The Last Supper [Paperback]

Pawel Huelle (Author), Antonia Lloyd-Jones (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2009

Winner of 2009 Found in Translation Prize given for the best translation of Polish literature to English language.

“Inventive and ironic, but riddling and elusive.”—The Independent

Set in Gdansk, twelve men have been invited by their mutual friend to model at a photographic session for a modern version of The Last Supper. The histories of the men are revealed through their thoughts on the day: their wayward behavior is a reflection of the role of the church in Polish society today. The reunion is disturbed as a wave of terrorist bombs paralyzes the city, creating upheaval and a sense of unease.

Pawel Huelle is a novelist, playwright, and newspaper columnist who lives in Gdansk, Poland. His previous books include Mercedes-Benz and Castorp.

Antonia Lloyd-Jones is one of the best translators of Polish literature into English. Her published translations from Polish include novels by Pawel Huelle and Olga Tokarczuk, short stories by Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz, and non-fiction, most recently by Ryszard Kapuscinski and Wojciech Tochman.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

American readers may struggle with this near-future novel from Polish author Huelle (Castorp), a meandering meditation on contemporary Poland and Europe, in which 12 people prepare to pose for a photograph to be used as the model for a new painting recreating the Last Supper. This select group includes a priest, a doctor, a violent lunatic and the narrator, a writer whose dream of a terror attack, apparently inspired by the bombings of Gdansk liquor stores, opens the book. Digressions, such as those about David Roberts, a draughtsman who visited the Holy Land in the early 19th century, as well as long, run-on sentences tend to confuse rather than illuminate. Those familiar with the social, political and religious issues Huelle addresses will best appreciate this challenging book. (Dec.)
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Review

"'Book lovers queue here' Scotland on Sunday 'A writer whose work is full of depth and allusion... wonderfully absurd humour' Independent on Sunday 'An intelligent, intriguing and atmospheric novel worthy of its inspiration. It is admirably served by Antonia Lloyd-Jones' nuanced and readable translation' Independent 'A delightful period piece... His style is charmingly effective, the book written with an understated wit very much of the era in which it is set, and gently, deceptively provocative' Observer"

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: Serpent's Tail; Tra edition (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1852429801
• ISBN-13: 978-1852429805
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,451,211 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)