Winner of the UK North West Arts Award

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Journeyman Press, UK

 

The Rebels and the Hostage is about left-wing terrorists – the sort of people who make world headlines, who are ogled at by TV as the nearest it can get to the Roman Games, analysed by experts in every subject except the right one, condemned by every politician who needs a police escort, and yet who remain almost totally unknown. Why unknown? Because to know their motives would mean questioning your own, would mean listening to their opinions, would mean asking whether ‘our’ tolerance isn’t used to mask more violence than ‘their’ intolerance. The terrorists in this novel hide on a farm in a beautiful, peaceful countryside: a reminder of the bitter paradox that they seek life and not death. Edward Bond