Patrick Gale

'A mesmerising storyteller' The Times 1950s Northern England. Three generations of men, two of women. And A PLACE CALLED WINTER's Harry Cane has returned from Canada.... When veteran Canadian wheat farmer, Harry Cane is brutally obliged to sell up and sail home to an England transformed by two world wars, his arrival triggers unwelcome self-examination for the family he abandoned, and for whom he has never been more than a distant myth. His daughter feels duty bound to take him in but is riven with doubt and ambushed by a long buried anger she has never before expressed. Harry's effect on the next generation is less predictable, and enables his granddaughter to deal with an unspeakable trauma, while her gentle husband feels seen for who he truly is. Can Harry stay and make a new life before it's too late, or will he find himself cast out again, punished for having witnessed and understood too much? From the rural plains of Canada to 1950s Liverpool and Yorkshire, LOVE LANE is a searing portrayal of escape and entrapment, and a powerful exploration of what home and family can really be. 'Quite simply, you believe every word he tells you' Independent on Sunday What readers say about Patrick Gale: 'The gift of Patrick Gale is to tell a story with such poise and grace of prose that you are wound deeply around every step of the unfolding tale' 'Gale is one of those skilled writers who makes you forget you're reading a book' 'Gale is a wonderful writer' 'A gifted storyteller'

'A mesmerising storyteller' The Times1950s Northern England. Three generations of men, two of women. And A PLACE CALLED WINTER's Harry Cane has returned from Canada....When veteran Canadian wheat farmer, Harry Cane is brutally obliged to sell up and sail home to an England transformed by two world wars, his arrival triggers unwelcome self-examination for the family he abandoned, and for whom he has never been more than a distant myth.His daughter feels duty bound to take him in but is riven with doubt and ambushed by a long buried anger she has never before expressed. Harry's effect on the next generation is less predictable, and enables his granddaughter to deal with an unspeakable trauma, while her gentle husband feels seen for who he truly is. Can Harry stay and make a new life before it's too late, or will he find himself cast out again, punished for having witnessed and understood too much?From the rural plains of Canada to 1950s Liverpool and Yorkshire, LOVE LANE is a searing portrayal of escape and entrapment, and a powerful exploration of what home and family can really be.'Quite simply, you believe every word he tells you' Independent on SundayWhat readers say about Patrick Gale:'The gift of Patrick Gale is to tell a story with such poise and grace of prose that you are wound deeply around every step of the unfolding tale' ? ? ? ? ?'Gale is one of those skilled writers who makes you forget you're reading a book' ? ? ? ? ?'Gale is a wonderful writer' ? ? ? ? ?'A gifted storyteller' ? ? ? ? ?

'Tender, evocative' TLS'Richly engaging' SpectatorA Radio 4 Serial Fiction Book of the Week 'A characteristically tender novel about a young man growing up in the shadow of one war and the whispers of the next' Observer'A wonderful novel about relationships, particularly between a mother and son. A compelling read, beautifully crafted and sensitively written' Irish Examiner_______Laura, a laundress, meets her young husband when they are both placed in service in Teignmouth in 1914. They have a baby, Charles, but his father returns home from the trenches a damaged man, already ill with the tuberculosis that will soon leave Laura a widow.As a new war looms, Charles signs up for the navy as a coder. His escape from the tight, gossipy confines of Launceston to a more colourful life in action sees him blossom, as he experiences the possibility of death, and the excitement - even terror - of a love that is as clandestine as his work._______'Stands with the best queer literary fiction of a historical bent, illuminated as it is by Gale's devilish wit and talent for both social observation and intricacies of character' Sydney Morning Herald 'A wonderful novel - a touching, utterly convincing portrait of the nascent artist' Mail on Sunday'A deeply moving novel. The portrait of a complex relationship that constricted as much as it sustained is brilliantly done' The Tablet

With nationalism and the far right on the rise across Europe and North America, there has never been a more important moment to face up to what we, in Britain, are doing to those who seek sanctuary. Still the UK detains people indefinitely under immigration rules. Bail hearings go unrecorded, people are picked up without notice, individuals feel abandoned in detention centres with no way of knowing when they will be released. In Refugee Tales III we read the stories of people who have been through this process, many of whom have yet to see their cases resolved and who live in fear that at any moment they might be detained again. Poets, novelists and writers have once again collaborated with people who have experienced detention, their tales appearing alongside first-hand accounts by people who themselves have been detained. What we hear in these stories are the realities of the hostile environment, the human costs of a system that disregards rights, that denies freedoms and suspends lives.

