Paul Murray

From the author of the beloved bestseller The Bee Sting, a 10th anniversary reissue of his brilliant second novel--"laugh-out-loud funny . . . A sharply intelligent satire" (The New York Times Book Review). Meet Claude: an investment bank drone longing for something more meaningful. Marooned in soggy Dublin, he yearns for art, philosophy, and a steady girlfriend. You could call him a modern-day everyman--or just another lonely banker. Now meet Paul: struggling novelist, strip club enthusiast, pioneer of not-entirely-legal Internet start-ups. He is willing to stoop to any level in pursuit of the riches he knows he deserves. You could call him a troubled genius--or a shameless crook. Both men have something missing in their lives. They might just be able to help each other out of a big hole. Or their friendship might be the most disastrous thing to hit Dublin since the banking crisis. As Paul's get-rich-quick schemes blow up in his face and the global economy falters, will Claude be able to save the day, get the girl, and finally become the hero of his own story? Probably the funniest novel ever written about the recent financial crisis, The Mark and the Void is a stirring examination of the deceptions carried out in the names of art and commerce.

The new fifth edition of Bradt's Zimbabwe remains the only detailed, standalone guide from a major publisher to cover one of the premier safari and cultural destinations in southern Africa. Best known for the Victoria Falls, which leaves visitors awed by the world's largest curtain of falling water, Zimbabwe offers manifold other experiences for the intrepid traveller - from evocative wildlife to fascinating arts, jaw-dropping landscapes to astonishing World Heritage Sites. Soak up the laid-back atmosphere of the capital, Harare, with its bustling arts scene and trendy restaurants, or head to the mighty Zambezi River for fast-flowing adventure. Visit national parks that offer a variety of wildlife encounters: enjoy canoe-based game-viewing at Mana Pools (where African wild dog is a highlight) or remote camping beside rare nyala antelope in the wilderness of Gonarezhou. Capitalise on the exciting revival of Matusadona, which boasts one of Africa's highest densities of leopard, or combine watching white and black rhinos with admiring the world's greatest concentration of ancient hunter-gatherer rock art, at Matobo Hills. History buffs will marvel at Zimbabwe's plethora of historical and cultural sites, most famously the World Heritage-listed, stone-built, ancient cities of Great Zimbabwe and Khami, the latter once controlling a lucrative international trading empire. Birdwatchers, meanwhile, will delight in a trove of avian encounters, notably in Bunga's lush forests, one of Zimbabwe's best-kept secrets. With increased business confidence in Zimbabwe, scores of new hotels and lodges have opened, the country's national parks have been rejuvenated, its two main airports upgraded and major roads improved. Accommodation options comprise everything from luxury safari camps to budget stays for travellers who arrive overland, plus suggested pit stops to break up journeys. Written by a former resident of Zimbabwe, thoroughly updated by two seasoned adventurers, and with a foreword by explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Bradt's Zimbabwe remains an ideal companion for everyone from wildlife enthusiasts to adventure seekers and hikers, whether travelling independently or on an organised tour. New for this edition are a 64-page, full-colour wildlife guide, plus expanded coverage of Zambezi National Park, Matobo Hills and the surroundings of Harare and Bulawayo.

THE MULTI AWARD-WINNING NOVEL FROM ONE OF OUR GREATEST LIVING COMEDIC WRITERS'A tragicomic triumph. You won't read a sadder, truer, funnier novel this year' Guardian____________The Barnes family are in trouble.Until recently they ran the biggest business in town, now they’re teetering on the brink of bankruptcy – and that’s just the start of their problems. Dickie and Imelda’s marriage is hanging by a thread; straight-A student Cass is careening off the rails; PJ is hopelessly in debt to the school bully.Meanwhile the ghosts of old mistakes are rising out of the past to meet them, but everyone’s too wrapped up in the present to see the danger looming . . .____________'Generous, immersive, sharp-witted and devastating; the sort of novel that becomes a friend for life' Financial Times‘Paul Murray [is] the undisputed reigning champion of epic Irish tragicomedy’ Spectator‘An instant classic’ Washington Post‘[An] astute, remorselessly funny novel’ Daily Mirror‘A wagyu steak of a novel . . . A classic in the mode of The Corrections’ The Times____________WINNER OF THE NERO BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION 2023WINNER OF THE SKY ARTS AWARD FOR LITERATURE 2024WINNER OF AN POST IRISH BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2023

