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Gould's Book Of Fish

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( 5,803 ratings, 702 reviews)
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Gould's Book of Fish by Richard Flanagan is a captivating tale set in 19th-century Tasmania, exploring the life of William Buelow Gould, a convict turned artist. Through his beautifully illustrated and surreal manuscript of fish, the novel weaves a rich narrative of imprisonment, art, and the struggle for identity against a backdrop of colonial oppression. It's a blend of historical fiction and magical realism, highlighted by themes of creativity and survival.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy novels that blend history and imagination, presenting a surreal story set in a 19th-century Australian penal colony. Its vivid prose and complex narrative structure explore themes of identity, transformation, and the power of art, making it a fascinating read for those who appreciate richly detailed and unconventional storytelling.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

'A work of pure brilliance', Seattle Times

From the winner of the Man Booker Prize 2014, this is his Commonwealth Writers' Prize-winning novel.

Once upon a time, which was called 1828, before all fishes in the sea and all living things on the land were destroyed, there was a man named William Buelow Gould. A white convict who fell in love with a black woman, he discovered too late that to love is not safe. Silly Billy Gould, invader of Australia, liar, murderer and forger, was condemned to the most feared penal colony in the British Empire, and there he was ordered to paint a book of fish.

Once upon a time, there were miracles...

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781761048135

Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 12 April 2023

Country: Australia

Imprint: Penguin Random House Australia

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 33.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 327g

Pages: 480

About the Author

Richard Flanagan has been described by the Washington Post as 'one of our greatest living novelists' and as 'among the most versatile writers in the English language' by the New York Review of Books. He won the Commonwealth Prize for Gould's Book of Fish and the Booker Prize for The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Question 7 was shortlisted for the Prix Femina etranger and the Prix du meilleur livre etranger as a novel, and won the 2024 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction. He is the first and only author to have ever won both the Booker and the Baillie Gifford prizes.

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