'Absolutely one of his best - a wonderful, wonderful read' Stephen Fry'Funny and heartfelt' SpectatorFrom the bestselling author of A PLACE CALLED WINTER comes a compassionate, compelling new novel of boyhood, coming of age, and the confusions of desire and reality. 'An incredibly beautiful story told with compassion. Nothing is wasted. Each sentence is beautifully crafted' Joanna Cannon1970s Weston-Super-Mare and ten-year-old oddball Eustace, an only child, has life transformed by his mother's quixotic decision to sign him up for cello lessons. Music-making brings release for a boy who is discovering he is an emotional volcano. He laps up lessons from his young teacher, not noticing how her brand of glamour is casting a damaging spell over his frustrated and controlling mother.When he is enrolled in holiday courses in the Scottish borders, lessons in love, rejection and humility are added to daily practice.Drawing in part on his own boyhood, Patrick Gale's new novel explores a collision between childish hero worship and extremely messy adult love lives.'It's delicious, it's dear, it's heart-breaking and very funny' Rachel Joyce'Suffused with the joy and wisdom of Gale's mid-life reconnection with music' Guardian'Gale is excellent on the hot, messy nature of self-discovery and sexual awakening' Daily Mail'Generously optimistic. It shows how our past shapes us, but suggests that we can make something from the emotional burdens that we bear' TelegraphWhat readers love about TAKE NOTHING WITH YOU:'This is a beautifully written novel, simple to read but so humane and warm' ? ? ? ? ?'As with all his books you feel you are reading about someone you know intimately such is his amazing characterisation. Read this book and feel totally fulfilled' ? ? ? ? ?'This is a warming tale of a younger and later an old man overcoming adversity through his innate goodness, humour and optimism' ? ? ? ? ?'Gale is a wonderful writer. His description of the Schubert string quintet rehearsals perfectly described the slow movement. I'd been searching for that music for a few years. This story is brilliant on so many fronts' ? ? ? ? ?'A very beautiful novel of love, friendship and the cello' ? ? ? ? ?

THREE DECADES OF STORIES is a unique collection in one volume of Patrick Gale's two editions of dark, moving, often witty and eccentric stories, GENTLEMAN'S RELISH and DANGEROUS PLEASURES. It also includes the acclaimed long story, CAESAR'S WIFE. Ranging from a lonely prisoner governor's wife, to a housewife desperate for a makeover; a father's trip to his former school to a long-term mistress offered an unexpected marriage, this is a volume that highlights Patrick Gale's skill of digging beneath the surface of relationships and exposing the often brutal mechanisms that drive them.What readers say about THREE DECADES OF STORIES:'While all of these have been released in other compilations it is great having them all in one place' ? ? ? ? ?'Nice to have them all in one volume and they are great stories to revisit' ? ? ? ? ?

Set in the late 1980s, Patrick Gale's early novel is a charming, funny story of love and life teetering towards the edge'Richly comic, affectionate and perceptive' Mail on SundayEight years ago, Robin fled from his family, friends, and entire life, to suffer a complete breakdown in an island monastery. Now he's returning to London and reconnecting with those he left behind: his mother and father, with their own small secrets, and Jake and Candida. But while the people he abandoned have missed him, Robin finds that everything has changed. He alone can decide what he will do in this new world of resentment, possibility and triumphant love.What readers say about LITTLE BITS OF BABY:'A book which has all its diverse elements entwined until the last few chapters when strong bonds both erupt and then combine to show the true nature of love' ? ? ? ? ?'I loved this book. Patrick Gale can do no wrong for me. He is rapidly becoming my new favourite writer' ? ? ? ? ?

