No catches, no fine print just unadulterated book loving, with your favourite books saved to your own digital bookshelf.
New members get entered into our monthly draw to win £100 to spend in your local bookshop Plus lots lots more…
Find out more
Jan-Philipp Sendker lives in Berlin with his family. He was the American correspondent for Stern from 1990 to 1995, and its Asian correspondent from 1995 to 1999. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats, his first novel, was an international bestseller, and he’s the author of A Well- Tempered Heart, Whispering Shadows and its sequel Dragon Games. He is currently at work on the third novel set in Hong Kong.
Click here to read a Q&A with this author.
A darkly captivating, tense, and beautifully written tale, that explores fear and the innermost thoughts and feelings of hearts and minds. This is the second in the ‘China’ series, and I really do recommend starting with the wonderful ‘Whispering Shadows’. Paul Leibovitz finds himself on an emotional collision course as he battles for justice in China. His girlfriend Christine, is connected to China in a way that, even with all of his knowledge of the East, Paul can not understand, and their two stories, twist around each other, separated, yet together. The prologue surprised me, it is a tormented and heartbreaking lament, the voice reappears during the novel, absolutely haunting in it’s intensity. I found myself connecting to characters who are just a whisper on the page, feeling their pain and confusion. Jan-Philipp Sendker paints a vividly striking picture of a different world, yet he doesn't pass judgement, instead allowing you to watch, listen and learn. ‘Dragon Games’ hovers on a honed knife edge of tension, it’s a deeply moving story, and slowly seeped into my soul. ~ Liz Robinson Click here to read a Q&A with this author.
-128x200.jpg)
A 2016 World Book Night selection. ‘Whispering Shadows’ may be classed as a murder mystery, however it is one with true heart and soul, and is a sincerely beautiful read. The first in a trilogy, Jan-Philipp Sendker has departed from the format of The Art of Hearing Heartbeats and A Well-Tempered Heart, yet the enticing mix of East and West again weaves its magic touch. Paul Leibovitz has spent 30 years living in Hong Kong, he has experienced tragedy and has cut himself off from the rest of the world; a chance meeting sets him on a collision course with his feelings, his past and a possible future. Sendker obviously has a profound connection with China, his writing not only allows you to open your eyes in a different land, but also to feel, to touch, to think with consideration and compassion. Ranging from delicate and thoughtful to commanding and persuasive ensures this a convincing and fascinating read. ~ Liz Robinson
-132x200.jpg)
March 2014 Book of the Month. An intriguing and beguiling read, told with great eloquence and understanding. Burma and the USA are unlikely bedfellows as a setting, however this juxtaposition helps focus on the different characters and their yearning for compassion and love. Part of the novel is set within a period of civil war, the hardships accentuate the spiritual and friendly nature of the community caught in this internal conflict and you feel that the author has a great love for Burma and its people. His lightness of touch, when dealing with heartache and sorrow, emphasise the intensity of feelings within the main characters. There is no discord or disharmony between the different stories being told and by the end the tales fit enchantingly together like two sides of the same jigsaw. Although this is a much anticipated sequel, you do not have to have read the award winning The Art of Hearing Heartbeats. This book stands resolutely in its own right, however there are suggestive hints, that if you haven't yet done so, will encourage you to explore the story of Julias father, the man who could hear heartbeats. ~ Liz Robinson In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for A Well Tempered Heart a small number of Lovereading members were lucky enough to be invited to review this title - 'A beautifully written book about a beautiful country and culture. If you love a sensitive thoughtful book then this is the one for you.' Sarah Musk Scroll down to read more reviews. A 'Piece of Passion' from the publisher... Normally publishers are wary of sequels but Jan-Philipp Sendker’s follow up to the smash hit Art of Hearing Heartbeats does not disappoint. Everything is there: the mix of East and West, the pain of lives pulled apart by the bitter conflict of war and, most of all, the emotional pull of love, loss and forgiveness. All infused with Jan-Philipp’s spellbinding story-telling; you won’t be able to put it down.' - Neville Moir, Editor, Polygon Books
-132x200.jpg)
One of our Books of the Year 2013. A beautifully written, inspiring love story and fairy tale. Originally written in German it has had huge international success and is now being published in the UK. Julia Winn’s father disappears without a trace, the only clue to his whereabouts is a love letter written to a woman in Burma. The story, set in present-day New York and 1950s Burma, is what she discovers about her father and herself. March 2013 Debut of the Month. In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for The Art of Hearing Heartbeats a small number of Lovereading members were lucky enough to be invited to review this title - 'a magical story of love, loss, superstition, perseverance and family obligation...I loved this novel and recommend it wholeheartedly' Scroll down to read more reviews.
