Michael Arditti Books

Candida Mulliner and Leo Young have been the closest of friends since university, living together but loving separately. When Candida dies after a long illness, she leaves her five-year-old daughter, Pagan, in Leo's care. Candida's adoptive parents are horrified. Opposed to a gay man raising a child, they challenge Leo's guardianship in the courts. As Leo fights for his and Pagan's rights, he finds himself isolated, vilified, and, ultimately, arrested. Meanwhile, he sets out to discover the truth about Candida, the cause of her estrangement from her adoptive parents, the identity of her natural mother, and the reasons for her refusal to name Pagan's father. Michael Arditti's moving, passionate, and provocative novel is a powerful exploration of the nature of parenthood and meaning of family life.

A turbulent affair plays out in the pilgrim city of Lourdes'Carries you through with humour, warmth and, above all, the urgency of a great romance' Guardian'Closing this novel after reading the last page, one briefly believes in miracles, at least of the human redemptive kind' Independent on Sunday'Jubilate is something to celebrate indeed' IndependentA woman wakes in a Lourdes hotel room beside her lover of just two days. She has brought her brain-damaged husband on a pilgrimage to seek a miracle cure; her lover is making a TV documentary to mark the shrine's 150th anniversary year. Setting aside personal doubts, family ties and spiritual differences, they embark on a turbulent affair from which neither they nor those around them will emerge unchanged.

A rich and powerful exploration of desire, sin and redemption, by one of our best chroniclers of faith in the 21st century

The parish of St Mary-in-the-Vale is preparing for Easter. In his Palm Sunday sermon, the Vicar explains that Christ's crucifixion and redemption are taking place every day. He little suspects that, before the week's out, he and his entire congregation will be caught up in a latter-day Passion story which will tear apart their lives.

After a nervous collapse while serving at the altar, his college principal sends him on a placement to London where he enters an unfamiliar world of outcasts, down-and-outs, rent boys, religious fundamentalists and people with AIDS. In increasing despair, he embarks on a journey through the... číst celé

'Arditti is a master storyteller who uses his theological literacy sparingly to deliver a challenging but enthralling read' Guardian Award-winning, bestselling author Michael Arditti's tenth novel, documenting the history of homophobia and religion. God's vengeance on the wicked city of Sodom is a perennial source of fascination and horror. Michael Arditti's passionate and enthralling new novel explores the enduring power of the myth in five momentous epochs. A young Judean exile transcribes the Acts of Abraham and Lot in ancient Babylon; the Guild of Salters presents a mystery play of Lot's Wife in medieval York; Botticelli paints the Destruction of Sodom for a court in Renaissance Florence; a bereaved rector searches for the Cities of the Plain in nineteenth century Palestine; a closeted gay movie star portrays Lot in a controversial biblical epic in 1980s Hollywood. With its interrelated narratives and interwoven documents, Of Men and Angels is both formally inventive and imaginatively rich. Abounding in characters as vivid as they are varied, from temple prostitutes and palace eunuchs, through fanatical friars and humanist poets, to Bedouin tribesmen, Russian exiles and, of course, angels, this is a novel of breathtaking scope, penetrating insight and profound human sympathy.

Set against the backdrop of the SS St Louis's ill-fated voyage in May 1939, the story follows fifteen-year-old Karl, a young heir fleeing Nazi Germany. As the ship seeks asylum in a world increasingly hostile, Karl navigates the complexities of family secrets, confronts Nazi crew members, and contemplates mutiny. Amidst the turmoil, he experiences a transformative first love with Johanna. This novel intricately weaves themes of courage, resilience, and the bittersweet transition from adolescence to adulthood during a tumultuous historical moment.

Michal is a princess, Abigail a wealthy widow, and Bathsheba a soldier's bride, but as women in Ancient Israel their destiny is the same: to obey their fathers, serve their husbands and raise their children. Marriage to King David seems to offer them an escape, but behind the trappings of power they discover a deeply conflicted man. The legendary hero who slew Goliath, founded Jerusalem and saved Israel is also a vicious despot who murders his rivals, massacres his captives and menaces his harem. Michael Arditti's masterly new novel centres on three fascinating, formidable women, whose voices have hitherto been silenced. As they tell of love and betrayal, rape and revenge, motherhood and childlessness, they not only present the time-honoured story in a compelling new light but expose a conflict between male ruthlessness and female resistance, which remains strikingly pertinent today.

Featuring remarkable characters and original voices, this collection of short stories offers a witty and compassionate exploration of themes such as love, loss, desire, and defiance in contemporary society. Each narrative provides a unique perspective on the complexities of human emotions and relationships in the 21st century.

The story explores the lives of the Glanville family, each member grappling with personal struggles amid the tensions of liberalism versus fundamentalism. Edwin, a retired bishop, confronts his lost faith while dealing with illness. Marta, a former anthropologist from the Warsaw Ghetto, faces her traumatic past. Their son Clement, a gay painter, battles public scrutiny and personal loss, while daughter Susannah navigates a transformative journey into Chassidic culture and a complex romance. The narrative is rich with emotional depth and sharp insight.