A character filled, moving early Patrick Gale novel about people and the complexities of life and relationships 'A powerful and moving novel' Independent on SundayJudith shares her life with her partner Joanna on the lonely wilds of Bodmin Moor, far from the memories and trauma of her childhood. But when Judith's sister, Deborah, is tragically widowed, the women agree to meet.What is intended to be a harmonious reunion becomes an entanglement of resentment, jealousy and desire, as aspects and secrets of the past surface, forcing themselves into an uneasy present, with some surprising results.'Engrossing . . . Gale is a charmingly idiosyncratic writer who could not write a cliché if he tried' Daily TelegraphWhat readers have enjoyed about THE CAT SANCTUARY:'Loved this story, couldn't put it down. Great descriptions of Cornish scenery and fascinating characters' ? ? ? ? ?'I think this is one of the best of a brilliant bunch. I love every character in every book, I love their strengths and weaknesses, I love the balance and the reality of them. I love their stories and the way they interweave' ? ? ? ? ?

The second, character-filled 1980s novel of London and quirky English eccentrics from the bestselling author of A PLACE CALLED WINTER 'A huge treat' Daily MailDomina Tey is a playwright, celebrated by friends, her husband, and the public alike, yet she fears losing her vital edge. Her solution: to leave her beautiful home in Bristol and seek adventure in a squalid, crumbling West London bedsit, where she will live under an assumed name with only her typewriter for companionship. However, once installed, Domina just can't resist meddling in the business of others, forgetting that blurring fact with fiction can be a dangerous game...'Patrick Gale is among the great, unsung English novelists. Think Austen, Hardy, Murdoch. Remarkable' IndependentWhat readers have said about EASE:'I loved it and think it's the book of his I have most enjoyed. Beautifully crafted and interesting characters, with Patrick Gale's usual easy-to-read prose' ? ? ? ? ?'Early Patrick Gale, humour with consequences. Lovely book which can be read in one sitting on a winter's day in front of a roaring fire' ? ? ? ? ?

Patrick Gale's second novel KANSAS IN AUGUST is a witty, warm 1980s story of sexuality, musicals, bedsits and an abandoned child'Modern, excellent and sympathetic' Stephen FryHilary Metcalfe is obsessed with musicals, and abandoned on his birthday by his lover Rufus on his birthday, he gets drunk, discovers a baby and brings it home to his flat above a corner shop to provide comfort and company. Rufus, meanwhile, allows himself to be seduced by a frivolous young woman, who is romancing under a pseudonym to escape the reality of her own loneliness. In this witty, bawdy slice of sex and lies, the trio will find themselves drawn together ever more tightly by the lures of hedonism, self-delusion and the inescapable desire to be needed.What readers admired about KANSAS IN AUGUST:'He has a great gift of involving his readers with his characters. You care about them' ? ? ? ? ?'As always with novels from Patrick Gale, this is beautifully written with characters you become involved with and care about' ? ? ? ? 'I love anything by Patrick Gale. His earlier books are worth reading' ? ? ? ?

Patrick Gale's early novel, FACING THE TANK is a witty, eccentric story of clergy, scandal and English eccentrics 'Made me laugh out loud' Sunday TimesAmerican Professor Evan Kirby, author of a successful book on Hell, moves to Barrowcester in the south England expecting to find the very epitome of a cathedral society of gentle clergymen and coffee mornings. What he encounters instead is a small city thrown into chaos by scandalous pregnancies, a Satanic summoning of a young feral girl and strange, supernatural events that threaten to rock the hitherto genteel, church going community.'Gale speedily unleashes his merrily black mischief. The uncovering of the sadness behind the doilies and twinsets is in the best tradition of black humour' ObserverWhat readers have loved about FACING THE TANK:'A brilliantly observed story, dark, humorous, sometimes subtly, sometimes uproarious' ? ? ? ? ?'It takes as the main theme a black comedy of religious experience and small town life, and applies several hard twists to the plot. Like Trollope's Barchester, but with drugs, AIDS and miracles' ? ? ? ? ?

THE AERODYNAMICS OF PORK - an irresistible story of love, sexuality, music and comedy - is the first novel from the bestselling author of A PLACE CALLED WINTER and NOTES FROM AN EXHIBITION, first published in 1986'A master storyteller' Independent on Sunday'Gale's concoction is irresistible: modern relationships with period charm' Armistead MaupinSeth, a musical prodigy on the eve of his sixteenth birthday, is obsessed with sex and with the men he might meet, as well as with his strange family - his arch mother, his beautiful sister, and his damaged, distant father. Mo, a policewoman struggling with moral dilemmas and her sexuality in the corrupt and bigoted police force of the 1980s, wants only to find romance. In this haunting tale of self discovery and hidden identities, Mo and Seth will connect to face unexpected truths about themselves, and those they have chosen to love.What readers loved about Patrick Gale's early novel:'As with all of Patrick Gale books I love this one. For his first novel it's a little gem' ? ? ? ? ?'I read this when it first came out, and as a young gay man it was also when I first came out. It seemed touching and sweet and impossibly romantic and I desperately wanted to live in its world. Years pass and I'm a bit old and grizzled. It's a period piece now (how young, how naive we all once were) but it remains its lovely self with its sweet humanism at its heart' ? ? ? ?

