Achilles’ chariot. There must be a way, he thinks, of reclaiming the body - of pitting compromise against heroics, new ways against the old, and of forcing the hand of fate. Dressed simply and in a cart pulled by a mule, an old man sets off for the Greek camp ... 
 
Lyrical, immediate and heartbreaking Malouf’s fable engraves the epic themes of the Trojan war onto a perfect miniature - themes of war and heroics, hubris and humanity, chance and fate, the bonds between soldiers, fathers and sons, all newly burnished and brilliantly recast for our times. 
 
(From Publisher).

 
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Malouf is the author of short story collections The Complete Stories (winner of the Australia Asia Literary Award), Dream Stuff (‘These stories are pearls,’ - Spectator) and Every Move You Make and of acclaimed novels including The Great World (winner of the Commonwealth Writers’ and Miles Franklin Prizes) and Remembering Bablyon (shortlisted for the Booker Prize and winner of the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award). His most recent work RANSOM was shortlisted The Age Book of the Year Award and the Qld Premier’s Literary Award. and the Prime Minister’s Literary Award. He also writes poetry, drama and libretti for operas. Born and brought up in Brisbane, he lives in Sydney.

LIBRARIANS' COMMENTS

Beautiful and so very lyrical, Ransom is Malouf's version of Homer's Iliad, delving primarily into the relationships between men in the midst of a long and bloody war. A compelling novel about grief, love, pride and the importance of telling stories.

David Malouf selects the key scene from Homer's timeless tale, the Iliad and retells it in beautiful, understated prose. He takes readers with him as King Priam visits Achilles to beg for his son, Hector's body. Winner of the Adelaide Writers Festival Award, 2010 and shortlisted for the Christina Stead Prize.

The first - since ten years - novel published by a distinguished poet. the study of heroic excursion of old Priam from Troy to the camp of Greek invaders, asking them to give back the body of his son, Hector, killed by Achilles. A magnificent study of hatred and love, despair and hope.

 

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