Other Lives But Mine

An unflinching record of devastating loss and the wealth of human solace that follows in its wake

'The night before the wave, I remember that Hélène and I talked about separating. It wouldn't be complicated; we didn't live together, hadn't had a child, and were even able to see ourselves remaining friends, and yet, it was sad. It was Christmas 2004.'In Sri Lanka, a tsunami sweeps a child out to sea, her grandfather helpless against the onrushing water. In France, a young woman succumbs to illness, leaving her husband and small children bereft. Present at both events, Emmanuel Carrère sets out to tell the story of two families-shattered and ultimately restored. What he accomplishes is nothing short of a literary miracle: a heartrending narrative of endless love, a meditation on courage and decency in the face of adversity, an intimate and reverent look at the extraordinary beauty and nobility of ordinary lives.

About the Author

Emanuel Carrère, novelist, filmmaker, journalist and biographer, is the award-winning internationally renowned author ofThe Adversary,Class Trip,The Mustache andA Russian Novel [9781846680854] published by Serpent's Tail. He lives in Paris.Other Lives But Mine is translated by Linda Coverdale.

Reviews

'As a storyteller Carrère is so freakishly talented, so unassuming in grace and power that you only realise the hold he's got on you when you attempt to pull away.', Junot Díaz

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