A rich, compelling and beautiful story of a marriage and the secrets a family holds...'Sparkling with emotional intelligence. A gripping portrait of a marriage and the quiet, devastating fall-out of family life' Independent'A real craftsman, a master storyteller. Quite simply, you believe every word he tells you' Independent on Sunday Julian is a contented if naïve only child, and a holiday on the coast of North Cornwall should be perfect, especially when distant American cousins join the party. But their arrival brings upheaval and unexpected turmoil.It is only as a seemingly well-adjusted adult that Julian is able to reflect on the realities of his parents' marriage, and to recognise that the happy, cheerful boyhood he thought was his is infused with secrets, loss and the memory of betrayals that have shaped his life.'His clear, unforced prose sucks one in effortlessly' Daily MailWhat readers say about ROUGH MUSIC:'I'm always impressed by his perceptive powers of observation, of his psychological insight and of his assured handling of his material' ? ? ? ? ?'He takes apart a family teetering on the brink of not really knowing each other, or of being in denial of what they know, and analyses their actions and deeds in an almost forensic detail. A really great book' ? ? ? ? ?'The emotional perspective is something Patrick Gale not only understands but relishes in his writing. His characterisations are superb' ? ? ? ? ?

A richly compelling story of adolescence, sexuality and the lessons we carry forever...'An intense tale of love, life, intellectualism and passion. Inspirational' Daily Express'Utterly compelling from first to last' Stephen FrySophie, an orphan in love with learning, is sure she will thrive in Tatham's, an esteemed boarding school, having survived years of institutional living. But she soon finds herself lost among its cliques and rituals. Befriending two teenage boys, she experiences the first ache of futile love; then a teacher's inappropriate attention to one of the trio threatens to destroy them all. Sophie swiftly realizes that there are tougher lessons to absorb outside the schoolroom - of class, sex, families and the emotional disaster they can bring to even the most privileged lives.Insightful and full of understanding and warmth, Patrick Gale's FRIENDLY FIRE is a hugely compassionate novel of coming of age and young love.What readers say about FRIENDLY FIRE:'As ever, touching on important issues whilst maintaining a great sense of humour, Patrick Gale tells this story with sensitivity and warmth. I would recommend it to anybody' ? ? ? ? ?'I bought all of his other books after reading this, and am hooked on this author' ? ? ? ? ?'There so much packed into this book, Snobbery, the easy easy cruelty of the young, and an ultimate shock. I won't give away the details but it's another blockbuster from Patrick Gale. I loved it' ? ? ? ? ?

Bittersweet and startling, A SWEET OBSCURITY is a multi-stranded novel of childhood, coming of age and the heartbreaking consequences of family life in disarray... 'Intriguing and impressive. A memorable study of a child forced cruelly, even tragically, to grow up too soon' Sunday TimesSince her mother's death, nine-year-old Dido has been living with her eccentric aunt, acting as peacekeeper between Eliza, her estranged husband Giles and his girlfriend. They are each cruelly burdened in different ways. Chance draws them down to Cornwall, where a country idyll offers to lighten their urban cares. Then Eliza falls in love with local farmer, Pearce, an event that causes the four adults to re-assess their lives, with some painful and unforeseen consequences for adults and child alike...'Gale's talent is undeniable' GuardianWhat readers loved about A SWEET OBSCURITY:'Patrick Gale writes fiction which totally absorbs the reader by creating characters that you feel you know. The richness of his writing and the depth of his storylines make each book compulsive reading' ? ? ? ? ?'Something, anything, by Patrick Gale would definitely be on my Desert Island Books list, but A Sweet Obscurity is the one I go back to most often' ? ? ? ? ?

