DownloadThe Portobello Bookshop Gift Guide 2024

Orbital

A profound exploration of humanity from the cosmos.

Samantha Harvey author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Vintage Publishing

Published:2nd Nov '23

Should be back in stock very soon

This hardback is available in another edition too:

Orbital cover

In Orbital, astronauts aboard the International Space Station confront profound questions about life, loss, and humanity while observing Earth's beauty from above.

In Orbital, six astronauts aboard the International Space Station embark on a profound journey that transcends the boundaries of space and time. As they rotate around Earth, they engage in vital scientific work, yet their experience leads them to ponder deeper existential questions. What does it mean to be human in a world so distant? The astronauts find themselves captivated by the beauty of their home planet, observing its diverse landscapes and changing seasons from above. Each orbit reveals the breathtaking sights of glaciers, deserts, mountains, and oceans, reminding them of the fragile beauty of life on Earth.

Despite the awe-inspiring views, the astronauts cannot escape the emotional weight of their separation from humanity. News of personal losses, such as the death of a loved one, brings the reality of their situation into sharp focus. They are faced with the stark contrast between the serenity of space and the chaos of life back home. As they witness natural disasters unfold, such as a typhoon threatening familiar shores, their conversations delve into the fragility of human existence and the connections that tie them to Earth.

Orbital serves as a poignant exploration of intimacy, loss, and the human experience against the backdrop of the infinite cosmos. It challenges readers to reflect on their own lives and the world they inhabit, ultimately fostering a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of all beings.

In this slender novel, Harvey seems to have encompassed all of humanity… It is an extraordinary achievement * Observer *
Orbital is entirely original, a serenely beautiful and intelligent creation * Mail on Sunday, *Books of the Year* *
Orbital is the rarest of things, a book that satisfies both my lifelong obsession with space travel and my hunger for sentences and paragraphs that demand to be read and reread… My goodness this novel is beautiful * New Statesman, *Books of the Year* *
Stunning… The beauty of the prose engages the reader fully… An uplifting book * Sunday Times *
In contrast to the bleak apocalyptic tone of much contemporary climate fiction, Orbital’s luminous descriptions remind us of the beauty at stake when humanity plays fast and loose with our single, and singular, blue marble * Financial Times *
Harvey beautifully evokes the wonder and fragility of our planet and its inhabitants. An uplifting book, in every sense * Guardian, *Books of the Year* *
Compelling... Orbital is a hopeful book and it studies people who act on their hope. It’s an Anthropocene book resistant to doom * Guardian, *Book of the Day* *
One of our most consistently surprising novelists rips up the rulebook again… A boldly imaginative meditation on time and the nature of existence * Daily Mail, *Books of the Year* *
Beautiful in every aspect -- Sarah Moss, author of Summerwater
This is such a beautiful book you have to adjust your readerly heart to take it all in... It is an awe-inspiring and humbling love letter to Earth and those who reckon with the gift of it -- Max Porter, author of Shy

ISBN: 9781787334342

Dimensions: 206mm x 136mm x 17mm

Weight: 229g

144 pages