Overview

Now in paperback from London Times columnist Paul Pickering--the breathtaking story of a young pianist who travels through the Congo to meet a former mentor with whom he shares a dark past, falling in love with a Congolese army officer's wife along the way. - A renowned writer: A seasoned journalist and novelist, Paul Pickering has traversed the globe for his stories. For The Leopard's Wife, he undertook an expedition down the Congo River, from Kisangani to Kinshasa, to craft a novel brimming with authenticity of a majestically beautiful country torn apart by civil war. - A captivating story of love and war: The Democratic Republic of Congo has been embroiled in a civil war since 1998, during which more than 5 million people have been killed. The Leopard's Wife provides a searing look at both the atrocities committed, particularly against women, and the resiliency of its people to soldier on in the face of constant uncertainty. It is a beguiling story of greed, power, and ever-changing alliances, of the consequences of misplaced idealism and betrayal, and of the lengths people will go to for love.

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9781439168547

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Reviews

[Paul Pickering conjures] up an Africa that combines the traditional elements--malaria, crocodiles, waterfalls--with modem accessories such as Kalashnikov rifles. Some of the descriptions are superb. Pickering captures the sights, sounds and smells of Africa with loving care. The banks of the great river have an unkempt beauty that tugs at the heart-strings. And to import the music of Bach and Beethoven into such an exotic tropical setting was a masterstroke. The pianist clinging to his art in the midst of unimaginable dangers becomes a powerful parable of human endeavour....Pickering takes on some of the biggest themes of all--love, war, art--with a boldness that puts most novelists to shame. The Africa he has drawn leaps four-square from the page, at once beautiful and terrifying. --Max Davidson, The Mail on Sunday (London) For armchair travelers, there's plenty of mind-tingling talk plus action when Paul Pickering's dithery hero in Perfect English sets the world to rights in the chaos of current Nicaragua. --David Hughes, The Mail on Sunday (UK) The Leopard's Wife is full of surprises. In his atmospheric and evocative new novel, Paul Pickering weaves Congolese politics, suspense and classical music into an exotic tapestry. --Eugene Drucker, author of The Savior An unusual book. Blackly humorous, it is a character study as well as an espionage novel. Highly literate, brooding and sad, The Blue Gate of Babylon is much more than a spy story. It is superior literature. --Newgate Callendar, The New York Times Book Review 'The Leopard's Wife can be highly recommended. Pickering takes on some of the biggest themes of all - love, war, art - with a boldness that puts most novelists to shame. The Africa he has drawn leaps four-square from the page, at once beautiful and terrifying' Mail on Sunday 11/7

An unusual book. Blackly humorous, it is a character study as well as an espionage novel. Highly literate, brooding and sad, The Blue Gate of Babylon is much more than a spy story. It is superior literature. --Newgate Callendar, The New York Times Book Review

Author Information

Paul Pickering is the author of four novels: Charlie Peace, The Blue Gate of Babylon, Perfect English, and Wild About Harry. He lives in London, where he is a columnist for the London Times.

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