Brothers

(Paperback)

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Description

Brothers is a book which is both compelling and intensely moving as it looks at life, death and love in the context of growing up and trying to make sense of it all. It is tender, sensitive and poignant as it deals with the sexual emergence of a teenage boy, trying to come to terms with the death of his brother and, while reading his brother's diary, discovers not only that his brother was gay, but that he himself is also. As a story of two brothers, it is both thought provoking and intriguing. The reader is engaged instantly through its intimate narrative diary format. This is indeed an exceptional book.

Reviews

"Sentimental No. Moving Very much so. Van Lieshout has written, in clear and simple language, one of the most beautiful books for adolescents I have read in ages." "A very vulnerable book that has made an indelible impression on me." Brothers is a moving experience... It is certainly a page turner. I wanted to read further at every point... Emotionally charged and handled with immense sensitivity... Both voices are authentic and compelling." "A classic story in terms of its subject matter; life, death, and love all in the context of growing up and trying to make sense of it all (in the same mould as, say, Catcher in the Rye)... Tender, sensitive and poignant. It is a very moving story. This is an amazingly insightful, differentiated, subtle and beautiful novel."

Author Bio

Ted van Lieshout is well known for pushing boundaries of children's literature, both as an author and poet. He was born on December 21th of 1955 in Eindhoven and he lives in Amsterdam. He attended the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam, where he studied illustration and graphic design. After his graduation in 1980, he worked for various publishers, designing book covers and making illustrations for newspapers and magazines. In 1982 he started illustrating for De Blauw Geruite Kiel, a then famous literary magazine for children. Two years later, his first poetry and short stories stories were published in it. In the same year, he started writing for the Dutch version of the television programme 'Sesame Steet'. In 1986, his first two books were published, one a story, Raafs Reizend Theater (Raven's Travelling Theatre) and other a volume of children's poetry Van verdriet kun je grappige hoedjes vouwen (You Can Fold Sorrow into Funny Hats). The last won an incentive prize. Both books were followed by a rapid succession of prose and poetry for children, as well as plays for theatre and television In 1989 he was awarded the prestigious Charlotte Kohler Stipendium for best new writer for children and adolescents. More than twenty books followed - and more than ten prizes. He won the Premio Europeo Letteratura Giovanile Pier Paolo Vergerio of 1993, the first Gouden Griffel (Golden Slate Pencil; best literary book for children and adolescents in the Netherlands) ever to have been awarded to a volume of poetry by a single poet), the German Youth Literature Prize (Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis 1999) for the translation of 'Gebr'. (Brothers.) and the Zilveren Zoen (Silver Kiss) 1999 for his first essay about western art Stil leven (Still Life). His stories and poems are characterised by a melancholy humour, and dominated by the search for security and identity. Brothers is semi-autobiographical, based on Ted and his brother.