Still Life: A GMA Book Club Pick (A Novel) by Sarah Winman (English) Hardcover B

Description: Still Life by Sarah Winman A Good Morning America Book Club Pick A Veranda Magazine Book Club PickA captivating, bighearted, richly tapestried story of people brought together by love, war, art, flood, and the ghost of E. M. Forster, by the celebrated author of Tin Man.Tuscany, 1944: As Allied troops advance and bombs fall around deserted villages, a young English soldier, Ulysses Temper, finds himself in the wine cellar of a deserted villa. There, he has a chance encounter with Evelyn Skinner, a middle-aged art historian who has come to Italy to salvage paintings from the ruins and recall long-forgotten memories of her own youth. In each other, Ulysses and Evelyn find a kindred spirit amidst the rubble of war-torn Italy, and set off on a course of events that will shape Ulyssess life for the next four decades. As Ulysses returns home to London, reimmersing himself in his crew at The Stoat and Parot—a motley mix of pub crawlers and eccentrics—he carries his time in Italy with him. And when an unexpected inheritance brings him back to where it all began, Ulysses knows better than to tempt fate, and returns to the Tuscan hills. With beautiful prose, extraordinary tenderness, and bursts of humor and light, Still Life is a sweeping portrait of unforgettable individuals who come together to make a family, and a deeply drawn celebration of beauty and love in all its forms. FORMAT Hardcover LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Author Biography Sarah Winman is the author of three previous novels, Tin Man, A Year of Marvelous Ways, and When God Was a Rabbit. She lives in London. Review Winner of the InWords Literary AwardA Good Morning America Book Club PickA Veranda Magazine Book Club PickA Parade Best Book of the YearOne of:The Millionss Most Anticipated Books of 2021Bookbubs The Best Historical Fiction to Read This FallParades 25 Books Weve Loved Reading This FallParades Best Book of the YearVerandas 25 Best New Books for Fall 2021Lit Hubs Best Books of the Week November "A tonic for wanderlust and a cure for loneliness. Its that rare, affectionate novel that makes one feel grateful to have been carried along. Unfurling with no more hurry than a Saturday night among old friends, the story celebrates the myriad ways love is expressed and families are formed….Endlessly charming...The novel never feels anything less than captivating because Winman creates such a flawless illusion of spontaneity, an atmosphere capable of sustaining these characters macabre wit, comedy of manners and poignant longing." —The Washington Post"The incredible storytelling, lovable characters, and sweeping settings make this novel an absolute delight, proving that serious fiction does not have to be only dark and depressing."—Real Simple"[A] winsome, large-hearted novel . . . [Still Life] pulses from the page." —Entertainment Weekly"A World War II novel that feels fresh is a rare commodity. . . . Constant literary surprises abound." —Entertainment Weekly"Sarah Winmans sweeping Still Life is a parade of small stories, intimate connections and complex characters whose lives illuminate the tedium and cataclysms of the 20th century. . . . The real magic of Still Life is the elevation of the ordinary, the unabashed consecration of human experiences. . . . Sentence after sentence, character by character, Still Life becomes poetry." —New York Times Book Review"In a novel as rich and alluring as a glass of Chianti—and theres a lot of Chianti in this novel—Evelyn, a middle-aged art historian, and Ulysses, a soldier, hunker down in Tuscany near the end of World War II, crossing paths with E.M. Forster and other Italophiles. The legacy of their unexpected friendship highlights Winmans grand theme: Art is the torch we carry in darkness." –Oprah Daily"This sweeping, historical tale brings together an unlikely group of friends – a young English soldier, an aging art historian, a pub owner, a pianist and more – in an epic set against the backdrop of mid-to-late-20th-century Florence." –USA Today"In this thoroughly warm, witty, entertaining, and character-driven novel spanning decades, Winman shares bighearted ideas about friendship, love, art, and community….It is hard to envision a reader who wont be smitten by Winmans characters and their banter, like old Cressy, who takes his advice from a tree, and Claude, the blue parrot who may be Shakespeare reincarnated. These lives may not be the stuff of legend, but they are still life." —Booklist (starred review)"An epic about a family of friends who make the city of Florence their home in the mid-to-late 20th century . . . [The] narrative feels almost breathless at times . . . which makes it feel as if the unknown narrator is relating a long story deep into the night....An unexpected treatise on the many forms love and beauty can take, set against the backdrop of Florence." