160,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ 

Happy Halloween! Join us this weekend for some spooky fun and sweet treats! πŸŽƒ

Life Before Man

By Margaret Atwood
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.38 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 8,265 ratings, 625 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Life Before Man by Margaret Atwood is a compelling exploration of the intertwined lives of three main characters navigating the complexities of love, ambition, and loss. Set in Toronto, it delves into the emotional struggles and relationships of Elizabeth, her husband Nate, and his lover Lesje. The novel examines how their interactions reflect on personal growth and survival in the face of emotional upheaval.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2400
Elsewhere:
$2600
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

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?

You might enjoy this book if you are drawn to deeply introspective and character-driven narratives that explore the complexities of human relationships. The intricate intertwining of personal struggles and existential themes provides a rich, thought-provoking experience for readers who appreciate psychological depth and emotional nuance.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Life Before Man is a tragicomic tale of love seeking to find its way in the wake of death from the bestselling author of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments

Elizabeth has just lost her latest lover to suicide while Nate, her husband, is working up to run off with Lesje.

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

From the international bestselling author of The Handmaid's Tale, Life Before Man is a tragicomic tale of love seeking to find its way in the wake of death.

Life Before Man follows Elizabeth, who has just lost her latest lover to suicide, while Nate, her husband, is working up to run off with Lesje. Meanwhile, Lesje would rather be studying dinosaurs than be distracted by men.

As Elizabeth, Nate, and Lesje find themselves imprisoned by walls of their own construction, the ghost of Elizabeth's dead lover hangs over them. Under his shadow, and in the spell of love, their lives will collide and entangle towards a single tragicomic climax.

'Tender, funny, absorbing, idiosyncratic, truthful, heartening... A liberating novel' - Literary Review

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Life Before Man by Margaret Atwood is praised for its sharp wit and perceptive insights into human relationships and emotions. Critics note Atwood's masterful narrative style, blending realism with imaginative elements that explore the complexities of personality and love. The novel is recognized for its vivid and eloquent prose, making it both a compelling and liberating read, deserving of wide recognition.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781784877644

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 23 February 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 234g

Pages: 336

Collections

Best Sellers at Book Hero Contemporary Romance Fiction General Fiction Gift Finder Gifts for adults Gifts under $100 Gifts under $30 Gifts under $50 In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Literary Fiction Literary fiction gifts Margaret Atwood New Release Fiction Penguin Books Romance Romance gifts

About the Author

Margaret Atwood is the author of more than fifty books of fiction, poetry and critical essays. Her novels include Cat's Eye, The Robber Bride, Alias Grace, The Blind Assassin and the MaddAddam trilogy. Her 1985 classic, The Handmaid's Tale, was followed in 2019 by a sequel, The Testaments, which was a global number one bestseller and shared the Booker Prize. Her most recent publications are the poetry collections Dearly and Paper Boat; Burning Questions, a selection of essays; and Old Babes in the Wood, a volume of short stories. Atwood is a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour, and has won numerous awards including the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Imagination in Service to Society, the Franz Kafka Prize, the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, the PEN USA Lifetime Achievement Award and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. She has also worked as a cartoonist, illustrator, librettist, playwright and puppeteer. She lives in Toronto, Canada.

