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Keith Miller

The Book of Flying Paperback – January 4, 2005

by Keith Miller (Author)

79 ratings

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A gorgeously poetic tale of fantasy for adults, The Book of Flying is a beautiful modern fable and daring new take on the quest narrative.

In Keith Miller's debut novel, our hero is Pico, a poet and librarian who is and forbidden to pursue the girl of his dreams - for she has wings, and Pico does not. When he discovers an ancient letter in his library telling of the mythical Morning Town where the flightless may gain their wings, he sets off on a quest. It's a magical journey and coming-of-age story in which he meets a robber queen, a lonely minotaur, a cannibal, an immortal beauty, and a dream seller. Each has a story, and a lesson, for Pico-about learning to love, to persevere, and, of course, to fly.

Print length

272 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Riverhead Books
Publication date

January 4, 2005
Dimensions

5.12 x 0.74 x 7.93 inches
ISBN-10

1594480664
ISBN-13

978-1594480669
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Original in concept, elegant in language, funny, cruel, and tender." -- Ursula K. Le Guin

"This is a book that you can't wait to finish but read slowly, to make it last." -- The Bloomsbury Review

"A fabulistic tour de force, akin to the works of Jeff VanderMeer and Italo Calvino." -- Christopher Barzak, author of One for Sorrow

"A journey worth taking -- right through to the unexpected end. The Book of Flying is a beautiful debut novel." -- Rambles Magazine

About the Author

Keith Miller is an American who was born in Tanzania, raised in Kenya, and wrote this novel while living in southern Sudan. He now lives in Egypt, where he is a design consultant and art teacher at a center for refugees. The illustrations in The Book of Flying are his own.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Riverhead Books (January 4, 2005)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1594480664
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1594480669
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.12 x 0.74 x 7.93 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,225,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7,105 in Coming of Age Fantasy (Books)
- #12,135 in Folklore (Books)
- #13,607 in Coming of Age Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
79 ratings

About the author

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Keith Miller

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Keith Miller was born in Tanzania to American parents and has spent most of his life in East and North Africa. He is currently a U.S. resident.

He is the author of three novels, The Book of Flying (Riverhead Books, 2004), The Book on Fire (Immanion Press, 2010), and The Sins of Angels (PS Publishing, 2016), as well as a translation of Arthur Rimbaud’s The Illuminations. His fiction, essays, and poetry have appeared in many venues, including Interfictions, Arabesques, Egypt Today, Rhubarb Magazine, Masque & Spectacle, and NPR.

He is married to writer Sofia Samatar. They have two children.

Learn more at millerworlds.com.

Customer reviews

5 star		82%
4 star		5%
3 star		6%
2 star		3%
1 star		4%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Jake Hubbard

Just as listed

Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2021

Verified Purchase

This book was listed as "Very Good." It arrived without a blemish. Also, it is wonderfully written. To any fans of poetry and/ or storytelling, I'd recommend it.

Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2011

Verified Purchase

This hypnotic debut novel brings poetry to the traditional fantasy quest. Pico, a young librarian, has no wings; in love with a winged girl, he seeks the Morning Town, where a legend says the earthbound can learn to fly. His adventures range from the delightful to the horrible, becoming darker in tone as the book progresses, until Pico's story draws to a conclusion as necessary as it is shattering: "for the country of sorrows is the size of the heart."

The book defies categorization. I would certainly recommend it to readers of speculative fiction, especially those drawn to authors like Jeff VanderMeer and Catherynne M. Valente, but it should also appeal to those who prize words above the distinctions of genre. Rich, frightening and lovely, it lures you in with a fairy tale and then leaves you suspended over an abyss. Cities and wonders whirl below you. The sensation is disturbing as well as marvelous, but what did you expect? You're flying.

One person found this helpful

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Pen Name

his books create wonderfully beautiful and tragic fantasy worlds

Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2016

Verified Purchase

Keith Miller's books feel, in my opinion, to be under appreciated.

They're dense, and the prose can sometimes be a bit of a slog - but that is because there is a lot going on. The imagery is rich and there is meaning everywhere, but that can be difficult to dive into unless you're prepared for it.

But, if you are prepared, his books create wonderfully beautiful and tragic fantasy worlds. They don't hold your hand and explain it to you as if you are a visitor, yet instead treat you as a tenant of that world listening to the tale directly.

These stories deserve more attention than they get.

2 people found this helpful

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Etienne Domingue

Like Michael Ende, except scandalous

Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2010

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Keith Miller's debut novel is a bildungsroman set in a mythical but lifelike universe. The protagonist's journey is full of bitter-sweet love & fascinating encounters. Pico's progress from librarian to thief to bohemian, wandering far & wide in search for his wings, is a delectable metaphor for the shaping of the artist's identity.

I would do injustice to this brilliant novel if I did not mention how polished Miller's prose is: one quickly becomes absorbed, addicted to the sheer pleasure of running into beautiful words & rare turns of phrase. Miller flirts with scandal, artfully discussing sex & murder in a manner that confounds the ugly strictures of propriety by illuminating the crass beauty of uninhibited living.

In sum: a book to cherish & share with all of your most discerning bibliophagous friends.

2 people found this helpful

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Ladan

Fantastic - in every sense of the word!

Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2015

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This book is poetry. It is paintings in prose. It is a story of fables and fairytales, of chivalry and a “knight” in pursuit of the impossible quest to control his destiny. It dwells upon sensibility and the place of reason and sensuality in our lives. It tells amazing tales of the passions and torments of love, which is the essence of our being. It is beautifully written. Keith Miller has an extraordinary talent for words. I highly recommend his book to anyone who loves poetic prose.

One person found this helpful

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camnini

Strange and lovely

Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2011

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My librarything account recommended this book to me and it was a good call. Fairy-tale, dream, adventure, romance with a very foreign flavor, this book is unusual. I read the author's minibio to find out that he was the child of Americans raised in Africa and Asia. It wasn't as if I couldn't put the book down, but it lingered with me well after I finished it.

One person found this helpful

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Briana

Best Story Ever!

Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2016

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This might very well be my favorite book of all time, and I have a Master's Degree in Literature, so that's saying something! It's not the world's most developed and complex novel, but the story is simple, beautifully written, and there's just something about it that captures the heart and imagination. I would also suggest reading Paolo Coelho's The Alchemist.

4 people found this helpful

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Swank IvyTop Contributor: Steven Universe (TV Show)

Loving stories, loving love

Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2014

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Written in a sort of whimsical (but kind of dark) fantastical way, this book is about love, determination, and self. Pico, the librarian, is a gentle and lovable soul who goes through unbelievable difficulties and changes to make himself acceptable to the one he loves. More than anything, it was the sort of episodic quest feeling with an emphasis on loving stories that made this story so easy to love.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Hannah

Beautiful

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 28, 2015

Verified Purchase

So many detailed descriptions really paint a beautiful picture.

Jessica McCurdy

Like the Alchemist

Reviewed in Canada on February 13, 2020

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Loved this book!!

lynn

... read for anyone who just can't live without a good book. It's written in stunning lyrical prose that ...

Reviewed in Canada on July 19, 2014

Verified Purchase

A must read for anyone who just can't live without a good book. It's written in stunning lyrical prose that will have you quoting sentences to random strangers on the subway. Really beautiful.

Amazon Customer

Five Stars

Reviewed in Canada on May 22, 2016

Verified Purchase

Excellent

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