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Lean Fall Stand

A tale of survival and self-discovery

Jon McGregor author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers

Published:31st Mar '22

Should be back in stock very soon

Lean Fall Stand cover

A profound exploration of survival, identity, and the struggle to communicate, Lean Fall Stand captivates with its emotional depth and gripping narrative.

In Lean Fall Stand, the gripping new novel by the acclaimed author of Reservoir 13, we follow Doc Wright through a harrowing journey of survival and introspection. Caught in an ice storm, Doc finds himself isolated from his team, struggling against the elements and the disorienting effects of his own mind. The narrative delves into the challenges of communication and the fragility of human connection when distance and circumstances conspire against them. As he navigates the chaos, readers are drawn into a world where clarity is elusive and every moment is fraught with tension.

Back home, the aftermath of the Antarctic expedition leaves Doc grappling with a profound sense of loss and confusion. His wife, Anna, steps into the role of caregiver, and their relationship is tested as they confront the changes wrought by his experiences. The novel explores themes of identity, memory, and the struggle to articulate one's story when words become inadequate. Doc's journey is not just about survival in the harshest of environments but also about finding a new way to exist in a world that feels altered forever.

Lean Fall Stand is a masterful exploration of the human condition, blending gripping prose with deep emotional resonance. It invites readers to reflect on the nature of resilience and the importance of connection in the face of adversity. With its powerful narrative and richly drawn characters, this book promises to linger in the minds of its readers long after the final page is turned.

Gripping, moving, magnificent’ Kamila Shamsie, author of Home Fire

‘Jon McGregor has crafted a unique narrative, encompassing frozen wastes & altered interior landscapes. The most gripping piece of writing I’ve read in a long time: Sit. Read. Applaud’ Jarvis Cocker

‘Utterly original. Jaw-dropping. The sort of book you’ll think about for ages’ Paula Hawkins, author of Girl on the Train

Another McGregor novel that, beneath its serene surface, takes huge risks … Fortunately, it’s also another McGregor novel that triumphantly gets away with itThe Times

'Lean Fall Stand is a beautiful piece of work and should win a roomful of prizes. Jon McGregor writes plainly and exactly, like a poet, and the precision of his writing makes every heartbeat register' Hilary Mantel, author of The Mirror and the Light

‘A spectacular book … It does what Jon McGregor does so well: examine the widening ripples of a single event. I read it again, as soon as I'd finished
Maggie O’Farrell, author of Hamnet

Opens as excitingly as any work of fiction I’ve recently read … It’s extraordinarily tense and atmospheric – and McGregor’s prose is tight as a wire’ Telegraph

Exceptional. … So moving, and the use of language is remarkable. I absolutely loved it’ David Nicholls, author of Sweet Sorrow

‘A genuinely fascinating book and a troubling, riveting reading experience. A bold and masterful investigation into the weather system of the human mind’ Max Porter, author of The Death of Francis Bacon

‘A genuine masterpiece: poised, multilayered and full of the most astonishingly beautiful prose’ Alex Preston, Observer

‘McGregor’s precise, well-judged prose attests to both the power of language and to the havoc created by its loss’ Financial Times

ISBN: 9780008204945

Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 22mm

Weight: 260g

288 pages