Also by Margaret Atwood

View all
  • On Sale
    14% off
    The Handmaid's Tale
    The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is a gripping and thought-provoking dystopian novel that has left an indelible mark on contemporary literature. Set in the near-future Republic of Gilead, a theocratic and totalitarian society that has replaced the United States, the story explores themes of power, control, and female subjugation. At the centre of this harrowing world is Offred, a...
    By Margaret Atwood
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Testaments
    In this electrifying sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood answers the question that has tantalised readers for decades: What happened to Offred? THE NUMBER 1 BESTSELLER AND WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE In this electrifying sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood answers the question that has tantalised readers for decades: What happened to Offred? 'The Testaments is Atwood...
    By Margaret Atwood
    Paperback
    $2600
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Handmaid's Tale
    The bestselling dystopian classic that became a cultural phenomenon and inspired an award-winning TV series. THE SUNDAY TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLER Go back to where it all began with the dystopian novel behind the award-winning TV series. 'As relevant today as it was when Atwood wrote it.' Guardian I believe in the resistance as I believe there can be no...
    By Margaret Atwood
    Paperback
    $2000
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Year Of The Flood
    Immerse yourself in the intricately woven dystopian world of The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood, a masterful blend of speculative fiction and biting social commentary. Set in a not-so-distant future where environmental disaster and genetic engineering have wreaked havoc, the story unfolds through the lives of two unforgettable women: Ren and Toby. Adam One is the enigmatic leader...
    By Margaret Atwood
    Paperback
    $2799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Book of Lives
    The life and times of one of the most important writers of our time, from her peripatetic childhood in the Canadian far north, through the writing of The Handmaid's Tale, to her position today as a revered truth-teller and literary icon. How does the greatest writer of our time tell her own story? Immerse yourself in the creative universe of...
    By Margaret Atwood
    Hardback
    $5499
    Elsewhere:
    $7500
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • MaddAddam
    MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood, the illustrious author of The Handmaid's Tale and Alias Grace, is an astonishing conclusion to the speculative fiction series that began with Oryx and Crake and continued with The Year of the Flood. This gripping tale blends dark humour, adventure, and poignant humanity to create a thrilling and thought-provoking narrative. At the heart of MaddAddam is...
    By Margaret Atwood
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    Backorder
    Ships mid November
  • Oryx And Crake
    By the author of THE HANDMAID'S TALE and ALIAS GRACE Oryx and Crake is a deeply imaginative and darkly compelling novel that transports readers to a dystopian future where genetic engineering has reached unsettling heights. The story follows Snowman, once known as Jimmy, who now lives in isolation, draped in old bedsheets and dwelling in a desolate tree. His world...
    By Margaret Atwood
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Handmaid's Tale
    Compulsively readable Daily Telegraph The Sunday Times No. 1 Bestseller Discover the dystopian novel that started a phenomenon. Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She is placed in the household of The Commander, Fred Waterford - her assigned name, Offred, means 'of Fred'. She has only one function: to breed. If Offred refuses to enter into sexual...
    By Margaret Atwood
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2300
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Burning Questions
    An exhilarating collection of non-fiction from the bestselling, double Booker Prize-winning phenomenon that is Margaret Atwood. The Sunday Times bestselling collection of funny, endlessly curious, and uncannily prescient essays from cultural icon Margaret Atwood. In it, she seeks answers to Burning Questions such as: Why do people everywhere, in all cultures, tell stories? How can we live on our planet?...
    By Margaret Atwood
    Paperback
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Cat's Eye
    Margaret Atwood’s Cat’s Eye is a profound exploration of memory, art, and the complexities of growing up. The novel follows Elaine Risley, a renowned painter, who returns to her hometown of Toronto for a retrospective exhibit of her work. This trip back to her past stirs up harrowing memories of childhood experiences. Elaine is compelled to confront the lingering spectres...
    By Margaret Atwood
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • On Sale
    19% off
    The Heart Goes Last
    The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood is a gripping and cautionary tale set in a dystopian near-future where society is on the brink of collapse. Stan and Charmaine are a married couple struggling to survive in an economically devastated America. Forced to live out of their car, they grapple with precarious jobs and the constant threat from lawless gangs....
    By Margaret Atwood
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Alias Grace
    From the acclaimed author of The Handmaid's Tale comes Alias Grace, a captivating historical novel now adapted into a major Netflix series. Set in the 1840s, this gripping tale is inspired by the true story of Grace Marks, a young Irish immigrant and domestic servant in Upper Canada who was convicted of the brutal murders of her employer, Thomas Kinnear,...
    By Margaret Atwood
    Paperback
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from General Fiction

