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A Little Life
832 pages, 2016
Hanya Yanagihara’s sweeping novel A Little Life follows four college classmates – broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition – as they move to New York in search of fame and fortune. While their relationships, which are tinged by addiction, success, and pride, deepen over the decades, the men are held together by their devotion to the brilliant, enigmatic Jude, a man scarred by unspeakable childhood trauma.
A hymn to brotherly bonds and a masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century, A Little Life is about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves.
In A Little Life, Hanya Yanagihara explores the deep bonds of friendship. The book shows us how these relationships can provide support and comfort in the darkest times. It's a reminder to cherish our friends and lean on them when life gets tough.
Yanagihara doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of trauma. The book delves into the long-lasting effects of abuse and how it can shape a person's life. It's a stark reminder to be kind, as we never know what someone might be going through.
A Little Life takes a look at the struggle of identity. The characters grapple with their identities, trying to understand who they are and where they fit in the world. It's a journey many of us can relate to, making the book a compelling read.
One of the key messages in the book is the importance of self-acceptance. Yanagihara shows us that accepting ourselves, with all our flaws and past mistakes, is crucial for our mental health and happiness. It's a lesson we can all take to heart.
A Little Life doesn't sugarcoat the reality of mental health. It shows us the raw, painful side of mental illness, reminding us of the importance of understanding and compassion. If you're interested in mental health, this book is a must-read.
Quotes 5
It’s a big, emotional, trauma-packed read with a voluptuous prose style that wavers between the exquisite and the overdone.
Garth Greenwell - American poet, author, literary criticA Little Life is unlike anything else out there. Over the top, beyond the pale and quite simply unforgettable.
Edmund White - American novelist, memoirist, and an essayist on literary and social topicsThe phrase ‘tour de force’ could have been invented for this audacious novel.
Zadie Smith - British novelist, essayist, and short-story writerIt’s a novel that makes you sob and think, and sob and think, and it’s a novel that will stay with you for a very long time.
Christina Patterson - British journalist, broadcaster and writerA Little Life is a profoundly serious attempt to define and describe the various forms of male friendship.
John Boyne - Irish novelist
