Bio
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Chris Cleave is 38. He lives in London with his wife and three children. His debut novel Incendiary won a 2006 Somerset Maugham Award, was shortlisted for the 2006 Commonwealth Writers Prize, and won the United States Book-of-the-Month Club’s First Fiction award 2005. His second novel is titled Little Bee in Canada and the US, where it is a New York Times #1 bestseller. It is titled The Other Hand in the UK, where it is a Sunday Times bestseller. It was shortlisted for the Costa Novel Awards. Read reviews here. Chris Cleave has been a barman, a long-distance sailor and teacher of marine navigation [read a short story I wrote about there here], an internet pioneer and a journalist. |
Why I write
“Ours is essentially a tragic age, so we refuse to take it tragically. The cataclysm has happened, we are among the ruins, we start to build up new little habitats, to have new little hopes. It is rather hard work: there is no new road into the future: but we go round, or scramble over the obstacles. We’ve got to live, no matter how many skies have fallen.” - D.H. Lawrence |
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Entries (RSS)
I just received a review copy of The Other Hand, and have to say that I adore it. Thank you for taking the time to tell such a wonderful story.
I have previously felt a slight sympathy for refugees Chris, but after reading this novel, I now feel very very strongly that our treatment of them is horrendous. Thank you for such a disturbingly insightful work. On top of that it was a really couldn’t-put-it-down read – bought it yesterday afternoon late, and finished it early this morning.
Wow – mind blowing, absolutely fantastic. I have read this amazing book in one day, thank you for writing such a brilliant book that will stay in my mind for ever.
I’ve never written to an author before but then again I’ve never read a book like “The Other Hand”. I can’t stop thinking about it…the light hearted way Chris Cleave brought to life such incredibly deeply embedded, subconscious facets of my life is uncanny. How was so much wisdom courage and sagicity put upon a child of 16 but with such mirth and humour. She could only be a child of another nation, truly remarakable. Let’s hope it’s brought to life many other readers’ subconscious fears and unstated knowledge.
Chris …as far as boundaries go ..i am from India…reading “the other hand” made me want to read more about you ..and what made you write this book so completely with your soul …. and you have put it so beautifully ..the reason you write ..through the words of DH Lawrence …the situation in my country is right there in those words …and Chris as a reader of your book i can tell you that what you belive is so true …books do change things …keep the faith …love Sohini.
I Finished reading, Little Bee a week ago and started a much different novel days ago. Still…It is this novel (the characters and voices of Sarah and Little Bee) that my thoughts drift to now and again.
Below is my Amazon Vine Review for “Little Bee”.
`The hopes of this whole human world could fit in
side one soul. This is called, globalization.’, December 31, 2008
By J. Becker -
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program ~
Fantastic. Really – fantastic! Do not get discouraged by the slightly slow start, if you are patient, Chris Cleave will reward you with a story that you will think about all day. I had a difficult time staying away from this novel for very long, and it was easily one of the best books I’ve read in 2008.
Living through oil related conflicts in Nigeria, Little Bee has seen things she should not have seen and has survived things she should not have survived, and now she is fleeing from soldiers that want her dead. While running she meets up with vacationing Sarah and Andrew O’Rourke, and a few soldiers, too. This collision of time and fate between Sarah and Andrew and Little Bee, is the foundation that this novel is built upon.
A few years after the beach incident, Sarah and Andrew are both trying to forget about Little Bee as best they can. As Sarah explains on page 98, `There are countries of the world, and regions of one’s own mind, where it is unwise to travel.’ However, the real world and the scariest regions of their minds brake through all of Sarah and Andrew’s resistance when Little Bee makes a ghostly appearance.
Little Bee, is a story that entertains and raises awareness without being preachy and generously spares us the typical and predictable plot lines and the “why of course” ending. It was touching and funny and real. I very highly recommend this novel.
Thank you Chris, great work, please – keep writing!
JB
An extraordinary piece of work, in every sense of the word. Moving, insightful, cunning, funny and true. A modern classic (sigh – if only that weren’t an overused phrase). Thank you for the words.
