Rachel Joyce

From the author of the world-wide bestseller, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, a new novel about learning how to listen and how to feel; and about second chances and choosing to be brave despite the odds. Because in the end, music can save us all...1988. Frank owns a music shop. It is jam-packed with records of every speed, size and genre. Classical, jazz, punk - as long as it's vinyl he sells it. Day after day Frank finds his customers the music they need. Then into his life walks Ilse Brauchmann. Ilse asks Frank to teach her about music. His instinct is to turn and run. And yet he is drawn to this strangely still, mysterious woman with her pea-green coat and her eyes as black as vinyl. But Ilse is not what she seems. And Frank has old wounds that threaten to re-open and a past he will never leave behind ...

Una historia tan original como disparatada, un largo peregrinaje para exorcizar el recuerdo que marcó una vida. Una mañana cualquiera, mientras su mujer pasa el aspirador en el piso de arriba, Harold Fry sale de casa para echar una carta al buzon. Recien jubilado, Harold esta lejos de imaginar que acaba de iniciar un viaje a pie de un extremo a otro del pais. No lleva calzado ni ropa adecuada, ni siquiera un telefono movil, y mucho menos un mapa o una brujula. ¿Para que iba a llevarlos? Tan solo va al buzon de la esquina para responder a la misiva de Queenie Hennessy, una vieja amiga y compañera de trabajo quien, tras un silencio de casi veinte años, acaba de comunicarle que esta ingresada en un hospital del norte a punto de morir de cancer. Sin embargo, cuando Harold se dispone a enviar la carta, un impulso repentino lo conmina a llevar el mismo el mensaje a su destinataria. Por una vez en su vida, Harold toma una decision sin pensar, pero su intuicion le dice que su amiga Queenie hara algo igualmente impensable y se curara. Asi comienza un largo peregrinaje que dara un vuelco total a su existencia. Mediante el sencillo acto de caminar, Harold emprende un viaje al encuentro de si mismo, un largo recorrido, duro y placentero a la vez, que lo conducira a descubrir sus verdaderos sentimientos y deseos que yacian adormecidos en su interior y, por encima de todo, a exorcizar el terrible recuerdo que marco su vida.La critica ha dicho...Un libro divertido, sabio, conmovedor, aunque en ningun caso empalagoso. Una novela con un giro inesperado, pero que no resulta manipuladora. Tal vez porque el propio Harold es simplemente maravilloso. Es imposible cerrar la novela.The Times La novela de Joyce contiene mas que una simpatica coleccion de excentricos britanicos. Pese a estar descrito en un tono engañosamente ligero, el viaje de Harold en pos de una mejor version de si mismo tiene la fuerza de un totem. Leer acerca de Harold equivale a ser conmovido y desear seguirlo.The Telegraph Una primera novela tierna y divertida sobre segundas oportunidades y el amor recuperado, protagonizada por un hombre que emprende un viaje con una mision extraordinaria.Marie Claire

Summer, 1972: In the claustrophobic heat, eleven-year-old Byron and his friend begin 'Operation Perfect', a hapless mission to rescue Byron's mother from impending crisis. Winter, present day: As frost creeps across the moor, Jim cleans tables in the local cafe, a solitary figure struggling with OCD. His job is a relief from the rituals that govern his nights. Little would seem to connect them except that two seconds can change everything. And if your world can be shattered in an instant, can time also put it right?

From the author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry a very different but equally unlikely and heartrending hero, and a story of secrets, a terrible mistake, and the destructive nature of perfection.In 1972, two seconds were added to time. It was in order to balance clock time with the movement of the earth. Byron Hemming knew this because James Lowe had told him and James was the cleverest boy at school. But how could time change? The steady movement of hands around a clock was as certain as their golden futures.Then Byrons mother, late for the school run, makes a devastating mistake. Byrons perfect world is shattered. Were those two extra seconds to blame? Can what follows ever be set right?

Quan Harold Fry surt de casa un matí per tirar una carta a la bústia, no se li acudeix que està a punt d'iniciar un viatge a peu de mes de 600 milles. En Harold viu una existencia avorrida i agra amb

Angleterre, 1972. Byron Hemmings, onze ans, apprend de la bouche de son meilleur ami que deux secondes vont être ajoutées au temps, afin de faire coïncider l''heure officielle avec la rotation réelle

From the author of the 2 million+ copy, worldwide bestseller, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, an exquisite, funny and heartrending parallel story. When Queenie Hennessy discovers that Harold Fry is walking the length of England to save her, and all she has to do is wait, she is shocked. Her note to him had explained she was dying from cancer. How can she wait? A new volunteer at the hospice suggests that Queenie should write a second letter; only this time she must tell Harold the truth. Composing this letter, the volunteer promises, will ensure Queenie hangs on. It will also atone for the secrets of the past. As the volunteer points out, 'It isn't Harold who is saving you. It is you, saving Harold Fry.' This is that letter. A letter that was never sent. Told in simple, emotionally-honest prose, with a mischievous bite, this is a novella about a woman who falls in love but chooses not to claim it. It is about friendship and kindness as well as the small victories that pass unrecorded. It is about the truth and the significance - the gentle heroism - of a life lived alone. Queenie thought her first letter would be the end of the story. She was wrong. It was just the beginning...