Twelve-year-old Ko Bo Bo lives with his uncle U Ba in Kalaw, a town in Burma. An unusually perceptive child, Bo Bo can read people's emotions in their eyes. This acute sensitivity only makes his unconventional home life more difficult: His father comes to visit him once a year, and he can hardly remember his mother, who, for unclear reasons, keeps herself away from her son. Everything changes when Bo Bo discovers the story of his parents' great love, which threatens to break down in the whirlwind of political events, and of his mother's mysterious sickness. Convinced that he can heal her and reunite their family, Bo Bo decides to set out in search of his parents.
During a trip to China, Paul and Christine experience the nightmare of every parent: their four year old son is threatened with kidnap. The only safe place for the family is the US embassy in Beijing, but they are two thousand miles away, with the police searching frantically for them, and all airports, train stations and major roads under surveillance. They'll have no chance without help from strangers, but who will be willing to risk their lives for them? Suspenseful and rife with the page-turning storytelling that has come to define Sendker's work, Far Side of the Night is a brilliant and timely thriller that offers a penetrating look into contemporary China.
Jan-Philipp Sendker has visited Myanmar (Burma) for over twenty years and, while doing research for his novels The Art of Hearing Heartbeats and A Well-Tempered Heart, he encountered numerous folktales and fables. These stories reveal the rich mythology and spirituality of the diverse peoples of Burma, and the profound social impact of Buddhist thought. Reminiscent of the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen, this collection illustrates how all cultures draw on a universal wisdom to create their myths. The Long Path to Wisdom's evocative stories are sure to delight fans of The Art of Hearing Heartbeats as well as readers new to the magic and emotion of Sendker's writing.
Byvshij zhurnalist Pol Lejbovic vot uzhe tridcat' let zhivet v Gonkonge. U nego est' podruga Kristina, i v ee lyubvi on nakonec nashel uteshenie posle smerti svoego syna Dzhastina. Neozhidanno Kristina poluchaet pis'mo ot starshego brata, kotorogo ne videla pochti sorok let i schitala pogibshim. Brat, dumaya, chto Kristina voplotila svoyu detskuyu mechtu i stala vrachom, prosit o pomoshchi: ego zhenu porazil tyazhelyj nedug. Vmeste s Kristinoj Pol edet v otdalennuyu derevnyu za predelami SHanhaya. Okazalos', chto bolezn' porazila ne tol'ko zhenu brata Kristiny. I Pol nachinaet sobstvennoe rassledovanie, no emu vse vremya ugrozhayut i vstavlyayut palki v kolesa. K tomu zhe Pol ne mozhet zabyt' predskazanie astrologa: vy zhizn' zaberete, vy zhizn' podarite, vy zhizn' poteryaete... "e;Golos odinochestva - uvlekatel'naya vtoraya kniga v serii "e;Probuzhdenie drakona, mezhdunarodnogo bestsellera YAna-Filippa Zendkera. Vpervye na russkom yazyke!
Brooding expat and journalist Paul Leibovitz is beginning to imagine a new life for himself in Hong Kong, one in which the grief over a recent family tragedy doesn't consume him and his love for Christine Wu brings him great joy. When Christine gets an unexpected and emotionally-charged letter from her estranged brother, Paul journeys with her to a remote village outside Shanghai, where a mysterious illness is affecting the locals.Paul discovers a powerful chemical conglomerate is polluting a nearby lake, and Chinese officials are doing nothing to stop it. The victims demand justice, but taking legal action could prove even more dangerous than the strange disease itself. Government intimidation and political corruption threaten to suppress even the most passionate and audacious environmental activists. If Paul doesn't walk away, he could pull the woman he loves back into a world she escaped from decades ago-putting their relationship and their lives at risk.Suspenseful and rife with the page-turning storytelling that defines Sendker's remarkable work and harks back to The Art of Hearing Heartbeats, The Language of Solitude offers a peerless look into contemporary China.
Posle smerti malen'kogo syna i razvoda s zhenoj Pol Lejbovic otgorodilsya ot lyudej, predpochitaya zhit' v uedinenii na malen'kom ostrove. Vospominaniya - vot vse, chto otnyne sostavlyaet zhizn' Pola, ostal'noe perestalo ego interesovat'. Situaciya izmenilas' posle sluchajnogo znakomstva s amerikankoj, kotoraya tozhe poteryala syna. Pol ne smog otkazat' ej v pomoshchi, ved' on uzhe tridcat' let zhivet v Kitae i horosho znaet mestnye nravy i obychai. Vynuzhdennyj pokinut' svoj staratel'no ohranyaemyj mir, Pol, neohotno vtyagivayas' v rassledovanie ubijstva, postepenno nachinaet ponimat', kak mnogogo on lishilsya. Pol razmyshlyaet o smysle svoego sushchestvovaniya, zanovo uchitsya lyubit', doveryat' ne tol'ko svoemu edinstvennomu drugu, no i lyudyam voobshche. Vpervye na russkom yazyke!