When St. Dominic founded the Order of Preachers in the thirteenth century, it was to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. Today, given the ever-widening gap between Christian tradition and secular culture, this task remains as relevant as ever--not only for the Dominicans but for every baptized Christian. Who will have the courage to go out into this gap and witness to the power of God's love? In Preachers at Prayer: Soundings in the Dominican Spiritual Tradition, priest and scholar Paul Murray presents four talks on the subjects of prayer, study, and preaching, highlighting the deep interconnectedness of all three aspects in the life of the preacher. Drawing on the timeless wisdom of the masters of the Dominican tradition, he demonstrates how conversion begins first in the soul of the evangelist, spreading outward from a heart on fire.

One of The New York Times Top 10 Books of the YearWinner of the An Post Irish Book of the Year, the Nero Gold Prize, and the Nero Book Award for FictionShortlisted for the Booker Prize and the Writers' Prize for FictionFinalist for the Kirkus Prize for Fiction One of The New Yorker's Essential ReadsOne of The Washington Post's 10 Best Books of the YearOne of TIME's 10 Best Fiction Books of the Year A Dua Lipa x Service95 Book Club Pick From the author of Skippy Dies comes Paul Murray's The Bee Sting, an irresistibly funny, wise, and thought-provoking tour de force about family, fortune, and the struggle to be a good person when the world is falling apart. The Barnes family is in trouble. Dickie's once-lucrative car business is going under--but Dickie is spending his days in the woods, building an apocalypse-proof bunker with a renegade handyman. His wife, Imelda, is selling off her jewelry on eBay and half-heartedly dodging the attention of fast-talking cattle farmer Big Mike, while their teenage daughter, Cass, formerly top of her class, seems determined to binge drink her way through her final exams. As for twelve-year-old PJ, he's on the brink of running away. If you wanted to change this story, how far back would you have to go? To the infamous bee sting that ruined Imelda's wedding day? To the car crash one year before Cass was born? All the way back to Dickie at ten years old, standing in the summer garden with his father, learning how to be a real man? The Bee Sting, Paul Murray's exuberantly entertaining new novel, is a tour de force: a portrait of postcrash Ireland, a tragicomic family saga, and a dazzling story about the struggle to be good at the end of the world.

'A tragicomic triumph. You won't read a sadder, truer, funnier novel this year' Guardian 'It's a thing of beauty, a novel that will fill your heart' Observer Irresistibly funny, wise and thought-provoking, The Bee Sting is a tour de force about family, fortune, and the struggle to be a good person when the world is falling apart . . . The Barnes family is in trouble. Dickie's once-lucrative car business is going under - but rather than face the music, he's spending his days in the woods, building an apocalypse-proof bunker with a renegade handyman. His wife Imelda is selling off her jewellery on eBay while their teenage daughter Cass, formerly top of her class, seems determined to binge-drink her way to her final exams. And twelve-year-old PJ is putting the final touches to his grand plan to run away from home. Where did it all go wrong? A patch of ice on the tarmac, a casual favour to a charming stranger, a bee caught beneath a bridal veil - can a single moment of bad luck change the direction of a life? And if the story has already been written - is there still time to find a happy ending?

These quiet, surprising, amazing poems deliver to the reader fresh contact with wisdom for life––lessons we should have known had we paused a little more and looked, things we may have known and lost track of, insights we perhaps sense and now can finally grasp with these words of Moling––of Paul Murray––sharing with us his thoughts, his prayers, his stories of struggle and grace. These poems are “the hidden lost language of the soul” revealed. Jeremy Driscoll, O.S.B. Abbot of Mount Angel Abbey Paul Murray’s poetry is always a miracle of compression and economy without ever seeming sparse or austere. These luminous meditative pieces have the richness that comes from an intent focus on the everyday and the material as carrying immeasurable grace. Rowan Williams, Former Archbishop of Canterbury The present work contains poems and meditations voiced by Paul Murray for Moling, an Irish monk and poet of the 7th century. In the Irish tradition, Moling is the figure who most resembles St Francis of Assisi. He is a man, a saint, whose presence resists linear history, who yet walks toward us in wonder and myth. In Moling in Meditation, the poems, though quiet in their form and expression, represent nevertheless a fresh and, at times, bold exploration of states of soul and psyche which, in almost every age, accompany the spiritual journey.