View all
  • On Sale
    17% off
    Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    Yesteryear
    A BOLD AND BITING SATIRE. WILL HAVE YOU GASPING TO THE FINAL PAGE β€” Nita Prose WICKEDLY FUNNY, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND FRIGHTENINGLY PERCEPTIVE β€” Abigail Dean INVENTIVE, ADDICTIVE, A WILD RIDE β€” Ashley Audrain SHOT THROUGH WITH HUMOUR AND LACED WITH DARKNESS β€” Clare Mackintosh The Stepford Wives meets The Handmaid's Tale β€” Hannah Deitch My name was Natalie Heller...
    By Caro Claire Burke
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $3699
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • On Sale
    14% off
    Dylan's Pick Dylan's Pick
    Theo of Golden
    THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON'For anything to be truly good, there must be love in it. Nothing is what it's supposed to be if love is not at the core.' One morning, a stranger arrives in the town of Golden. No one knows who he is or where he came from…His name is Theo and he's arrived there by chance –...
    By Allen Levi
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $3499
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • On Sale
    17% off
    The Wedding People
    'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people β€” but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...
    By Alison Espach
    Paperback
    $2000
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    A Court of Splintered Harmony
    Romance, danger, and intrigue await you in the breathtaking sixth book in the #1 bestselling Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series.What was broken will be remade.Deep in the heart of the continent, Koschei the Deathless is stirring. Though he's been bound to a mountain lake for millennia, the insidious threat of his return now spreads across the Fae territories,...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3699
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    Threshing Day
    The next book in the blockbuster Empyrean series, Threshing DayΒ contains thirteen stories starring your favorite characters and their dragons. The deluxe first edition includes sixteen beautiful original full-color illustrations by artist Joe Requeza.Β  Β  Rebecca Yarros is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over twenty novels, including Fourth Wing and In the...
    By Rebecca Yarros
    Hardback
    $6999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses Paperback Box Set (5 books)
    All five of the Court of Thorns and Roses paperbacks packaged together in a gorgeous box set. "Passionate, violent, sexy and daring." β€”USA TODAY on A Court of Thorns and Roses Feyre is a huntress. The skin of a wolf would bring enough gold to feed her sisters for a month. But the life of a magical creature comes at...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Set
    $9999
    Elsewhere:
    $12495
    (4)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Throne of Glass Box Set (Paperback)
    Enter the realm. Unleash the darkness. Live the legend. Discover the worldwide phenomenon of the #1 New York Times-bestselling Throne of Glass series in this gorgeous 8-book box set! In a land without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She has no love for the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass, but she has not...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Set
    $12400
    Elsewhere:
    $15500
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Assassin’s Apprentice
    Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb marks the beginning of an extraordinary adventure in the rich and immersive world of the Six Duchies. Set against the backdrop of a kingdom teetering on the brink of civil war, this gripping tale introduces readers to FitzChivalry Farseer, a royal bastard whose existence threatens the stability of the crown. When the crown prince's secret...
    By Robin Hobb
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    Chain Reaction
    Jack Reacher, \"the coolest continuing series character\" (Stephen King), returns in a brand new, pulse-pounding read from Lee and Andrew Child. The world’s bestselling hero is back in a brand new, high-octane adventure! β€˜She knew that finding Reacher would not be easy . . .’ Washington DC. General Susan Turner needs help from the only guy she knows will get...
    By Lee Child and Andrew Child
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Shirl's Pick Shirl's Pick
    The Things We Never Say
    Internationally bestselling and prize-winning author Elizabeth Strout's new novel tells the story of a chance incident in a man's lifeβ€”a poignant meditation on loneliness, friendship, and free will in a capsizing world. Artie Dam is a man with a secret. He spends his days teaching history to high schoolers, expanding their young minds, correcting their casual cruelties, and lending a...
    By Elizabeth Strout
    Hardback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • A Court of Wings and Ruin
    The third instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON, romantic fantasy epic and TikTok sensation, ACOTAR. From multi-million and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. In A Court of Wings and Ruin, the gripping third book of the ACOTAR series, Feyre Archeron faces the ultimate battle for her world. Having returned to the Spring Court, she is determined to gather...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • A Court of Mist and Fury
    A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas continues Feyre Archeron's epic journey in the world of the High Fae. Having survived the brutal trials under the Mountain, Feyre returns to the Spring Court. Though she now possesses the immortal powers of the High Fae, the traumatic experiences have left scars on her human heart. Haunted by the...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 160,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

General Fiction lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all