Other lives but mine - Emmanuel Carrere

'The night before the wave, I remember that Hlne and I talked about separating. It wouldn't be complicated; we didn't live together, hadn't had a child, and were even able to see ourselves remaining friends, and yet, it was sad. It was Christmas 2004.'In Sri Lanka, a tsunami sweeps a child out to sea, her grandfather helpless against the onrushing water. In France, a young woman succumbs to illness, leaving her husband and small children bereft. Present at both events, Emmanuel Carrre sets out to tell the story of two families - shattered, but ultimately restored. What he accomplishes is a heartrending narrative of love, a meditation on courage and decency in the face of adversity, an intimate look at the beauty and nobility of ordinary lives.'As a storyteller Carrre is so freakishly
talented, so unassuming in grace and power that you only realise the
hold he's got on you when you attempt to pull away' Junot Daz'Gratifying and surprising ... A book about the
texture and resonance of
loss...Carrre covers a lot of ground with
cool honesty and careful
humanity' The New York Times