The first in a suspenseful new trilogy by the internationally bestselling author of The Art of Hearing Heartbeats, this gripping story follows a retired expat journalist in contemporary China who tries to crack a murder case as he battles his own personal demons.American expat Paul Leibovitz was once an ambitious advisor, dedicated father, and loving husband. But after living for nearly thirty years in Hong Kong, personal tragedy strikes and Pauls marriage unravels in the fallout. Now Paul is living as a recluse on an outlying island of Hong Kong. When he makes a fleeting connection with Elizabeth, a distressed American woman on the verge of collapse, his life is thrown into turmoil. Less than twenty-four hours later, Elizabeths son is found dead in Shenzhen, and Paul, invigorated by a newfound purpose, sets out to investigate the murder on his own. As Paul, Elizabeth, and a detective friend descend deeper into the Shenzhen underworldagainst the wishes of a woman with whom Paul has had a flirtationthey discover dark secrets hidden beneath Chinas booming new wealth. In a country where rich businessmen with expensive degrees can corrupt the judicial system, the potential for evil abounds. Part love story, part crime thriller, The Whisper of the Shadow is the captivating tale of one mans desperate search for redemption within the vice of a world superpower, a place where secrets from the past threaten to upend the countrys unchecked drive towards modernization.
Dzhuliya Vin - amerikanka srednih let, uspeshnyj yurist, no ee lichnaya zhizn' lezhit v ruinah. V odin prekrasnyj den' ona vdrug nachinaet slyshat' golos neznakomoj zhenshchiny. Ta postoyanno zadaet ej voprosy, na kotorye Dzhulii vovse ne hochetsya otvechat': pochemu ona odinoka? K komu ona po-nastoyashchemu privyazana? CHego ona hochet dobit'sya v zhizni? Dzhuliya boitsya, chto skhodit s uma. No odin staryj monah govorit ej, chto "e;podselivshayasya k Dzhulii zhenshchina - rodom iz Birmy. I Dzhuliya otpravlyaetsya v dolgoe puteshestvie, gde ej predstoit obuchit'sya ochen' neprostomu iskusstvu - zhit' v soglasii so svoim serdcem.Prevoskhodnoe prodolzhenie romana "e;Iskusstvo slyshat' stuk serdca. Vpervye na russkom yazyke!
avagy a szeretet, a megbocsatas es a szabadsag erejeTrtnet egy anyrl, akinek szvhez kzelebb llt egyik fia, mint a msik, s bA ntudata halla utn sem hagyta nyugodni. Trtnet egy firl, akit desanyja nem akart a vilgra hozni, akinek a magny volt a leghA sgesebb trsa, s akinek szve kA v dermedt a hbor borzalmaiban. Trtnet egy lnyrl, aki tudta, mekkora erA vel br a szeretet, s tudta, hogyan kell megszeldteni, jrahangolni egy elgytrt szvet. Trtnet egy nA rA l, aki hta mgtt hagyta a nyugati vilgot, hogy megtallja, ami a legfontosabb az letben: nmagt. Az egymsba fond trtnetekbA l egyetlen regny kerekedik, mely izgalmas emberi sorsokrl mesl, mikzben bemutatja Burma babonkkal, ugyanakkor blcsessggel tszA tt kultrjt, s felnyitja szemnket egy olyan vilgra, melyben a szeretet, a megbocsts s a szabadsg jelentik az igazi hatalmat.
Olyan regeny ez, mely orokre beegeti magat az ember szivebe. Tortenet egy olyan szerelemrol, amely legyozi az idot, a tavolsagot es a ketelyt. Egy olyan szerelemrol, melyet nem kot semmilyen feltetel, s melynek lenyege a megrendithetetlen hit es bizalom. Jan-Philipp Sendker Hamburgban szuletett 1960-ban. Ot evig amerikai, majd ot evig azsiai tudositoja volt a nemet Stern magazinnak. Sokszor jart Burmaban, ahol mindig lenyugozte az emberek kedvessege, hite es ereje. A Hazatrs Sendker elsA regnye, megjelent az Egyeslt llamokban, Nagy-Britanniban, Olaszorszgban, Spanyolorszgban, Szerbiban, Franciaorszgban s a skandinv llamokban. A szerzA Berlinben l a csaldjval.
A poignant and inspirational love story set in Burma, The Art of Hearing Heartbeats spans the decades between the 1950s and the present. When a successful New York lawyer suddenly disappears without a trace, neither his wife nor his daughter Julia has any idea where he might be-until they find a love letter he wrote many years ago to a Burmese woman they have never heard of. Intent on solving the mystery and coming to terms with her father's past, Julia decides to travel to the village where the woman lived. There she uncovers a tale of unimaginable hardship, resilience, and passion that will reaffirm the listener's belief in the power of love to move mountains.