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A History of Water
Being an Account of a Murder, an Epic and Two Visions of Global History
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A History of Water
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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?
A Times History Book of the Year 2022 A TLS Book of the Year 2022 ‘Exhilarating and whip-smart’ THE SUNDAY TIMES
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A Times History Book of the Year 2022
A TLS Book of the Year 2022
‘Exhilarating and whip-smart’ THE SUNDAY TIMES
From award-winning writer Edward Wilson-Lee, this is a thrilling true historical detective story set in sixteenth-century Portugal.
A History of Water follows the interconnected lives of two men across the Renaissance globe. One of them – an aficionado of mermen and Ethiopian culture, an art collector, historian and expert on water-music – returns home from witnessing the birth of the modern age to die in a mysterious incident, apparently the victim of a grisly and curious murder. The other – a ruffian, vagabond and braggart, chased across the globe from Mozambique to Japan – ends up as the national poet of Portugal.
The stories of Damião de Góis and Luís de Camões capture the extraordinary wonders that awaited Europeans on their arrival in India and China, the challenges these marvels presented to longstanding beliefs, and the vast conspiracy to silence the questions these posed about the nature of history and of human life.
Like all good mysteries, everyone has their own version of events.
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?
A History of Water by Edward Wilson-Lee has received widespread acclaim for its passionate and meticulously crafted prose. Reviews highlight the book's engrossing literary flair paired with profound historical insights, vividly bringing Lisbon and its characters to life. Many commend its elegant writing, with some calling it a mind-blowing achievement and utterly mesmerising, offering novel perspectives on global history.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780008358259
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 17 August 2023
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: William Collins
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 35.0mm
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 340g
Pages: 368
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About the Author
Brought up in Kenya, the child of conservationist parents, Edward Wilson-Lee studied English at University College London and completed a doctorate at Oxford and Cambridge. He now lives in Cambridge with his wife and son, and teaches Shakespeare (among other things) at Sidney Sussex College. Over the past few years he has spent extended periods in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and South Sudan.
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