We are Not in the World
We are Not in the World by Conor O’Callaghan, published by Doubleday in 2020, is a literary exploration of family life, marriage, and the complexities of love. This edition spans 258 pages and is presented in English. The narrative follows a man who, heartbroken after a long love affair, embarks on a journey from England to France in a haulage lorry, accompanied by his estranged daughter. As they travel together, they confront their shared past and the emotional scars that have shaped their relationship.
Throughout their week on the road, the father and daughter navigate not only the physical landscape but also the intricate dynamics of grief, shame, and love. The story unfolds against the backdrop of motorways and service stations, revealing a poignant portrait of their attempts to reconnect and heal. This novel delves into the raw and often challenging aspects of familial bonds, offering insights into the depths of human emotion and the enduring impact of shared experiences.
Official synopsis Publisher
‘Stylish, deft…an absolutely fascinating novel’ Guardian
‘Haunting, mesmerising, and so deeply intelligent’ Kamila Shamsie, author of Women’s Prize for Fiction winning Home Fire
‘Powerful…compelling and profoundly moving’ Irish Times
‘Heartbreaking, sweetly logical and tentatively hopeful’ Spectator
Heartbroken after a long, painful love affair, a man drives a haulage lorry from England to France. Travelling with him is a secret passenger – his daughter. Twenty-something, unkempt, off the rails.
With a week on the road together, father and daughter must restore themselves and each other, and repair a relationship that is at once fiercely loving and deeply scarred.
As they journey south, down the motorways, through the service stations, a devastating picture reveals itself- a story of grief, of shame, and of love in all its complex, dark and glorious manifestations.
______________
What readers are saying-
***** ‘The prose is sublime and deeply moving . . . a stunning novel’
***** ‘Beautifully written, lyrical and unsettling in its exploration of human frailties, family, love, and loss, grief’
**** ‘A haunting, tragic and highly original story of a father and daughter travelling across England and France in a haulage truck, and discovering more about their relationship and past in all its raw candour’
MORE PRAISE FOR WE ARE NOT IN THE WORLD-
‘Unusual, utterly original and mysterious . . . a must read’ Elaine Feeney
‘…the book stays with you, a haunting presence you cannot – and do not want to – escape…astounding.’ Ruth Gilligan Extraordinary…achingly sad and tender and sexy, and the writing is very beautiful.’ Louise Kennedy
‘Wonderful, wrenching . . . full of enormous feelings very precisely rendered’ Sara Baume
‘Elusive, unsettling, beautiful, haunting. This is a complex, devastating study of human relations; a portrait of intense love and damage in equal measure.’ Lisa Harding
‘A whirlpool of memories, regrets and hopes’ Tim Pears
‘An uncanny ability to turn the seemingly insignificant into something monumental’ Jan Carson
FAQ
What is “We are Not in the World” about?
Who is the author of “We are Not in the World”?
When was “We are Not in the World” published?
What is the ISBN for “We are Not in the World”?
What are the book details (language, pages, edition)?
