"Astonishing, and compulsively readable." "-- Los Angeles Times Book Review""Fascinating, evocative. . . . Rich and compelling. . . . A thrilling ride through a whirlwind of history. . . . De Berni?res has reached heights that few modern novelists ever attempt." --"The Washington Post""Engrossing. . . . The prose is gorgeous. . . . Everyone in this cast of characters is someone memorable, and their lives and fates intertwine to make a marvelously engaging story of a village." --"Chicago Tribune""Marvelous. . . . Breathtaking. . . . Heartbreaking yet resplendent. . . . De Bernieres masterfully explores the terrible price of love, politics and war. . . . [He is] a magnificent storyteller." --"The Miami Herald""A masterpiece. . . . Display[s] de Bernieres' remarkable literary voice: erudite, compelling, witty." --"USA Today""An absorbing epic. . . . De Berni?res [is] adept at juxtaposing brutality with episodes of high comedy or romance." --"The New York Times Book Review""A sweeping account of the rise of modern Turkey and the last days of the Ottoman Empire. In an intensely personal way, [de Berni?res] shows how these historic changes affected the inhabitants of Eskibahce . . . and in a more global way . . . how misplaced imperial aspirations and gratuitous war can devastate ordinary people." --"Newsday""Beguiling. . . . Startlingly unique. . . . De Bernieres is so inventive--celebratory but never sentimental." --"Newsweek""A literary triumph. . . . Louis de Bernieres [may be] the next Leo Tolstoy." --"Seattle Post-Intelligencer""Lovely. . . . Epic in scope and with a clear message: Peace is a more livable climate than war, and the political aspirations of power mongers waste the lives of the humble populace." --"Oregonian""The most eagerly awaited novel of the year . . . . A mesmerizing patchwork of horror, humor and humanity." --"Independent" (UK)"De Bernieres is at his finest when he allows us to experience the hardships and horrors through the lives of the villag

Louis de Bernieres's first three novels are The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts (Commonwealth Writers Prize, Best First Book Eurasia Region, 1991), Se-or Vivo and the Coca Lord (Commonwealth Writers Prize, Best Book Eurasia Region, 1992), and The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman. The author was selected by Granta as one of the twenty Best of Young British Novelists in 1993. Corelli's Mandolin won the Commonwealth Writers Prize, Best Book, in 1995. His last book was Red Dog, published in 2001.