Today is the third birthday of that fine publisher And Other Stories. I enjoy their books (see what I thought of Down the Rabbit Hole, Lightning Rods, All Dogs are Blue, and Quesadillas), and I love what they stand for as a publisher: they have a strong and distinctive editorial vision; they champion fiction in translation; they care about the design of their books. So when they asked if I’d like to host a giveaway to mark the anniversary, I was only too happy to say yes.
I wanted to choose a book from each of And Other Stories’ years, so the following titles are up for grabs:
Swimming Home by Deborah Levy
Shortlisted for the 2012 Man Booker Prize
As he arrives with his family at the villa in the hills above Nice, Joe sees a body in the swimming pool. But the girl is very much alive. She is Kitty Finch: a self-proclaimed botanist with green-painted fingernails, walking naked out of the water and into the heart of their holiday. Why is she there? What does she want from them all? And why does Joe’s enigmatic wife allow her to remain?
Profound and thrilling, Swimming Home reveals how the most devastating secrets are the ones we keep from ourselves.
Zbinden’s Progress by Christoph Simon
Translated by Donal McLaughlin
Lukas Zbinden leans on the arm of Kâzim, as they walk slowly down the stairway towards the door of his old people’s home. Step by step, the irrepressible Lukas recounts the life he shared with his wife Emilie and his son. Different in so many ways, what was the secret of their life-long love? And why is it so hard for him to talk to his son?
Gradually we get to know a man with a twinkle in his eye and learn his captivating story. Zbinden’s Progress is heart-rending, heart-warming and hilarious.
Quesadillas by Juan Pablo Villalobos
Translated by Rosalind Harvey
Anarchy in Mexico – a comic novel about screwed-up politics and families from the author of Down the Rabbit Hole.
Orestes’ mother prepares hundreds of quesadillas for Orestes and the rest of their brood. After another fraudulent election and the disappearance of his younger brothers Castor and Pollux, he takes to the road. With Quesadillas, Juan Pablo Villalobos serves up a madcap satire of politics, big families, and what it means to be middle class.
Here is how the giveaway will work:
- To enter, leave a comment on this post, listing the three books in your order of preference.
- Entries will be accepted up to 23.59 UK time on Saturday 12 October. Multiple entries will not be accepted. Sorry, but the giveaway is UK only.
- After that time, I will use a random number generator to select three winning entries. The first winner automatically gets their first choice of book. The second winner will receive whichever of the two remaining titles is higher in their order of preference. The third winner will get the last remaining book.
- If you are a winner, I will contact you via the e-mail address you leave with your comment, and ask for your postal address. I will then give your details to And Other Stories, who will send your prize to you directly. Your details will not be used for any other purpose.
- I will publish the winners’ names, and the books they receive, on the blog.
Sound good? Then leave a comment and try your luck!
5th October 2013 at 11:40 am
Swimming Home first, then Quesadillas followed at the end by Zbinden’s Progress
5th October 2013 at 4:11 pm
Hello. Hmmm… Preference would be: 1) Quesadillas, 2) Swimming Home, 3) Zbinden’s Progress. Will keep my fingers crossed…
5th October 2013 at 4:18 pm
Ooh Quesedillas followed by Zbinden’s Progess followed by Swimming Home (cos I already own that one). Totally echo your sentiments re And Other Stories. It’s like Kickstarter for bookish people. Proud to now be a subscriber.
5th October 2013 at 4:23 pm
1.Zbindens Progress.
2/3 N/A as I have both Quesadillas and Swimming Home so they should go to someone else if so!
5th October 2013 at 6:34 pm
All The Dogs are Blue, Quesadillas and Zbinden’s Progress, would be super. Already proud to be a supporter/subscriber with &Other Stories.
5th October 2013 at 6:42 pm
I love And Other Stories but can’t afford to subscribe at the mo (I’m asking Santa for Christmas!). My book preference would be Swimming Home, Zbinden’s Progress, Quesadilla’s. but to be honest any would be great!
5th October 2013 at 7:49 pm
I would have to say the Deborah Levy first as I really meant to read it last year having heard great things but never got round to it. Then the Quesadillas and last but not least Zbinden’s Progress.
5th October 2013 at 8:28 pm
Swimming Home, Zbinden’s Progress, Quesadillas
6th October 2013 at 1:40 pm
Quesadillas, Zbinden’s Progress, Swimming Home, please.
7th October 2013 at 2:11 pm
I’m not entering because I’m outside the UK, but just wanted to say how much I’ve enjoyed And Other Stories books. My favourite is All the Lights by Clemens Meyer. Fantastic, weird, unnerving short stories.
8th October 2013 at 11:12 am
Thank you so much for this giveaway! I would love to win “Swimming Home” by Deborah Levy as it sounds amazing.
My second choice would then be “Quesadillas” followed by “Zbinden’s Progress”.
It is great to discover new & interesting books, and a publisher that i will be looking up ~ to see what other titles they have on their shelves. x
My email is ~ lfountain1(at)hotmail(dot)co(dot)uk
*UK Resident*
11th October 2013 at 8:54 pm
I have never read any of them so wouldn’t mind which order, thanks for the giveaway
12th October 2013 at 1:57 pm
I would love to get my paws on all three … quesadillas, zbinden, swimming home.
Thanks.xx
12th October 2013 at 5:44 pm
My choices would be : Swimming Home, Zbinden’s Progress, Quesadillas
12th October 2013 at 6:51 pm
My choices would be quesadillas Zbindens Progress,Swimming Home.