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Still Life is, ultimately, a celebration of Italy, with loving descriptions of its buildings and countryside, of old women gossiping on stone benches. . . . Light yet satisfying." —BookPage (starred review)"Lush. . . Many rich sections about art, relationships and the transcendent beauty of Tuscany. . . Readers will enjoy this paean to the power of love and art." —Publishers Weekly"Spanning decades and bringing readers from London to Italy, Still Life is a moving look at love and friendship as well as the power of art." —Bookbub"Still Life is a lot of things—a history of Italy in the post-war years, an ode to chosen families, a homage to A Room with a View by E.M. Forster, a reminder of the importance of art and art history—but most of all, its just a really good story." —Hey Alma"[A] book full of wonder and love and terrific writing. . .The writing in this book is so vivid that you laugh on one page and cry on the next. The characters offer insights that resonate in all of us." —Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star"The kind of story that makes your heart full. I fell so in love with these characters that it felt as if they were my dearest friends, and thats the best sort of book to fall into." –Jenny Lawson, author of Broken and Lets Pretend This Never Happened"Still Life is simultaneously expansive and intimate, a heady brew of disasters, both natural and manmade, of death and life, of the power of great art and, most especially, the resonance of those loves we carry for a lifetime. A truly spectacular achievement. Ive never read anything quite like it." —Karen Joy Fowler, author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves "From its opening pages Still Life embodies the full generosity of the human spirit. This vast, ambitious, galloping bear-hug of a book unashamedly celebrates love in all its many forms. Love of art, love of strangers, love of a good glass of Italian wine and a bowl of pasta cooked with enough salt to taste like the sea. Love of stories. Love of love." —Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry "The sheer joy in [Winmans] storytelling is completely infectious. Ive loved spending time with this unforgettable cast of characters in extraordinary times and places." —Graham Norton "Still Life is a playful, Maupinesque exploration of the elective family and its possibilities. Four-course nourishment for all Winman fans, it harnesses big-hearted storytelling to a dizzying historical sweep to celebrate love in all the available colors." —Patrick Gale, author of Take Nothing With You "I loved this extraordinary, astonishing, and exquisite novel. The story of damaged characters restored and repaired by the truth and beauty of Tuscany, as Florence itself is restored and repaired post-war and post-flood, is beautifully told. A joy and a pleasure, my book of the year." —Liz Nugent, author of Little Cruelties "An utterly beautiful story, so generous, rich, deeply moving, and filled with hope. Sarah Winman is a genius and one of the greatest storytellers of our time." —Joanna Cannon, author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep "This book saved my soul during these very strange times. I loved every word, every sentence, every beat. Its about love and our defining moments, and it is utterly beautiful. The characters and places now live in my own memory—to be cherished forever." —Favel Parrett, author of Past the Shallows "Readers will want to prolong the pleasure of Sarah Winmans beautiful novel Still Life for as long as possible. It is a book to get lost in, the kind of story that bolsters the heart and soul. I loved it." —Donal Ryan, author of From a Low and Quiet Sea Review Quote Winner of the InWords Literary Award One of The Millions s Most Anticipated Books of 2021 One of Bookbub s The Best Historical Fiction to Read This Fall "An epic about a family of friends who make the city of Florence their home in the mid-to-late 20th century...[The] narrative feels almost breathless at times, in part due to the lack of quotation marks around the dialogue, which makes it feel as if the unknown narrator is relating a long story deep into the night....An unexpected treatise on the many forms love and beauty can take, set against the backdrop of Florence." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "In this thoroughly warm, witty, entertaining, and character-driven novel spanning decades, Winman shares bighearted ideas about friendship, love, art, and community....It is hard to envision a reader who wont be smitten by Winmans characters and their banter, like old Cressy, who takes his advice from a tree, and Claude, the blue parrot who may be Shakespeare reincarnated. These lives may not be the stuff of legend, but they are still life." -- Booklist (starred review) "Lush. . . Many rich sections about art, relationships and the transcendent beauty of Tuscany. . . . Readers will enjoy this paean to the power of love and art." --Publishers Weekly "The incredible storytelling, lovable characters, and sweeping settings make this novel an absolute delight, proving that serious fiction does not have to be only dark and depressing." --Real Simple " Still Life is a lot of things--a history of Italy in the post-war years, an ode to chosen families, a homage to A Room with a View by E.M. Forster, a reminder of the importance of art and art history--but most of all, its just a really good story." -- Hey Alma "Spanning decades and bringing readers from London to Italy, Still Life is a moving look at love and friendship as well as the power of art." -- Bookbub "Still Life is simultaneously expansive and intimate, a heady brew of disasters, both natural and manmade, of death and life, of the power of great art and, most especially, the resonance of those loves we carry for a lifetime. A truly spectacular achievement. Ive never read anything quite like it." --Karen Joy Fowler, author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves "From its opening pages Still Life embodies the full generosity of the human spirit. This vast, ambitious, galloping bear-hug of a book unashamedly celebrates love in all its many forms. Love of art, love of strangers, love of a good glass of Italian wine and a bowl of pasta cooked with enough salt to taste like the sea. Love of stories. Love of love." --Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry "The sheer joy in [Winmans] storytelling is completely infectious. Ive loved spending time with this unforgettable cast of characters in extraordinary times and places." --Graham Norton "The kind of story that makes your heart full. I fell so in love with these characters that it felt as if they were my dearest friends, and thats the best sort of book to fall into." -Jenny Lawson, author of Broken and Lets Pretend This Never Happened " Still Life is a playful, Maupinesque exploration of the elective family and its possibilities. Four-course nourishment for all Winman fans, it harnesses big-hearted storytelling to a dizzying historical sweep to celebrate love in all the available colors." --Patrick Gale, author of Take Nothing With You "I loved this extraordinary, astonishing, and exquisite novel. The story of damaged characters restored and repaired by the truth and beauty of Tuscany, as Florence itself is restored and repaired post-war and post-flood, is beautifully told. A joy and a pleasure, my book of the year." --Liz Nugent, author of Little Cruelties "An utterly beautiful story, so generous, rich, deeply moving, and filled with hope. Sarah Winman is a genius and one of the greatest storytellers of our time." --Joanna Cannon, author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep "This book saved my soul during these very strange times. I loved every word, every sentence, every beat. Its about love and our defining moments, and it is utterly beautiful. The characters and places now live in my own memory--to be cherished forever." --Favel Parrett, author of Past the Shallows "Readers will want to prolong the pleasure of Sarah Winmans beautiful novel Still Life for as long as possible. It is a book to get lost in, the kind of story that bolsters the heart and soul. I loved it." --Donal Ryan, author of From a Low and Quiet Sea Excerpt from Book Man as the Measure of All Things 1944 Somewhere in the Tuscan hills, two English spinsters, Evelyn Skinner and a Margaret someone, were eating a late lunch on the terrace of a modest albergo . It was the second of August. A beautiful summers day, if only you could forget there was a war on. One sat in shade, the other in light, due to the angle of the sun and the vine-strewn trellis overhead. They were served a reduced menu but celebrated the Allied advance with large glasses of Chianti. Overhead, a low-flying bomber cast them momentarily in shadow. They picked up their binoculars and studied the markings. Ours, they said, and waved. This rabbits delicious, said Evelyn, and she caught the eye of the proprietor, who was smoking by the doorway. She said, Coniglio buonissimo, signore! The signore put his cigarette in his mouth and raised his arm-part salute, part wave, one couldnt be sure. Do you think hes a Fascist? said Margaret quietly. No, I dont think so, said Evelyn. Although Italians are quite indecisive politically. Always have been. I heard theyre shooting them now, the Fascists. Everyones shooting everyone, said Evelyn. A shell screamed to their right and exploded on a distant hill, uprooting a cluster of small cypress trees. One of theirs, said Margaret, and she held on to the table to protect her camera and wineglass from the shock waves. I heard they found the Botticelli, said Evelyn. Which one? said Margaret. Primavera . Oh, thank God, said Margaret. And Giottos Madonna from the Uffizi. Rubenss Nymphs and Satyrs and one more-Evelyn thought hard-ah, yes, she said. Supper