Its a mystery, a novel of character and a recreation of the past, all in one. Jun 03, 2009 stone s fall does show, as in pears s reimagining of the 1890 crisis when the bank of england bailed out barings, that the financial world has long been a confidence game, gambling on trust and. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. One of the books on my list is stones fall by iain pears, which i finished a couple of weeks ago but havent had a chance to post about yet, so i thought it would make sense to tell you about the book today before posting my top books of 2011 later. Well, all you iain pears fans can relax he s written a terrific book again. In his most dazzling novel since the groundbreaking new york times bestseller an instance of the fingerpost, iain pears tells the story of john stone, financier and arms dealer, a. As in an instance of the fingerpost, pears uses multiple narrators to tell the story of financier john stone s death after a fall out a window. Admirers of iain pearss an instance of the fingerpost have waited more than 10 years for another lengthy, serpentine thriller bearing the stamp of his erudition in matters historical, artistic and financial.
I say this as an iain pears fan who had to throw the dream of scipio against the wall with great force. To solve the mystery of death and the maiden you must tangle with financial espionage, the social whirl of upper class paris and the development of industrial engineering in venice and newcastle. Pears was born on 8 august 1955 in coventry, england. Pears books before, i would have given up on stone s fall early on. In the year 2002, pears published the book the dream of scipio, which had three stories interleaved.
Stones fall is a 2009 historicalmystery novel by iain pears. What kicks off stones fall is the death in 1909 of arms trader and industrialist john stone, a figure unknown to the public but a pillar of international finance. Stones fall is constructed as an intricate and, at almost 600 pages, hefty, puzzle, but because the end of the story is known from the outset, its revelations must be cleverly managed if the plot. A panoramic novel with a riveting mystery at its heart, stones fall is a quest to. Iain pears is the author of the bestsellers an instance of the fingerpost, the dream of scipio, stones fall, and arcadia, and a novella, the portrait, as well as a series of acclaimed detective novels, a book of art history, and countless articles on artistic, financial and historical subjects. In his most dazzling and brilliant novel since an instance of the fingerpost, iain pears tells the story of john stone, financier and armaments manufacturer, a man so wealthy that in the years before world war one he was able to manipulate markets, industries and indeed whole countries and continents. British author pears matches the brilliance of his bestselling an instance of the fingerpost 1998 with this intricate historical novel, which centers on the death of a wealthy financier. The quest to uncover the truth behind his death plays out against the backdrop of highstakes international finance, europe s first great age of espionage, and the start of the twentieth century s arms race. Jun 07, 2009 stones fall, a long novel by iain pears, the british writer best known for an instance of the fingerpost, gives the reader the expected morethan500 pages and also what is not. As in an instance of the fingerpost, pears uses multiple narrators to tell the story of financier john stones death after a fall out a window. The raphael affair 1991 the titian committee 1992 the bernini bust 1993 the last judgement 1994 giottos hand 1995 death and restoration 1996 the immaculate deception 2000 novels. Stones fall by iain pears penguin random house audio. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading stones fall. In his most dazzling novel since the groundbreaking new york times bestseller an instance of the fingerpost,iain pears tells the story of john stone, financier and arms.
When i read iain pears an instance of the fingerpost years ago, i thought it was so brilliantly plotted, so compulsively entertaining, so utterly engrossing that i gave it to my father and said, this is the new dickens. A novel 9780385522847 by pears, iain and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Iain pearss stones fall is a puzzle that may be likened to a set of chinese boxes or russian dolls. Coming the year 2009, he published yet another book known as stones fall. With 2011 coming to an end, like a lot of bloggers ive been putting together a list of my favourite books read this year.
The first part is by far the worst, and if i hadnt read other i. Both are set in a thoroughlyrealised historical past. Stones fall, a long novel by iain pears, the british writer best. Iain george pears born 8 august 1955 is an english art historian, novelist and journalist. Pearss tale turns back on itself and into the past until, deep into the book, we find that our first narrator has gone underground and none other than stone is telling his own tale, which by this time has gotten deliciously tangled. Iain pears has always written complex books his latest, arcadia, has 10 separate story strands. Stones fall by iain pears, 9780099516170, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The french, i knew, were well ahead in this area, constructing gigantic palaces in the centre of cities which offer every luxury to travellers prepared to pay well to avoid any real.
Stone s fall is constructed as an intricate and, at almost 600 pages, hefty, puzzle, but because the end of the story is known from the outset, its revelations must be cleverly managed if the plot is to retain sufficient tension. It s a mystery, a novel of character and a recreation of the past, all in one. It is london, 1909, and john stone, a wealthy financier and armaments manufacturer, has fallen to his death from the firstfloor window of his study, leaving behind him a beautiful widow and a. Pears prose flows in fine style loaded with fascinating settings, characters and situations. Iain pears is the author of the bestsellers an instance of the fingerpost, the dream of scipio, stones fall, and arcadia, and a novella, the portrait, as well as a series of acclaimed detective novels, a book of art history, and countless articles on artistic, financial and more about iain pears. It consists of three interconnected tales with three distinct narrators. Support the guardian available for everyone, funded by readers. There are passages which echo buchan and edwardian writers such as the outrageously inventive e phillips oppenheim, while the novel is of a complexity worthy. The growth of interest in the arts in england, 16801768 studies in british art. The multiple narrators, in turn, narrate stories taking place in. Historical crime with superb attention to detail, clever plotting and convincing evocation of an era long gone. Jun 03, 2010 buy stone s fall by pears, iain from amazon s fiction books store. He is the author of seven detective novels, a book of art history and countless articles on artistic, financial and historical subjects, and three novels, an instance of the fingerpost, the dream of scipio and the portrait.