Nowhere in the Bible does God promise an instant fix. Our culture is so insistent on immediate results. We want fast food, quick service, and instant pudding. We hate waiting in line for anything. If our smartphone is 4G, we must have 5G. Everything must be quicker and faster.It's not that God can't, won't, or never does an instant fix. "Lazarus, come forth" was an instant fix. Lazarus got up and walked out of the tomb. "Tabatha, arise," and the little girl got up off her deathbed. That was an instant fix. "Be still," and the winds and the waves instantly became calm. That's 5G speed But instant fix is not the norm in the Christian life. Instant healings are not typical, and it has nothing to do with a lack of faith. A jackpot lotto winning is seldom an excellent financial solution to your problems, and justice is rarely immediate nor swift. That is just the way things are in a broken world.The same was true for Israel. It took seven long, grueling years to conquer Canaan. Later in the book, we will see why it took so long. The norm for gaining victory over sin and becoming mature in our faith usually takes a lifetime. As someone once said, "We are all men under construction." As long as we are still above ground, God is still working on us.Israel has now conquered the promised land. There are no more threats from the various Canaanite tribes, and there is peace across the land. Finally, after generations of waiting upon God to receive the promised inheritance, the spoils of the land are about to be divided among the tribes of Judah. But with each inheritance there comes some serious responsibility. Each individual tribe was to finish the job of removing the enemy for the land they inherited.The mandate was not "live and let live" or "indenture the indigenous" or "settle for coexistence." The remnant of enemy left in the land was to be completely driven out. To fail to do that would threaten Israel's very existence in the promised land.Were they willing to finish the job? The obstacles loomed large, but God had proven His ability to move mountains. Starting strong does not win any race. The race is won when you cross the finish line. Read on and learn how to finish the race. The Fruit of Righteousness (Joshua 12-14) is the third and final part of the three-part series Pagans, Prostitutes and Other Problems: A Simple Man's Commentary on Joshua.

Everyone understands collateral damage. It is the unintended damage incurred by innocent bystanders who are too close to the target area. Collateral damage is a natural consequence of physical warfare. Collateral grace is a spiritual consequence of spiritual warfare. Collateral grace is the intended impact of the grace of God on those closest to the one whom God bestows His grace. Far too many of us are completely unaware of the impact God is intending to bestow on others through the blessings He gives every one of us on a regular basis.This is a collection or real stories about real people who were caught up in real events that are recorded in both the Old and New Testaments. These people are mentioned in the Bible, but rarely by name. The historical events they are caught up in are very real. However, we have fictionalized how, realistically, the grace of God might have impacted them as a consequence of their proximity to what God was doing in the lives of someone close to them.You will be fascinated and amazed. It will open your eyes to the intended consequences on others of the impact of the grace of God in your own life.Climb into the scene and walk next to them, it will change how you read your Bible.

Catherine of Siena is one of the most intriguing and explosive saints in Church history. A young laywoman with almost no education, she became renowned for her intense mystical experiences, inspired preaching, and scathing criticism of corrupt political and ecclesial authorities. She is even recognized today as a Doctor of the Church--the only layperson to ever receive the title--yet comes across to us more as an apostle than an intellectual. Her work is like Aquinas' Summa set on fire. But for all the fascination with Catherine, the distinguishing feature of her life has received surprisingly little attention: her preoccupation with freedom. Catherine had a keen sense of the "unspeakably crazy" love of God and the liberating power of his mercy. But she also knew the terrible bondage of sin--and the necessity of facing our own inner darkness if we are to overcome it. She had a passion for leading those enslaved by fear and oppression to self-knowledge in God--and ultimately, to true freedom. It is this "fire" that inflames almost every page she writes. In this profound book, the Irish Dominican poet and writer Fr. Paul Murray draws us into the fire of this great mystic's love for God and humanity, reading her life and teaching not only in light of Dominican spirituality, but also the writings of Renaissance philosopher Giovanni Pico della Mirandola and the modern psychologist Carl Jung. What results is a portrait of a preacher of freedom who speaks to us, even today, with compelling authority.

