Zeeland, Or, Elective Concurrences: A Novel [Hardcover]

Hans Koning (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2001

Michael Beauchamp, an American soldier caught in German-occupied France, flees across Southern Europe towards Gibraltar. He unknowingly follows his grandfather Michel Beauchamp's footsteps, tracing his journey as the two men, separated by seventy years, elude armed pursuers across the wasteland of a continent ravaged by war.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Some 150 years ago, Dickens taught us the fictional possibilities of coincidence; here, Koning gives us a potent refresher. This is the dual story of World War II soldier Michael Beauchamp, an American serving the British, and his grandfather, Michel Beauchamp, a publisher of Communard tracts in the 1870s. Synchronicity is everywhere, with Michael's imprisonment, escape from a Nazi camp, edgy, furtive treks across Europe, and attempts to find and refind the love of his life neatly paralleling Michel's flight from Paris, edgy, furtive treks across Europe, imprisonment, escape from the Foreign Legion, and efforts to find his lost wife. At one point, the elder Beauchamp saves the life of the younger. Sometimes harrowing, sometimes sweet (the ending is a coup of coincidence, but the reader doesn't know whether to expect it or not), this is both an elegantly written experiment and a page-turner from a noted journalist and author of such books as America Made Me. Highly recommended for literary collections and larger libraries. Robert E. Brown, Onondaga Cty. P.L., Syracuse, NY
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Koning's novel moves quickly and is thick with intrigue; it also has a generous measure of emotional complexity. . . deft, thoughtful." -- The New York Times Book Review, March 3, 2002

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 255 pages
• Publisher: New South Inc (October 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1588380505
• ISBN-13: 978-1588380500
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,085,214 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good on every level., April 21, 2002

By 

Charles P. de Young (Fort Mill, SC, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Zeeland, Or, Elective Concurrences: A Novel (Hardcover)

Both the threads in this novel, one set after the Paris Commune, and the other in the Second World War, are interesting. The author has done a wonderful thing : wrapping complexity in a narrative that carries you through with pleasure. The exploration of coincidence, concurrence is interesting, and reminds us how often we pattern our lives with attention to this aspect. Be sure I noted that the most important female character shared a name with my aunt. These little things stand out in our lives.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strong voice, absorbing characters, November 8, 2001

By 

Ted Parkhurst (Little Rock, AR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Zeeland, Or, Elective Concurrences: A Novel (Hardcover)

I picked up Zeeland when I was still reading McCullough's John Adams bio, thinking I would skim through, get a feel for it, and set it aside. I couldn't put it down. The strong narrative voice drew me in within a few pages and the characters kept me involved. Zeeland is easily the most readable novel I've picked up this year, and this had been a competitive year! I plan to recommend it to my men's book club.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just a great novel, May 7, 2003

By 

Foster J. Dickson (Montgomery, Alabama United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Zeeland, Or, Elective Concurrences: A Novel (Hardcover)

Koning writes so cleanly, without extraneous words, that it is hard to put his books down. The story just moves right along without digressions. And his style of writing short chapters makes his books even cleaner to read. Just a great novel.