First Blood

(Paperback)

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Description

The Republic of the Congo, 1964. A young man is facing a firing squad, preparing for his last moment on Earth. He reflects on his childhood with a distant mother, and the moments which have led to him finding himself staring death in the face.

Patrick Nothomb is a young diplomat, aged 28, when he is taken hostage with thousands of others in Stanleyville (now Kisangani) by rebels. Over the course of four months, Nothomb has negotiated with his captors each and every day, saving the lives of 1500 citizens.

Inspired by the life of her father, who died at the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic, Amelie Nothomb slips into his shoes to give voice to his story.

Reviews

'"This book is a gem."' - Le Parisien

'"Amelie Nothomb at her best: cruel, tender and funny."' - Telerama

'"A book bubbling in delightful humour and exuberant vitality."' - Le Figaro

Author Bio

Amlie Nothomb was born in Japan to Belgian parents in 1967. She lives in Paris. Her books have been translated into twenty-five languages and counting, and been awarded numerous prizes including the French Academys Grand Prix for the Novel, the Ren-Fallet, Alain-Fournier, and Jean-Giono prizes. Alison Anderson spent many years in California; she now lives in a Swiss village and works as a literary translator. Her translations include The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery and works by Nobel laureate JMG Le Clzio. She has also written two previous novels and is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Literary Translation Fellowship.