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Rites of Passage

Introduced by Annie Proulx
By William Golding
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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
Rites of Passage by William Golding explores the journey of a young aristocrat, Edmund Talbot, as he sails to Australia in the early 19th century. Through his personal diary, Talbot recounts the dynamics and class struggles aboard the ship, the various passengers' interactions, and the voyage's transformative nature. The novel blends social commentary with adventure, providing a vivid portrayal of life at sea and human nature.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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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 historical novels rich with detailed character exploration and social commentary. Set during a sea voyage in the early 19th century, it offers a vivid portrayal of class conflicts and moral dilemmas, combining adventure with a deep psychological insight reminiscent of Golding's acclaimed storytelling style.

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Introduced by Annie Proulx. lose yourself in an epic naval journey in this Booker Prize-winning novel: the first in the acclaimed Sea Trilogy by the author of Lord of the Flies.

Introduced by Annie Proulx, lose yourself in an epic naval journey in this Booker Prize-winning historical novel: the first in the acclaimed Sea Trilogy by the author of Lord of the Flies.

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

I grow a little crazy, I think, like all men at sea who live too close to each other and too close thereby to all that is monstrous under the sun and moon . . .

Edmund Talbot is sailing to Australia in the early nineteenth century. In his journal, he records mounting tensions aboard the ancient, stinking warship, as officers, sailors, soldiers and emigrants jostle in the cramped darkness below decks. But when something happens to Reverend Colley that brings him into a 'hell of self-degradation', it seems that shame is a force deadlier than the sea itself . . .

It is the emotional veracity of life at sea that powers Golding's exceptional writing ... The fury, mystery and challenge. - Kate Mosse

A master at the full stretch of his age and wisdom - necessary, provoking, urgent, rich, complex and rare. The Times

To The Ends of the Earth: A Sea Trilogy - Book One

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?

Rites of Passage by William Golding has been praised for its vivid depiction of the past, showcasing Golding's exceptional skill and insight. Critics, including Ben Okri, have noted Golding's uncanny ability to bring historical settings to life. The novel is considered his most engaging work since Lord of the Flies, as noted by Melvyn Bragg, and is described as extraordinary by the Observer.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780571371648

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 April 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Faber & Faber

Edition: Main

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Annie Proulx

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 279g

Pages: 336

Collections

Education & Reference Engineering, Technology & Agriculture Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction William Golding

About the Author

William Golding (1911 - 1993) was born in Cornwall and educated at Marlborough Grammar School and Brasenose College, Oxford. Before becoming a writer, he was an actor, small-boat sailor, musician and schoolteacher. In 1940 he joined the Royal Navy and took part in the D-Day operation and liberation of Holland. Lord of the Flies, his first novel, was rejected by several publishers but rescued from the 'reject pile' at Faber and published in 1954. It became a modern classic selling millions of copies, translated into 44 languages and made into a film by Peter Brook in 1963. Golding wrote eleven other novels, a play and two essay collections. He won the Booker Prize for Rites of Passage in 1980 and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1983. He was knighted in 1988 and died in 1993. www.william-golding.co.uk

Annie Proulx is a celebrated American author and journalist. Her novels include The Shipping News, which won the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award for Fiction as well as being made into a major film in 2001, as well as Postcards, Accordion Crimes, That Old Ace in the Hole and Barkskins. Her short story 'Brokeback Mountain' was adapted into an award-winning motion picture in 2005. She lives in New Hampshire.

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