A Whole Life

A tender tale of solitude and the search for beauty in the Austrian Alps, shortlisted for the Booker International Prize.

Like John Williams' Stoner or Denis Johnson's Train Dreams, A Whole Life is an exquisite novel that moves readers with its message of truth and solace. It explores the moments, both big and small, that shape our lives.

Andreas spends his entire life in the Austrian Alps, taken in by a farming family as a young boy. A man of few words, he expresses his love for Marie by having friends light her name across the mountain at dusk. When Marie dies in an avalanche, pregnant with their first child, Andreas' heart is shattered. He leaves his valley only once more, to fight in World War II, where he is taken prisoner in the Caucasus. Upon returning, he finds modernity encroaching on his remote haven. . .

‘It is at once heart-rending and heart-warming. A Whole Life, for all its gentleness, is a very powerful book.’ – Jim Crace, author of Harvest