Rachel Joyce zieht uns ins Herz der Zeit.Die Freunde Byron und James sind elf Jahre alt, als sich alles fur immer verandert. Niemand sieht das Madchen mit dem roten Fahrrad. Nur Byron, der mit seiner schonen Mutter im Wagen sitzt, als der Unfall im dichten Nebel geschieht. Byron wei sofort: Er darf keinem etwas davon erzahlen. Doch in nur zwei Sekunden ist die ganze Welt aus den Fugen geraten, und er braucht James an seiner Seite. Konnen zwei Sekunden existieren, die es vorher nicht gab? Und wird ihre perfekte Welt jemals wieder in den Takt kommen?Eine tief beruhrende Geschichte uber Zerbrechlichkeit und Wahrheit, Freundschaft und Liebe und zwei lebenslange Sekunden. Von der Autorin des Weltbestsellers Die unwahrscheinliche Pilgerreise des Harold Fry.

As read on Radio 4, seven linked stories set in the Christmas holidays - all as funny, joyous, poignant and memorable as Christmas should be: A Faraway Smell of Lemon: The School Term has ended. It is almost Christmas but Binny, out last-minute shopping couldn't feel less like wishing glad tidings to all men. Ducking out of the rain she finds herself in the sort of shop she would never normally visit. The Marriage Manual: Christmas Eve. Two parents endeavour to construct their son's Christmas present from a DIY kit and in the process find themselves deconstructing their marriage. Christmas at the Airport: A glitch in the system, travellers stranded and all sorts of lives colliding in the face of a sudden birth...The Boxing Day Ball: Maureen has never been out with the local girls before. Who knew that a disco in the Village Hall could be life-changing? A Snow Garden: Two little boys, dumped with their divorced father for his share of the Christmas holidays and none of them with a clue how to enjoy it. I'll Be Home for Christmas The most famous boy in the world comes home hoping to escape the madness with a normal family Christmas. Trees: As if Christmas wasn't wearing enough, now his elderly parent is asking for a hole in the ground ...Father and son break old habits and plant a tree to mark the start of the new year.

From the author of the 2 million+ copy, worldwide bestseller, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, an exquisite, funny and heartrending parallel story.When Queenie Hennessy discovers that Harold Fry is walking the length of England to save her, and all she has to do is wait, she is shocked. Her note had explained she was dying. How can she wait?A new volunteer at the hospice suggests that Queenie should write again; only this time she must tell Harold everything. In confessing to secrets she has hidden for twenty years, she will find atonement for the past. As the volunteer points out, Even though youve done your travelling, youre starting a new journey too.Queenie thought her first letter would be the end of the story. She was wrong. It was the beginning.Told in simple, emotionally-honest prose, with a mischievous bite, this is a novel about the journey we all must take to learn who we are; it is about loving and letting go. And most of all it is about finding joy in unexpected places and at times we least expect.

From the author of the 2 million+ copy, worldwide bestseller, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, an exquisite, funny and heartrending parallel story. When Queenie Hennessy discovers that Harold Fry is walking the length of England to save her, and all she has to do is wait, she is shocked. Her note had explained she was dying. How can she wait? A new volunteer at the hospice suggests that Queenie should write again; only this time she must tell Harold everything. In confessing to secrets she has hidden for twenty years, she will find atonement for the past. As the volunteer points out, 'Even though you've done your travelling, you're starting a new journey too.' Queenie thought her first letter would be the end of the story. She was wrong. It was the beginning. Told in simple, emotionally-honest prose, with a mischievous bite, this is a novel about the journey we all must take to learn who we are; it is about loving and letting go. And most of all it is about finding joy in unexpected places and at times we least expect.

Frank has a gift for finding his customers the music they need to hear. When he meets Ilsa Brauchmann, a mysterious and beautiful woman with no ear for music, and engaged to another man, he falls in love. She is way above him, she will never be his, but he will take her on a journey through music.Thirty years later Ilsa returns to find Frank. The shop has gone; no one knows where he is. All that remains is a series of clues, each one related to music. Ilsa resolves to follow them all over Europe and find the man she should have chosen all along.

Seven stories to span the Christmas holidays:A Faraway Smell of Lemon: The School Term has ended. It is almost Christmas but Binny, out last-minute shopping couldn''t feel less like wishing glad tidings to all men. Ducking out of the rain she finds herself in the sort of shop she would never normally visit.The Marriage Manual: Christmas Eve. Two parents endeavour to construct their sons Christmas present from a DIY kit and in the process find themselves deconstructing their marriage.Christmas at the Airport: A glitch in the system, travellers stranded and all sorts of lives colliding in the face of a sudden birth...The Boxing Day Ball: Maureen has never been out with the local girls before. Who knew that a disco in the Village Hall could be life-changing?A Snow Garden: Two little boys, dumped with their divorced father for his share of the Christmas holidays and none of them with a clue how to enjoy it.I''ll Be Home for Christmas: The most famous boy in the world comes home hoping to escape the madness with a normal family Christmas.Trees: As if Christmas wasn''t wearing enough, now his elderly parent is asking for a hole in the ground Father and son break old habits and plant a tree to mark the start of the new year.Six stories as funny, joyous, poignant and memorable as Christmas should be.

From the author of the world-wide bestseller, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: '' A beautiful novel, a tonic for the soul and a complete joy to read.'' Joanna Cannon, author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep. 1988. Frank owns a music shop. It is jam-packed with records of every speed, size and genre. Classical, jazz, punk - as long as it''s vinyl he sells it. Day after day Frank finds his customers the music they need. Then into his life walks Ilse Brauchmann. Ilse asks Frank to teach her about music. His instinct is to turn and run. And yet he is drawn to this strangely still, mysterious woman with her pea-green coat and her eyes as black as vinyl. But Ilse is not what she seems. And Frank has old wounds that threaten to re-open and a past he will never leave behind ...