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Ruth

By Kate Riley
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Brief Description
In this mesmerizing and profound novel, the arc of a woman's life in a devout, insular community challenges our deepest assumptions about what infuses life with meaning. A LitHub most anticipated book of 2025 'It will become an underground classic' New York Times 'A wonderful, loving,... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2800
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Releases 10th November 2026 (Approx. Date) Pre-order  "Ruth" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

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In this mesmerizing and profound novel, the arc of a woman's life in a devout, insular community challenges our deepest assumptions about what infuses life with meaning.

A LitHub most anticipated book of 2025

'It will become an underground classic' New York Times
'A wonderful, loving, tenderly teasing and often moving portrait... Standout' Wall Street Journal
'An irresistibly smart and funny novel' Jenny Offill, author of Weather, shortlisted for the Women's Prize For Fiction

Ruth is raised in a snow globe of Christian communism, a world without private property, television, or tolerance for idle questions. Every morning she braids her hair and wears the same costume, sings the same breakfast song in a family room identical to every other family room in the community; every one of these moments is meant to be a prayer, but to Ruth they remain puzzles.

Her life is seen in glimpses through childhood, marriage, and motherhood, as she tries to manage her own perilous curiosity in a community built on holy mystery. Is she happy? Might this in fact be happiness? Ruth immerses us in an experience that challenges our most fervent beliefs.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781804993132

Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 23 July 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin (Transworld)

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

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 17.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 186g

Pages: 256

Collections

Coming Soon in Fiction Education & Reference Fiction General Fiction Kate Riley Literary Fiction Penguin Books Politics & Current Affairs Pre-order Books Pre-order General Fiction Pre-orders Pre-orders by Release Date Religion & Spirituality

About the Author

Kate Riley was born in New York City and now lives on a farm in rural Virginia. Drawn from her experience living in such a community, Ruth is her first novel.

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  • Ruth
    In this mesmerizing and profound novel, the arc of a woman's life in a devout, insular community challenges our deepest assumptions about what infuses life with meaning. Ruth is raised in a snow globe of Christian communism, a world without private property, television, or tolerance for idle questions. Every morning she braids her hair and wears the same costume, sings...
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    Ships in 4-6 weeks

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