The Brief History of the Dead

'Remember me when I'm gone' just took on a whole new meaning . . .

Laura Byrd is in trouble. Three weeks ago she and her friends found themselves alone in one of the coldest, most remote places on earth. Her friends set out in search of help, and now Laura realises that they are not coming back. So she gathers her remaining supplies and sets out on an extraordinary journey.

Meanwhile in another city, more and more people arrive every day. Each has a different story to tell, but their accounts have one thing in common - it was their final journey. For this is the city of the dead. And the link between this city and Laura's journey lies at the heart of this remarkable novel.

The Brief History of the Dead tells a magical story about our lives - about our place in the world, our connections with each other, and what happens to us all after our deaths. It is a story of spellbinding power and imagination, which resonates long after the final page.

“'A moving and unsettling meditation on memories, how recollections of the seemingly trivial can sustain us'”

Sure-to-be-acclaimed fiction mixes with travelogue ... Gripping and moving stuff. - Sunday Times Travel Magazine February 2006

His confident voice, observational brilliance and playful humour dazzle to the end. - The Times

'Convincing . . . reflects on relationships in a beautiful, delicate manner' - Publisher's Weekly

Unique and spellbinding Brockmeier is up to something different - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Brockmeier investigates our capacity for wonder and the result is exacting and perfectly strange - The New Yorker

A spellbinding novel - Amy Worth, lead account manager, books, Amazon; Bookseller/ February Booksellers choice

Such a powerful read - Time Out

Interesting and intellectually daring - New Statesman

Kevin Brockmeier lives in Arkansas, USA. His short stories have won many awards. The Brief History of the Dead is his first novel to be published in the UK.

'Remember me when I'm gone' just took on a whole new meaning . . . Laura Byrd is in trouble. Three weeks ago she and her friends found themselves alone in one of the coldest, most remote places on earth. Her friends set out in search of help, and now Laura realises that they are not coming back. So she gathers her remaining supplies and sets out on an extraordinary journey.Meanwhile in another city, more and more people arrive every day. Each has a different story to tell, but their accounts have one thing in common - it was their final journey. For this is the city of the dead. And the link between this city and Laura's journey lies at the heart of this remarkable novel. The Brief History of the Dead tells a magical story about our lives - about our place in the world, our connections with each other, and what happens to us all after our deaths. It is a story of spellbinding power and imagination, which resonates long after the final page.

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