Ana Imagined

By Perrin Ireland

Book Overview

Perrin Ireland's debut novel yells the story of two women brought together by the galvanizing forces of war and imagination. Anne is a privileged writer living in Cambridge and still tormented by a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1555973000
• ISBN13: 9781555973001
• Release Date: April 2000
• Publisher: Graywolf Press
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 0.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 1.0" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

a must-read!

It's often hard to understand what other people might have to go through in their lives, especially when we are fortunate enough not to be living in an area of political turmoil. A book like Ana Imagined helps make distant situations real. I enjoyed reading this book because of the wonderful writing, fully-developed characters, and interesting story line, but also because it underscored the important ties between political events and private lives.

Extraordinary

I wasn't sure I'd be interested in the subject matter of this novel, but it's an amazing book - an idiosyncratic page turner, which really makes you think. I was struck by the way the author showed Anne's identification with Ana, and made us identify with Ana and her family, too. Now when I hear about people in Bosnia, they are no longer a blur of statistics. I loved this book. The second half is particularly compelling.

a book of substance and beauty

Ana Imagined is a riveting and satisfying read with something important to say. The language is spare and beautiful. The characters are fully-drawn and engaging, with the narrative moving seamlessly between the lives of two women whose daily lives are very different but who have so much in common. This is the kind of book you can't put down, but you don't want to be over. I want to hand this book to everyone I know and tell them, "Read this--you'll love it!"

a gripping read

This novel is a rare find--a literary page-turner. The writing is stunning, and the author understands the critical importance of story. My wife brought Ana Imagined home, and I thought it would be a "woman's book" -- it isn't. It's one of the best books I've read in years. The mystery (what is Ana's secret, etc.) and details about Sarajevo are fascinating. The characters respond to their circumstances with such dignity that what might, in other hands, have resulted in an uncomfortably bleak book, emerges as a triumph. This spare, understated book packs extraordinary cumulative power. Remember the gratification of reading a book of substance? This book actually has something to say. Highly recommended.

A Remarkable Book

I couldn't put this book down. It's a tribute to the power of the imagination, telling the compelling story of two women as it explores the roots of altruism. It makes an important contribution by providing us with an intimate portrait of a Balkan family--characters we come to love--embroiled in historic drama. Ana Imagined is beautifully written, original, and very powerful. While it addresses serious issues, it offers hope and humor. It would make a wonderful movie.