The narrator is an poorly educated journalist from lower class backgroud, who has the job of investigating life of a famous financier but who doesnt understand finance, and isn. Admirers of iain pears s an instance of the fingerpost have waited more than 10 years for another lengthy, serpentine thriller bearing the stamp of his erudition in matters historical, artistic and financial. He was educated at warwick school, an allboys public school in warwick. It is told from the perspective of three narrators, during three time periods, and in three separate settings. An instance of the fingerpost 1997 the dream of scipio 2002 the portrait 2005 stones fall 2009 arcadia 2015. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading stone s fall. Stone s fall by iain pears, 9780099516170, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Iain pears novel stones fall is incredibly complex. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint.
Why you need an app to understand my novel the guardian. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. Stones fall does show, as in pearss reimagining of the 1890 crisis when the bank of england bailed out barings, that the financial world has long been a. Iain pears books list of books by author iain pears. In his most dazzling novel since the groundbreaking new york times bestseller an instance of the fingerpost,iain pears tells the story of john stone. Iain pears, quote from stones fall young men of my type are prone to be impatient of details, and give their loyalties without regard to evidence. Stones fall a novel by iain pears author roy dotrice narrator. Pears has worked as an art historian, a tv consultant, and a journalist for many countries. Fingerpost in 17thcentury oxford, stone s fall in the more familiar environment of late19thcentury europe.
Since, in crime fiction, the mystery is in the fictional present, and its resolution in the fictional past, the reader must travel backward, like peter the great through a hedge. A panoramic novel with a riveting mystery at its heart, stones fall is a quest, a love story, and a tale of murder. Pears pieced together a historical mystery that simply broaches espionage, international finance, and military arms production. He died through falling from a high window in his this is the fourth of pearss five to date standalone novels. Iain pears is the author of the bestsellers an instance of the fingerpost, the dream of scipio, stone s fall, and arcadia, and a novella, the portrait, as well as a series of acclaimed detective novels, a book of art history, and countless articles on artistic, financial and. Buy stones fall by iain pears from waterstones today. Stones fall book chicago public library bibliocommons. Pears books before, i would have given up on stones fall early on. Stones fall quotes showing 121 of 21 a company is a moral imbecile. A return to the form that launched iain pears onto bestseller lists around the world. Well, all you iain pears fans can relax hes written a terrific book again. Dec 28, 2011 one of the books on my list is stones fall by iain pears, which i finished a couple of weeks ago but havent had a chance to post about yet, so i thought it would make sense to tell you about the book today before posting my top books of 2011 later in the week.
A novel to stand alongside atonement and the remains of the day. At his london home, john stone falls out of a window to his death. Stones fall, a long novel by iain pears, the british writer best known for an instance of the fingerpost, gives the reader. In his most dazzling novel since the groundbreaking new york times bestseller an instance of the fingerpost, iain pears tells the story of john stone, financier and arms dealer, a man so. In his most dazzling novel since the groundbreaking new york times be. Last year, in his electronic book of arcadia, he allowed the readers to switch between the multiple narratives. Stones fall by iain pears meet your next favorite book.
In part one, after john stone falls to his death from a window in his london mansion in 1909, stones seductive. And stones fall has all the makings of an excellent novel. Buy stones fall by iain pears from amazons fiction books store. Pears is the author of the jonathan argyll series of art history mystery novels. Stones fall is an intricately plotted and richly satisfying puzzlean erudite work of history and fiction that feels utterly true and. Still catching my breath after finishing stones fall last night.
May 08, 2009 stone s fall is constructed as an intricate and, at almost 600 pages, hefty, puzzle, but because the end of the story is known from the outset, its revelations must be cleverly managed if the plot. Pears combined his knowledge of art and his mystery writing technique in an instance of the fingerpost and other novels. Stones fall, a long novel by iain pears, the british writer best known for an instance of the fingerpost, gives the reader the expected morethan500 pages and also what is. Stones fall by iain pears overdrive rakuten overdrive. Iain pears novel stone s fall is incredibly complex. Both are beautifully written i suspect ian pears couldnt write a bad sentence if he tried.
And stone s fall has all the makings of an excellent novel. Fingerpost in 17thcentury oxford, stones fall in the more familiar environment of late19thcentury europe. This historical novel spans a century of sex, deception and capitalism in. Pears s tale turns back on itself and into the past until, deep into the book, we find that our first narrator has gone underground and none other than stone is telling his own tale, which by this time has gotten deliciously tangled. Still catching my breath after finishing stone s fall last night. Iain pears has also written a novel series that features an art historian, jonathan argyll. Iain pears thriller about the mysterious death of a london financier and the machinations of international bankers is the right book for the times. The quest to uncover the truth behind his death plays out against the backdrop of highstakes international finance, europes first great age of espionage, and the start of the twentieth centurys arms race. Repeat that sentence and see how easily you believe it.
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