My second novel, Crossing Over, comes out today. Hooray! Or half hooray, at least. (Publication days are funny things: part celebration, part anti-climax; part release, part start of a whole new kind of tension.)
For me, this time round has been sweetened by a wonderful event at the venerable Dublin bookshop Hodges Figgis last night, where Irish minister of state for health Mary Butler did me the honour of formally launching the novel. (The whole thing was masterminded by Adekunle Gomez, a founder of the African Cultural Project and an extraordinary champion of sharing stories.)
It’s also been my first taste of having a book featured in a formal blog tour. I’ve been blown away with the responses from fellow book bloggers, with this review on Linda’s Book Bag, this Instagram write-up from Jen travels.along.my.bookshelf and this piece from Elspells among my favourites.
So, in order to keep the celebrations going, I’m offering five signed copies of Crossing Over to be sent anywhere in the world. To be in with a chance of winning one, please leave a comment below recommending a book that features a journey of one kind or another.
And if you think your book group might like to discuss my novel, why not enter the draw to have me attend the session? Contenders so far include book groups in Canada, Australia and New Zealand…
Thank you and good luck!
I’d like to recommend quite an old book called Tracks, by Robyn Davidson. It was written over 40 years ago and made into a movie about 7 years ago. It’s the account by Robyn of her crossing from central Australia to the western Australian coast on camel, which took months. A remarkable feat by a young woman.
I would recommend Jonathan Freedland’s “The Escape Artist.” The artist in question escaped from the death camp Auschwitz to warn the rest of the world about its existence and the massacre that occurred there.
Quite a journey!
On Trails: An Exploration by Robert Moor
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27276431
Intersects memoir (Applachian Trail hiking), geology and philosophy in such a fascinating way. The experience of reading it still comes back to me whenever I think about the way trails and travel can become a metaphor for life issues.
Can’t wait till your newest book is released in the United States! I’m in a book group in Rhode Island, and if you are ever in the United States, I would bet that Robin Kall, our organizer and book influencer would be delighted to host you!
Thanks Valerie. Hopefully it will be out in the US one day!
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles was one of my favorite novels of 2022. Both a physical and a psychological journey!
Dear Ann,
I am looking forward to reading this, do you know when it will be available on Kindle, I have certain disabilities that make paper books difficult, but I read voraciously. I don’t want to be entered in the draw, obviously, but my recommendation for a book with travel of some kind is “The Other Half of Augusta Hope” by Joanna Glen.
Best wishes,
Carole
Thanks very much, Carole. It is available on Kindle now. Happy reading!
Congratulations on your new book! Thank you for all the recommendations over the years. I am thinking about Refuge, by Terry Tempest Williams. This memoir is a journey from grief and loss to hope and renewal, encompassing the illness and death of her mother, and the death and revitalization of a bird sanctuary. She is a beautiful writer and a committed naturalist and observer of all things.
I’d highly recommend ‘The Devotion of Suspect X’ by Keigo Hashani. The protagonist, Ishigami, takes a walk on a bridge on the Edogawa river in Tokyo everyday to his workplace, the high school where he is a mathematics teacher. This everyday journey plays a crucial role in the plot and understanding the intricacies of the layout is crucial for the readers to fully grasp this whodunit and howdunit. In fact, the novel opens with Ishigami walking to his workplace and observing the surroundings of this area, an important source of clues for the readers as well as the detectives investigating the subsequent murder case which forms the bulk of this book. What seems like an innocuous description of surroundings emerges as the most important clue to the puzzle of this book.
The Boy Who Sailed Around the World Alone by Robin Graham (Young Person’s edition) aka (adult version) Dove by Robin Graham
I would recommend “The Elephant’s Journey” by José Saramago. It tells the story of the long and perilous journey from Lisbon to Vienna made by an elephant, Solomon (that was gifted to Archduke Maximilian of Austria by King João III of Portugal as a wedding gift), as well as that of its mahout and the porters, guards, priests, officials, and all others that accompanied it. It’s a mixture of a true story and fantasy, that has a lot of humor, but also a lot of wisdom!
Hi Ann, I am so excited about your new book and hope to get a signed copy from you! I am currently reading “From Sisun Onward” by Korean author Serang Chung. This novel is about a family’s journey to Hawaii on their grandmother’s 10th year death anniversary as a way to honor their grandmother and learn about her past, who had an extraordinary life as an artist and celebrity. I am reading the Traditional Chinese translation of this book. I don’t think an English translation is available (yet). However, I did find this in-depth analysis of the book: http://skt.skku.edu/news/articleView.html?idxno=1377
Thank you for your wonderful work and your workshop which opened my eyes about my own preconceived beliefs and gave me confidence about of my own perspectives of the world when reading a book or article.
Dear Ann Morgan, Congratulations with your book. I would certainly like to read it if an e-book is available. Wouldn’t all your fans worldwide immediately order the e-book? I will wait and see. Good luck to you and best wishes, Angela from The Netherlands
Verzonden vanuit Outlook voor iOShttps://aka.ms/o0ukef ________________________________
Thank you Angela. An ebook is available, although I’m not sure about its availability outside the UK…
I’d recommend a book called Truck De India which takes the readers on a journey of India from the perspective of truck drivers.
For me it has to be Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. The tale of a father and his son and their journey through a post-apocalyptic world.
I’d recommend any of Tim Moore’s books as they all feature journeys of some sort, are funny and very interesting. My particular favourites of his are ‘French Revolutions’ and ‘Vuelta Skelter’.
Your novel sounds really interesting too – I added it to my ‘to read’ list when I got the e-mail from Renard Press.
Best of luck and succes with your new novel, Ann.
I just bought it in Kindle edition and can’t wait to start reading it, especially in view of the fact that off late I have been reading a lot about fugitives and migrants crossing over to Europe.
What a lovely message. Thanks Johan. Happy reading!