George Grey has been abroad for forty years. He returns home nursing a vision of an England that has vanished in his absence. His native country appears to him a cold, hostile, almost friendless wasteland and his homecoming from a warm, comfortable life in Africa is a nightmare. George can neither make head nor tail of his daughter, the last remnant of his family, nor she of him. He is immediately restless in his retirement and at once plans to escape -- not for the first time in his life -- in his own boat to sea. Once ...
Read More
George Grey has been abroad for forty years. He returns home nursing a vision of an England that has vanished in his absence. His native country appears to him a cold, hostile, almost friendless wasteland and his homecoming from a warm, comfortable life in Africa is a nightmare. George can neither make head nor tail of his daughter, the last remnant of his family, nor she of him. He is immediately restless in his retirement and at once plans to escape -- not for the first time in his life -- in his own boat to sea. Once aboard his boat, his ark, George conjures up his earlier life -- and the characters and events of the past become subtly, intricately interwoven with the demons and uncertainties of the present. In the crowded theater of his tossing cockpit the crucial scenes of his life are played out: his childhood with unloving and unlovable parents; his wartime courtship and hasty marriage to a social butterfly; his glory days in the navy; his cozy life in West Africa where he passively shares a mistress with the Minister of Communication; and the (inadvertent) crime which both shapes and haunts his existence. These confused daydreams emerge in steady counterpoint to his growing command of his boat and love of the sea. With narrative force as strong and unpredictable as the waves of the sea, and in language as beguiling as the winds that carry George's ark, "Foreign Land" is at once comic and profoundly touching. It is a haunting novel that brilliantly explores not only the inevitable solitude of returning home, but the possibility of discovering the freedom of the sea and escaping the banality of the shore.
Read Less
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. All orders are dispatched within 1 working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we are dedicated to recycling unwanted books on behalf of a number of UK charities who benefit from added revenue through the sale of their books plus huge savings in waste disposal. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fine. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 352 p. Vintage Departures. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair in fair dust jacket. Outline: -This ex-library book is in reasonable condition does have the usual stamps and may have minor issues such as dog-eared corners and possibly creases >> From Jonathan Raban the award--winning author of Bad Land and Passage to Juneau comes this quirky and insightful story of what can happen when one can and does go home again. For the past thirty years George Grey has been a ship bunker in the fictional west African nation of Montedor but now he`s returning home to England-to a daughter who`s a famous author he barely knows to a peculiar new friend who back in the sixties was one of England`s more famous singers and to the long and empty days of retirement during which he`s easy prey to the melancholy of memories all the more acute since the woman he loves is still back in Africa. Witty charming and masterly crafted Foreign Land is an exquisitely moving tale of awkward relationships and quiet redemption. -> the publisher of this HARDBACK book is HarperCollins The date of this copy is 1985 booksalvation have grade it as Acceptable and it will be shipped from our UK warehouse This book is from the Series. Shipping is Free for UK buyers and at a reasonable charge for buyer outside the UK.
