Ideas of Heaven

SHORTLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD

Set in modern-day America and France, Renaissance Italy and Boxer Rebellion China, thesestories embrace whole lifetimes, much in the manner of Alice Munro and William Trevor. JoanSilber skilfully and subtly ties one story to the next, as a minor element in one becomes amajor element in the next, until the last is tied convincingly to the first. Intense in subject yetrestrained in tone, they are about longings - often held for years - and the ways in which sexand religion can become parallel forms of dedication and comfort.

From a wannabe dancer in contemporary New York City to missionaries in China, Ideas ofHeaven showcases Joan Silber’s extraordinary deftness as she illuminates love, faith and sexwith great originality and profundity.

‘Joan Silber renders the thirsts and devotions of six lives with clarifying exactitude. The sometimes gentle, sometimes raw connections between these people will move you, and the ardour with which they yearn for their respective heavens will break your heart. ’ - Anthony Doerr