The Optimists

Description

In a world where people slaughter the innocent without mercy or retribution, how can we have faith in humanity, or the future? Clem Glass, a photojournalist, returns from Africa to London convinced he knows the answer - mankind is fundamentally wicked and there is no hope for us. Yet when his sister falls ill and he takes her back to the West Country of their childhood, he cannot ignore the decency, joys and small kindnesses of those around him, or the pulse of goodness in his own heart. Until news comes that offers Clem the chance to confront the author of his nightmares.

Andrew Miller was born in Bristol in 1960 and grew up in the West Country. He has lived in Spain, Japan, Ireland and France, and currently lives in Brighton. His first novel, INGENIOUS PAIN, was published by Sceptre in 1997 and won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction, the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the Grinzane Cavour prize in Italy. His second novel, CASANOVA, met with similar acclaim on its publication in 1998 and his third, OXYGEN, was shortlisted for the Whitbread Novel Award and the Booker Prize in 2001.

'Exceptional' -- Sunday Times 'A profound novel, meditative, not conclusive ... Yet despite the absence of an easy happy ending, it leaves the reader with a feeling of courage and, in the face of so much evidence to the contrary, hope.' -- Observer 'The writing is clear, precise, feelingly observant' -- Spectator 'A delight to read ... a novel of great intelligence and understanding, populated by characters who are recognisable yet exceptional.' -- Time Out 'A powerful and lively book, seriously engaged and cathartic ... gently, almost imperceptibly, impelled by the nourishment of love.' -- Financial Times 'The uncluttered narrative and the slow, quiet accumulation of everyday detail imbues this novel with a quiet grace' -- Daily Mail 'This novel represents a shocking, moving but ultimately hopeful vision of the best and worst of humanity.' -- Daily Express 'In Clem Glass, Miller has created neither a victim nor a victor but a man driven by his own innate decency, a character in whom we can believe, a person about whom we care and that is what great writing is about.' -- Irish Times 'Andrew Miller, in The Optimists", again proved his ability to blend a sturdy and satisfying architecture of character and plot with headline-hot themes - here, wars in Africa and media responsibility.' -- Boyd Tonkin, Independent 'A traumatised war photograpther tries ot find humanity in one of the year's most mysteriously overlooked novels.' -- Time Out Books of the Year