Book description
In the years since its first publication, in 1983, Waterland has
established itself as one of the classics of twentieth-century British
literature: a visionary tale of England's Fen country; a sinuous
meditation on the workings of history; and a family story startling in
its detail and universal in its reach. This edition includes an
introduction, by the author, written to celebrate the book's 25th
anniversary. 'Graham Swift has mapped his Waterland like a new Wessex.
He appropriates the Fens as Moby Dick did whaling or Wuthering Heights
the moors. This is a beautiful, serious and intelligent novel, admirably
ambitious and original' Observer 'Perfectly controlled, superbly
written. Waterland is original, compelling and narration of the highest
order' Guardian 'A 300-page tour de force . . . A burst of exuberant
fictive energy' Evening Standard 'Waterland is a formidably intelligent
book, animated by an impressive, angry pity at what human creatures are
capable of doing to one another in the name of love and need. The most
powerful novel I have read for some time' New York Review of Books
Graham Swift was born in 1949 and is the author of eight acclaimed
novels and a collection of short stories; his most recent work is Making
an Elephant, a book of essays, portraits, poetry and reflections on his
life in writing. With Waterland he won the Guardian Fiction Prize
(1983), and with Last Orders the Booker Prize (1996). Both novels have
since been made into films. Graham Swift's work has appeared in over
thirty languages.