JF
hi Chris – what an amazing book mate. i borrowed it from a friend and I couldn’t put it down – i literally rifled through it. I loved the female voices (I can’t believe you are a bloke!), the superb writing, the candid humour, the sheer horror and the clash of two worlds. I didn’t want it to end mate and when it did I couldn’t believe it. I re-read the last page several times because, and I have to be honest here, I felt a bit cheated. I’m not sure why. Perhaps I expected some form of closure – one way or the other – I don’t know. Then again perhaps I need to change my thinking and stop expecting predicatable endings. I truly loved your book mate – I finished it a month ago and am still thinking about it. I just felt compelled to write to you and sya thanks for creating Little Bee, Sarah, Batman and Andrew – very special indeed. cheers, Jeff in Australia
Un-put-down-able. I’m recommending it to all my friends. Thank you for a wonderful read.
i am half spanish half english and my life has a lot of stories since i been born…this feb went to see my brother tony in the states after 27 years not seeing him.in madrid airport i brought this book THE OTHER HAND,with out knowing what is was all about.i started reading i feel in love with this book it is so incredible,a mixture of sweet and sour,,,MR CLEAVE i must say thank you for writing this story,when i read it ,i am in the book feeling all those sensations of each person in the story,it is one big story with lots of other stories in it..just like my life….thank you for enjoyable book,,hope my english is good to understand…karola from spain..
I bought “The other Hand” last Saturday. I had read half by Thursday and I took this afternoon off because I HAD to finish it. It is an AMAZING book and it has had a profound effect upon me. The writing is so rich, so potent and visceral. The story is compelling and poignant because of course this stuff happens, is happening in my world now. I am buying 5 copies tomorrow and sending them to friends. Thank you so much for this experience.
Thank you, Sally! I’m really happy you got something out of the book & I hope your friends will enjoy it too.
Dear Chris
I have just finished The Other Hand on this beautiful March afternoon. I was supposed to go out and about but I could not leave Little Bee until her story was finished. I think you have made something amazing, and you have inspired me to get back to my writing with the hope and courage to one day tell such an important story like this in such a wonderful way. Many thanks!
Boo
Any plans to come to Chicago area on your book tour? Loved Little Bee. Thanks for such a insightful and engaging reading experience.
A quite astonishing novel Chris. The language is so intricate and powerful that I was captivated throughout and enriched by the end. Your name is new to me and I am so glad to have found it. So much of what you write resonates with my early experiences as the son of an ex-pat teacher living in Lahore. The combination of suffering, acceptance, pathos and humour I have always found difficult to describe – you have done it with a stroke of genius. Well done and thanks a million.
I read “Incendiary” last year and it took my breath away. This being so I was very excited to see “Little Bee”. Little Bee’s voice stole my heart away. I don’t know if you ever read “Lullaby’s for Little Criminals” but I suspect you would enjoy it. Thank you so much for these wonderful books.
I just finished reading Little Bee last night, and it was so amazing. I have never read anything like it. I loved how you portrayed Little Bee and Sara as strong willed females. Thanks for such a wonderful story. I haven’t read Incendiary but I will definitely add it to my To Read List.
Hi Chris- Just finished ‘the other hand’. An amazing story told in such a clean, deft way.
It challenged me to struggle to understand Nigeria and what it means to HAVE to flee your country. I was paying lip service but really I was refusing to do that.
We’re all scared of pain. Especially of others and your right when you have Little Bee tell us that we refuse to see the beauty in the lives of asylum seekers.
We want comfort and ignorance. We think that they might just keep us safe. It’s hard to blame us. The world is so completely cruel. But all we have is the love of each other and courage.
My eyes are now a little wider open.
Ta
Just read the other hand and was so moved by it, I couldn’t put it down and before I finished it I went out and bought two more copies for my daughters. Everyone should read this book, we are so unaware of what is done in our name, this book should open our eyes. Thanks
I’ve always enjoyed your slightly bonkers Guardian column.
I picked up “The other hand” and finished it in a day.
Then I saw your column and realised it was you! Batman should have given it away.
Thank you so much for such a subversive story. Its echoes are changing attitudes already.
A good friend of mine went to The Uk for his holiday and came across The other hand. He thought it would nice to get it for me. And now when I have just finished reading it, All I can say is thank you for such a great novel. Actually I did not want to finish it. When I realised there were 10 pages left to be read, I felt a kind of felling, the same when I do not want to finish off a chocolate bar as it is delicious and can not have one more until I get to a shop.
Chris, I picked up ‘The Other Hand’ in an airport bookshop, cant remember where it was now, and made my selection purely on the basis of the cover design. Fickle I know but who has time to read all the blubs!
Anyway dont know that I have ever in all my many years read such a wonderful and moving story, it will stay with me for the rest of my life. I finished it all too soon and immediately handed it to a very good friend with the instruction that he should hand it on as soon as he finished it too. Everyone should read your story.