at Emmaus. The Pontormo! Any news about his Deposition? No, not yet, said Evelyn, pulling a small bone from her mouth. In the distance, the sky suddenly flared with artillery fire. Evelyn looked up and said, I never thought Id see this again at my age. Arent we the same age? No. Older. You are? Yes. Eight years. Approaching sixty-four. Are you really ? Yes, she said, and poured out more wine. I pity the swallows, though, she added. Theyre swifts, said Margaret. Are you sure? Yes, said Margaret. The squealers are swifts, and she sat back and made an awful sound that was nothing like a swift. Swift , said Margaret, emphasizing her point. The swallow is, of course, the Florentine bird, she said. Its a Passeriform, a perching bird, but the swift is not. Because of its legs. Weak feet, long wingspan. It belongs to the order of Apodiformes. Apodiformes meaning "footless" in Greek. The house martin, however, is a Passeriform. Dear God, thought Evelyn. Will this not end? Swallows, continued Margaret, have a forked tail and a red head. And about an eight-year life expectancy. Thats depressing. Not even double digits. Do you think swallow years are like dog years? said Evelyn. No, I dont think so. Never heard as much. Swifts are dark brown but appear blackish in flight. There they are again! screamed Margaret. Over there! Where? There! You have to keep up, theyre very nippy. They do everything on the wing! Suddenly, out from the clouds, two falcons swooped in and ripped a swift violently in half. Margaret gasped. Did everything on the wing, said Evelyn as she watched the falcons disappear behind the trees. This is a lovely drop of Classico, she said. Have I said that already? You have actually, said Margaret tersely. Oh. Well, Im saying it again. A year of occupation has not diminished the quality. And she caught the proprietors eye and pointed to her glass. Buonissimo, signore! The signore took the cigarette out of his mouth, smiled and again raised his arm. Evelyn sat back and placed her napkin on the table. The two women had known one another for seven years. Theyd been lovers briefly in the beginning, after which desire had given way to a shared interest in the Tuscan proto-Renaissance-a satisfactory turn of events for Evelyn, less so for Margaret someone. Shed thrown herself into ornithology. Luckily, for Evelyn, the advent of war prevented further pursuit, until Rome that is. Two weeks after the Allies had entered the city, shed opened the front door of her aunts villa on Via Magento only to be confronted by the unexpected. Surprise! said Margaret. You cant get away from me that easily! Surprise wasnt the word that had come to Evelyns mind. Evelyn stood up and stretched her legs. Been sitting too long, she said, brushing crumbs off her linen slacks. She was a striking presence at full height, with intelligent eyes, as quick to the conundrum as they were to the joke. Ten years before, she had committed her graying thatch to blond and had never looked back. She walked over to the signore and in perfect Italian asked for a cigarette. She placed it between her lips and steadied his hand as she leaned toward the flame. Grazie , she whispered, and he pressed the packet firmly into her palm and motioned for her to take it. She thanked him again and moved back to the table. Stop, said Margaret. What? The light on your face. How green your eyes are! Turn a little to me. Stay like that. Margaret, for Gods sake. Do it. Dont move. And Margaret picked up her camera and fiddled with the aperture setting. Evelyn drew on the cigarette theatrically (click) and blew smoke into the late-afternoon sky (click), noticing the shift of color, the lowering of the sun, a lone swift nervously circling. She moved a curl of hair away from her frown (click). Whats eating you, dear chum? Mosquitoes, probably. I hear a touch of Maud Lin, said Margaret. Thoughts? What is old, dyou think? Cabin fever talking, said Margaret. We cant advance, we can only retreat. Thats old, said Evelyn. And German mines, silly! I just want to get into Florence. Do something. Be useful. The proprietor came over and cleared their plates from the table. He asked them in Italian if they would like a coffee and grappa and they said, How lovely, and he told them not to go wandering again, and he told them his wife would go up to their room later and close the shutters. Oh, and would they like some figs? Oh s Details ISBN0593330757 Author Sarah Winman Language English Year 2021 ISBN-10 0593330757 ISBN-13 9780593330753 Format Hardcover DEWEY 823.92 Country of Publication United States Pages 464 Publication Date 2021-11-02 AU Release Date 2021-11-02 NZ Release Date 2021-11-02 US Release Date 2021-11-02 UK Release Date 2021-11-02 Publisher Penguin Putnam Inc Imprint G P Putnams Sons Audience General Subtitle A GMA Book Club Pick (A Novel) We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! 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