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His Name is David

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( 874 ratings, 96 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
Set in Flanders during 1915, His Name is David follows David Verbocht, a man sentenced to death for desertion in the First World War. Facing the firing squad, David reflects on his life: sent away by his parents after a family tragedy to teach in a remote village, he forms a poignant connection with a sensitive student and harbours feelings for the boy's mother. As history seems doomed to repeat itself, this story explores themes of loss, guilt and forbidden love amidst wartime turmoil.
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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 historical fiction will appeal to readers interested in emotionally charged tales set during WWI, especially those who appreciate complex characters and nuanced explorations of love, trauma and morality.

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'A tale of forbidden love set in WWI Flanders' -The Guardian

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

Flanders, 1915.

David Verbocht, sentenced to death as a deserter, stands before the firing squad and looks back on his short life. As a young man, David was sent away by his parents, after a tragic accident in the family, to become a school teacher in a remote village. There he develops a special bond with a sensitive young student, along with feelings for the boy's mother. When fate strikes again, the history of loss and guilt seems to repeat itself.

'A tale of forbidden love set in WWI Flanders' - The Guardian

'For a relatively young writer, Vantoortelboom strikes a powerfully emotive chord' - Irish Examiner

'A book that leaves a deep impression. From the first page on, it has you in its grip.' - Book of the Month, DWDD Booksellers Panel

His Name is David crawls deep under your skin and nestles there' - Humo

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781642860122

Publisher: World Editions

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 16 April 2019

Country: United States

Imprint: World Editions

Illustration: Illustrations

Contributors:

  • Translated by Vivien D. Glass

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 139.0mm

Height: 215.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 240

About the Author

JAN VANTOORTELBOOM, originally a teacher, grew up in Elverdinge, a small village in Belgium. He studied English literature in Gent and at the University of Dublin. In 2011 he debuted with the prize-winning novel De verzonken jongen ('The Sunken Boy'), a coming-of-age tale about a family riddled with mysteries set against the backdrop of World War I. His second novel, His Name Is David, surpassed the success of his debut and cemented his position in Dutch literature. It was chosen as Book of the Month by the influential Dutch talk show DWDD, and has sold 30,000 copies in the Netherlands and Belgium.

VIVIEN D. GLASS is a literary translator from Dutch and German to English based in Amersfoort, the Netherlands. She was born in Switzerland to Irish and Swiss parents and moved to the Netherlands in 1995, where she completed a Bachelor's degree at the ITV University of Applied Sciences for Translation and Interpreting. Her published translations include works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, children's verse, and more.

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