Abominations

The first essay collection from one of the most acclaimed writers of our time.

<strong>'This trenchant, unrepentant collection reminds you that she's a brilliant writer... Order a copy in case she's cancelled by Christmas' <em>THE TIMES</em> (Book of the Year)</strong>

<strong>'You may disagree with Lionel Shriver's bracing journalism, but her right to spark disquiet goes to the heart of the freedom of expression issue' Rachel Cooke, <em>OBSERVER</em></strong>

<strong>'Mutinous essays about modern politics and culture... An independent mind and a sense of humour are dangerous things to possess. The spiky, politically incorrect novelist Lionel Shriver has them in abundance'<em> THE TIMES</em></strong>

<strong>'Testament to the fierce intelligence of a writer who wants us to think more, probe more, challenge more - and who also makes it fun' <em>THE SUNDAY TIMES</em></strong>

Novelist, cultural observer and social satirist Lionel Shriver is among the sharpest talents of our age. A writer who embraces 'under-expressed, unpopular or downright dangerous' points of view, she regularly deplores the conformity of thought and attitude that has overtaken society.

Bringing together thirty-five works curated from her many columns, features, essays and op-eds for the likes of the <em>Spectator</em> and <em>Guardian</em>, speeches and reviews, and some unpublished pieces, <em>Abominations</em> reveals Shriver at her most iconoclastic and personal. Relentlessly sceptical, cutting and contrarian but also frequently moving and vulnerable, this collection showcases her piquant opinions on a wide range of topics, including religion, politics, illness, mortality, family and friends, tennis, gender, immigration, consumerism, health care and taxes.

Though some of the more divisive essays in <em>Abominations</em> have 'brought hell and damnation down on my head,' as she cheerfully explains, she also offers insights on her novels and explores the perks and pitfalls of becoming a successful artist. Readers will find plenty to challenge them here, but they may also find many nuanced and considered insights with which they agree.