From the bestselling author Patrick Gale, comes an early novel of love, lies and the secrets we live with 'A very funny, often sad, novel writ with style' Time Out'Excellent' The TimesLawrence Frost has neither father nor siblings, and fits awkwardly into life, happier communing with nature than with people. When he wakes up one morning to discover his wife and child have gone missing, there is evidence to suggest he may be the main suspect in a murder investigation. Confused and threatened with the loss of everything he loves, Lawrence is sent to the Caribbean on a kill-or-cure cruise. On board and ashore, he discovers love, deceit, the truth about his missing family, and the blessings that come with surrendering to destiny.Tree Surgery for Beginners is a vivid and engaging portrait of a man at odds with himself.What readers say about Tree Surgery for Beginners: 'His characters are so skilfully painted and human. You need to know what happens to them. This book approaches the human conditions of love, loss and redemption with sympathy, empathy and humour' ? ? ? ? ?'As with all Patrick Gale's books there is tremendous characterisation, the reader almost feels that they are reading about people that they know, that they are involved in the events unfolding in the story' ? ? ? ? ?

Patrick Gale's THE FACTS OF LIFE is a mesmerising, epic yet intimate novel of love, music and the life events that stay with us forever 'Absorbing . . . deftly characterised, deeply involving and relevant' The TimesGerman composer Edward Pepper escapes to England just before the second world war begins in earnest. Struck with TB, he is recuperating in hospital when he meets Sally, a young doctor who has battled her way through medical school, despite the opposition of her parents. They fall in love and marry, settling in the fenlands of East Anglia. Years later, Edward watches as his grandchildren trip up against life - and death - and realises that patterns can repeat themselves, bringing both pain and unexpected discovery.'Impossible to put down' Daily TelegraphWhat readers loved about THE FACTS OF LIFE:'Gale is a master of his craft. Yet again I was swept along by the characters - I think this is one of his best books' ? ? ? ? ?'What a brilliant story teller Patrick Gale is. Excellent plot and so easy to read with a vocabulary which was quite magical and flowed like honey' ? ? ? ? ?

From the bestselling author of A PLACE CALLED WINTER, Patrick Gale's THE WHOLE DAY THROUGH is the beautiful structured story of the choices we make when we come face to face with our past.One summer's day, two lovers meet again...'Wry, clever, faultlessly crafted' Guardian'Poignant and acutely observed' Daily ExpressLaura Lewis has left her life in Paris and returned home to Winchester to care for her aging, but still sharp mother. Ben has moved away from his beautiful and loyal wife to support his brother, living alone since their mother's death. A chance encounter reminds them both of the relationship - and the spark - they once shared.In the course of a single summer's day, they come face to face with the feelings of love and regret they share, and the choices they must make; whether to be true to themselves, or to what they believe is the right thing to do.What readers love about THE WHOLE DAY THROUGH:'I found myself walking every footstep with the characters, and knowing just where they were going and what he was seeing. The characterisation was, as always with Patrick Gale, so strong and believable' ? ? ? ? ?'As always, Patrick Gale does not disappoint. An excellent read, brim full with characters the reader feels they know, and a storyline which totally engages' ? ? ? ? ?

One of Patrick Gale's best-loved novels, NOTES FROM AN EXHIBITION, set in Cornwall, is the exquisite story of artistic compulsion, marriage, and the secrets left behind'Poised and pitch-perfect throughout' Mail on Sunday'This book is complete perfection' Stephen FryCelebrated artist Rachel Kelly dies alone in her Penzance studio, after decades of struggling with the creative highs and devastating lows that have coloured her life. Her family gathers, each of them searching for answers. They reflect on lives shaped by the enigmatic Rachel - as artist, wife and mother - and on the ambiguous legacies she leaves them, of talent, torment and transcendent love.'An uplifting, immensely empathetic novel' GuardianWhat readers love about NOTES FROM AN EXHIBITION:' A shifting, multi-layered, beautifully textured portrait of not-quite ordinary family life' ? ? ? ? ?'The word that shimmers with me is empathy. Gale has such a sensitive understanding of how minds and hearts work and react on one another amid the chaos and sometimes intense joys of real living' ? ? ? ? ?'I loved the exhibition-style notes at the beginning of each chapter, which heralded a hint of the chapter's contents. Beautifully woven back and forth in time to reveal the complexities of fascinating family members and their relationships' ? ? ? ? ?