All I can say is thank you and I wish I had one tenth of your talent.
Bought The Other Hand at the train station in Paris last Friday. Read it in all the spare moments I could find and have just put it down, amazed at the quality of your writing, concerned that I have been so unaware of Guantanamos existing in our midst and happy that there are people like you to bring us to a global consciousness, that we are all one.
Thank you.
Carole
ps: I have always hated petrol companies and have sworn I will not own a car unless they run on solar energy. I now have another confirmation that I am right! Let’s bring them down.
I loved this book..(The other hand)…couldnt put it down. I must say it was very clever not to tell what it is about on the book cover. It really intrigued me. It amazed me that a man could write a book with such insight into the female psyche. Can’t wait to read incendiary, battling to get a copy.
I loved this book..(The other hand)…couldnt put it down. I must say it was very clever not to tell what it is about on the book cover. It really intrigued me. It amazed me that a man could write a book with such insight into the female psyche. Can’t wait to read incendiary, battling to get a copy.
I just love it. My friend gave a copy as present.
Thank you for your afford Chris. Bless you. !
Hi there Chris,
I’ve just finished reading The Other Hand which we are reviewing at Liphook Book Club next week. Thanks for a fantastic novel and I’m sure we are going to have a very long and stimulating discussion. I think you’re novel is a novel in the true sense of the word. There is something of Balzac I feel somewhere, and that I assure you is a great compliment! It is very well constructed, it certainly stays with you and is very challenging!
Congratulations on the arrival of your daughter, and I hope you are inspired to write more!
Richard
I have just finished reading The Other Hand; I bought it because it had a nice cover and was a first edition, I didnt stop to even read anything about it. All i can say is that it was one of the best buys i have ever made. The story is so beautifuly and brilliantly written its an amazing story and each scene is so well decribed and detailed its so easy to imagine being on that beach. The ending it open but finished its a fantastic book I have never read anything like it before and its opened my eyes to a new type of novel. Thank you so much for writting it and im so glad I bought it one of the best inpluse buys ever xx
I finished reading The Other Hand about 1 minutes and 23 seconds ago and would just like to say thanks. Thanks.
I’ve just read The Other Hand and want to congratulate you not only on a beautifully crafted novel, but on bringing the tragedy of thousands of asylum seekers being wrongly deported and wrongly treated into light in such a personal way. I hope it opens many people’s eyes. Thankyou. x
Hi Chris -
Just found your book and am only on page 33 – had to stop right now and say – already – this is one of my favorites. Stunning writing, I love this book (Little Bee).
Thank you!
I picked up The Other Hand in a book shop in Chester while on holiday in the UK, so now it will circulate in Austria, too – albeit only with my English-speaking friends. Lovely, insightful, utterly compelling, incredibly personal and touching…certainly a book which makes you think. I truly believe we need little bees to change the world by chaning our hearts and then minds…Thank you for writing this book, please keep on writing!
Just finished Little Bee. You’ve picked another cause to be involved in. I’ve found another author I enjoy (which brings me bliss). Keep writing!
I’ve just finished reading “Incendiary”, and I was moved to tears by it – it truly is a stunning book, and I know it’s a cliche, but I really, really couldn’t put it down. The credibility and realism of it, coupled with the deep, raw emotion and pain, was amazing and incredibly engrossing. Very thought-provoking, very powerful and a book everyone should read.
I’m curious as to whether it was written before or after the 7/7 bombings in London. It reminded me of the strange days that followed these attacks – I worked for the Underground at the time and was on duty when they happened. I saw much of what unfolded, and I can vouch for the realism and accuracy of this powerful novel.
Thank you so much for writing it.
I think both of your books are incredible.
I absolutely loved “The other friend” and have already recommended it to my family and friends. My mum can’t wait for it to be translated in our native language so she could enjoy the story to the fullest. Thank you for your wonderful writing.
I think you should strike JB’s comment from this page, he broke the rules and told ppl the story of Little Bee. I checked this book out at my local library because what was written in the book jacket completely had me curious. So, I read and re-read and re-re-read…I love the story. I want to make good things happen now, you have completely changed my feelings on my life, at this point, with this story. Thank you so much for writing something so tragically beautiful. I will be watching for more literature from you Mr. Cleave. Thanks again.