The new, fourth edition of Bradt's Zimbabwe remains the most authoritative guide available to one of southern Africa's premier wildlife and cultural destinations. Zimbabwe-based author, tour guide and archaeologist Paul Hubbard picks up the mantle of this new edition, ensuring that it remains bang up to date and an ideal companion for everyone from wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers to adventure seekers and hikers. All the most recent developments in the rejuvenation of Zimbabwe's national parks are covered, with in-depth information on facilities, advice on itinerary planning as well as how to select a safari. Also included is a range of clear, comprehensive maps that is unique to this guide, with many not being featured in other publications. With increased business confidence in Zimbabwe, scores of new hotels and guest lodges have opened countrywide. Comprehensive and detailed accommodation listings cover everything from luxury safari camps to budget stays for younger travellers who arrive overland, heading for the fast flowing waters of the Zambezi gorge, plus details of en-route accommodation not found in other guides. Recent years have brought significant change to Zimbabwe, notably with the fall of Robert Mugabe, resulting in increased investment and development in the tourism sector. Bradt's Zimbabwe is an invaluable aid for independent travellers as well as those on an organised tour. Many activities and off-the-beaten-track attractions countrywide are featured, plus historical and cultural sights such as the World Heritage-listed stone-built cities of Great Zimbabwe and Khami. Iconic Victoria Falls is also covered, and the mighty Zambezi River - perfect for adventure holidays - and the country's impressive range of birdlife which continues to draw enthusiasts year-round.

John's gospel is unique. What makes it unique is the author, John, and the perspective he brings to the person and character of Jesus. John was Jesus's closest friend. You might say his best friend Peter, James, and John were part of an inner circle that Jesus included exclusively. Only these three were allowed into the room when Jesus raised the synagogue officials daughter from the dead. Only these three were invited onto the mountain to witness his transfiguration experience. It was John that leaned on Jesus's breast at the Last Supper and was told who the betrayer was. And in Jesus's moment of deepest distress in the garden before his death, only these three were invited deep into the garden to pray with Jesus.But more than all that, John was the first disciple to be chosen and the only one at the very end. Only John was at the foot of the cross comforting Jesus's mother while the rest hid in fear. And it was because of John's unique relationship with Jesus that Jesus committed the care of his mother to him.John writes long after the other gospel letters had been distributed among the churches. John describes seven miracles, five unique to his gospel. John includes seven I am statements and is the only writer that uses the phrase Truly, truly to underscore the extreme importance of these statements.John writes not as a follower, and not just as an eyewitness, but as Jesus's best friend. And John writes for one single, specific purpose: That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31). To miss this is to miss the very reason for your existence on this planet

A madcap novel of institutional folly, following the success of Paul Murray's wildly original breakout hit, Skippy DiesMeet Claude: an investment bank drone longing for something more meaningful. Marooned in soggy Dublin, he yearns for art, philosophy, and a steady girlfriend. You could call him a modern-day everyman--or just another lonely banker. Now meet Paul: struggling novelist, strip club enthusiast, pioneer of not-entirely-legal Internet start-ups. He is willing to stoop to any level in pursuit of the riches he knows he deserves. You could call him a troubled genius--or a shameless crook. Both men have something missing in their lives. They might just be able to help each other out of a big hole. Or their friendship might be the most disastrous thing to hit Dublin since the banking crisis. As Paul's get-rich-quick schemes blow up in his face and the global economy falters, will Claude be able to save the day, get the girl, and finally become the hero of his own story? Probably the funniest novel ever written about the recent financial crisis, The Mark and the Void is a stirring examination of the deceptions carried out in the names of art and commerce.

I Loved Jesus in the Night is one priest's compelling account of meeting with the Saint of Calcutta. Sharing anecdotes and first-hand experiences, Paul Murray offers a glimpse into why Mother Teresa could declare, in one of her letters, that if ever she were to "become a saint," she would surely be one of "darkness." This very personal yet powerful book is an attempt to come to terms with the dark night experiences endured by Mother Teresa in the light of the Gospel and the mystical teachings of St. John of the Cross. And something else as well--revelations of Mother Teresa's sense of humor "This book is easy to read and gives insights into the spiritual life and relationship with Jesus that drove this carrier of God's love to serve the poorest of the poor." --Catholic Missourian

As well as providing a much needed perspective on Hearn's Japan years, this study offers a much more informed view of Hearn's life, times and writings than seen before.