James Lasdun crafts narratives that delve into the intricate connections between individuals and their surroundings. His writing is distinguished by its precision and profound insight into the human psyche. Lasdun skillfully captures the subtle nuances of emotion and motivation, drawing readers into his carefully considered stories. His literary contributions lie in his sharp observations of contemporary life and the complexities of human nature.
The story explores the complexities of friendship and truth as Marco Rosedale, an expat journalist, faces allegations of sexual assault from an old flame. Confiding in a close friend, the unnamed narrator grapples with his loyalty while feeling the pressure to investigate the situation. As he delves deeper, he confronts his own potential complicity, raising challenging questions about morality and accountability in relationships.
Love and hate, desire and guilt, friendship and betrayal form the coordinates of these two intensely dramatic stories of men and women caught between their irrational passions and the urge for control. In Feathered Glory the seemingly happy marriage of a school principal and his artist wife reveals dangerous fault-lines as an old lover reappears in the husband's life and the wife, fascinated by a charismatic wildlife rehabilitator, brings an injured swan into their home. The poignant denouement leaves every character irreversibly transformed. The past also haunts the present in Afternoon of a Faun, where an accusation of historic sexual assault plunges Marco Rosedale, an English journalist in New York, into a series of deepening crises. Set during the months leading up to Trump's election, this is at once a study of our shifting social and sexual mores, and a meditation on what makes us believe or disbelieve the stories of other people. These gripping, darkly comic novellas reflect and complement each other, offering a sharply observed vision that will resonate with anyone interested in the clash of power and desire in our embattled contemporary lives.
In this taut psychological thriller, a couple and their houseguest find themselves caught in a deadly web of secrets, obsession, and revenge. It is summer, 2012. Charlie, a wealthy banker with an uneasy conscience, invites his troubled cousin Matthew to visit him and his wife in their idyllic mountaintop house. As the days grow hotter, the friendship between the three begins to reveal its fault lines, and with the arrival of a fourth character, the household finds itself suddenly in the grip of uncontrollable passions. As readers of James Lasdun’s acclaimed fiction can expect, The Fall Guy is a complex moral tale as well as a gripping suspense story, probing questions of guilt and betrayal with ruthless incisiveness. Who is the real victim here? Who is the perpetrator? And who, ultimately, is the fall guy? Darkly vivid, with an atmosphere of erotic danger, The Fall Guy is Lasdun’s most entertaining novel yet.
The collection showcases James Lasdun's lyrical inventiveness, highlighting his unique voice and poetic craft. Through a variety of themes and styles, the poems reveal deep emotional resonance and thought-provoking imagery, making it a compelling read for both new and seasoned poetry enthusiasts.
A true story of obsessive love turning to obsessive hate, Give Me Everything You Have chronicles the author's strange and harrowing ordeal at the hands of a former student, a self-styled verbal terrorist', who began trying, in her words, to ruin him'.
James Lasdun's new book of poems, his first since his acclaimed collection Landscape with Chainsaw, applies his characteristic blend of the celebratory and the elegiac to a rich variety of new themes and old obsessions.
In sharply evoked settings that range from the wilds of Northern Greece to the beaches of Cape Cod, these intensely dramatic tales chart the metamorphoses of their characters as they fall prey to the gamut of human passions.
This book, now thoroughly revised and updated, is written to satisfy readers who want to build their holiday around walking, or those who simply want to integrate a bit of walking into their holiday. It begins with a "practicalities" section and extend into the walks themselves. From six or so "base towns," the authors offer routes of one or two hours, half day, and one, three, and five days. There are also some extraordinary walks worth going out of the way for. There are recommendations for restaurants, trattorias and pizzerias, as well as markets and other take-away options. Additionally, the book includes suggestions for lodging, transportation, flora and many other points of interest.
Exploring themes of exile and belonging, this collection of poems vividly reflects the poet's life in the Catskill Mountains. The struggle to connect with the natural world is central, with the chainsaw serving as a powerful symbol that reveals various human traits. The poems blend intensity and humor, creating a unique and engaging perspective on nature and personal identity.
Written with sinuous grace and intellectual acuity, "The Horned Man" is an unforgettable excursion into the lethal battleground of desire and repression.