~Erin
I read constantly and I used to beleive I had read plenty of amazing books – but then I read The Other Hand. This novel has completly changed what it means to be a good book! Every other book I have ever read cannot compare to this masterpiece of yours. Your way with words outstands me. You write so beautifully about such tragic things.
I was standing in Waterstones when I picked up The Other Hand and I began reading it right there in the shop. What you wrote about Little Bee wanting to be a British Pound Coin had me hooked and made me look at the world in such a different way.
I then found out that you had written another book “incendiary”. I’ll be honest with you – I didn’t expect it to be very good mainly because of how good The Other Hand is. I’m halfway through the book now and wow. Yet again you have blown me away with words.
You are by far my favourite author and all there is left to do is thank you for allowing the world to read your wonderful novels.
I have rarely read a book with such powerful beginning – I loved the way you introduced your heroins – and the story carried all the way through as well..
Thank you, you book got me away from using my precious time to worry about things less important. Now I need to get my hands on the other one as well… planning to have them translated to Finnish any time soon ?
(I guess a lot would be lost in translation though)
Dear Chris
I have been an avid reader ever since a child and I can honestly say I have never read a book that has affected me so profoundly as “The Other Hand” did. How is it possible to make a reader laugh out loud while reading the most heart wrenching, fearful story they have ever read?! To quote Little Bee that is a neat trick!
Thank you for taking the time to open my comfortably averted eyes to what is going on for, and in, my own country.
Thank you. You really gave me a stunning experience. I just grapped your book by accident from the airport coming back home to Finland from UK and I couldn’t stop reading it. Goes to my personal top 5 list at least. Thank you so much.
I have just reviewed INCENDIARY for a magazine,it is of course enthusiastic in content. An excellent piece of writing on your behalf, completely different, and makes one think. I had a few months previously reviewed THE OTHER HAND, once again with deserved enthusiasm. Thank you for your writing.
Picked up The Other Hand to read two days ago (I only have time to read in the evening) and I have already finished it – I usually fall asleep whilst reading in bed but this book kept me awake long after I put the light out. I would go as far to say that it is the best book I have read for a long, long time.. It certainly opened my eyes to the refugee situation and I will not be so critical in future. So thank you, Chris, for a wonderful story…….I will certainly look out for your name on future books. Well done.
Hi Chris,
Reading your book “The other Hand”made me realised that there are some people at this present time who can do anything to make this world a better place to live in. Im talking about Sarah, and I felt so sorry for little bee. I live in this country for nearly 9 years and seen things happen but your book at some point can change people’s view. Some British people thinks people left everything behind where they come from just to come over here to live, they come over here because there are problems that is the main reason.
I have read it with so much passion and became addictive to it, when I finished the other hand it made me buy INCENDIARY which im reading now, I always rush home to start reading it, it so funny I even reading it while I’m walking. I fall in love with your writing Mr Cleave. I’ll come back when i finished INCENDIARY and I cant wait for the next one.
Please keep Writing man. Thanks!!!
Gabriel
ach Chris, you either make me roar laughing or cry. in a good way. that story about the asylum seeker and his son made me pause.
busy reading ‘the other hand’, really a wonderful story, so real it’s scary and so very well written.
I loved it.
But surely someone doesn’t?
Will my last sentence be eradicated or can I believe in uncensored Guardianland readership?
I bought a book in the airport of Amsterdam, just only because i liked a comments. But when i read it, i realised the power of story,the unbelievable reality and i cried, its the first book i was reading and crying. Loud applause to you Chris, i think your one of the people who cares about others and who really wants to help a world to be better.
Stunning,real,outstanding…masterpiece!!!Thank you!
I bought “The other hand” in April on one of regular book binges. I was given “Incendiary”for Christmas. I read “Incendiary”overnight and started “The other Hand” the next morning. I absolutely loved both books, not only important stories and ideas but beautifully crafted too.
I can not wait for your third novel, hope the children let you write it……….
Regards,Amanda
I have never been a great reader of any book I have always got lost in my own mind when reading -so always miss page after page of the script. Recently I have started to read books I decided to buy 3 books at once and hoped I would get the thrill that other readers get. I would like to thank you for writing incendiary as it captured me from start to end not once did my mind wander- similair to another comment I read from start to finish only to stop to boil the kettle. I felt as if I was part of the story, unbelievable powerful and mindopening story. I have now today bought the other hand and cant wait I,m going to fill my flask when I start reading it, I dont want any interuptions.
Many Thanks for opening my eyes to reading.
John