Rhidian Brook – författare

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER, NOW A MAJOR FILM STARRING KEIRA KNIGHTLEYIn the bitter winter of 1946, Rachael Morgan arrives with her only remaining son Edmund in the ruins of Hamburg. Here she is reunited with her husband Lewis, a British colonel charged with rebuilding the shattered city. But as they set off for their new home, Rachael is stunned to discover that Lewis has made an extraordinary decision: they will be sharing the grand house with its previous owners, a German widower and his troubled daughter. In this charged atmosphere, enmity and grief give way to passion and betrayal.'Profoundly moving, beautifully written. Ponders issues of decency, guilt and forgiveness' Independent'Terrific. Suspicion, resentment and misunderstanding haunt this city. Richly atmospheric' Sunday Telegraph'An extraordinary read' Daily Mail

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER, NOW A MAJOR FILM STARRING KEIRA KNIGHTLEYIn the bitter winter of 1946, Rachael Morgan arrives in the ruins of Hamburg. Here she is reunited with her husband Lewis, a British colonel charged with rebuilding the shattered city. As they set off for their new home Rachael is stunned to discover that Lewis has made an extraordinary decision: they will be sharing the grand house with its previous owners, a German widower and his troubled daughter. In this charged atmosphere, enmity and grief give way to passion and betrayal.'This masterly novel wrings every drop of feeling out of a gripping human situation.' Mail on Sunday 'Superb. Conjures surprise after surprise' Guardian'Excellent, original, masterly. A captivating tale not only of love among the ruins but also of treachery and vengeance' Literary Review'Profoundly moving, beautifully written. Ponders issues of decency, guilt and forgiveness' Independent'Terrific. Suspicion, resentment and misunderstanding haunt this city. Richly atmospheric' Sunday Telegraph

The Testimony of Talieson Jones is a lyrical and acutely perceptive coming-of-age tale about faith, doubt and growing up, from Rhidian Brook, the accalimed author of The Aftermath.Taliesin Jones is a boy on the brink of adulthood, faced for the first time with life's biggest questions.Taliesin's life is falling apart: his mother has run off with her hairdresser, his father's temper is out of control and his brother has been ominously mute for weeks. Even more distressing than Taliesin's dysfunctional family are his classmates' claims that God does not exist. Deeply troubled by life's uncertainty, the boy seeks answers in the unlikely figure of Billy Evans, an old man with an exceptional - possibly even miraculous - talent.The Testimony of Taliesin Jones is an extraordinary novel, exploring the space between childhood and adulthood, between belief and doubt.'A beautiful meditation on childhood... and a panacea for a cynical age' The Times'A rare, beautiful evocation of childhood, faith and hope. Extraordinary. I utterly believed it' Victoria Hislop, author of The Island'Brook's debut is one of quiet miracles . . . in the marvellous way he is able to convince us of the power of faith' Sunday Times'Poetic' GuardianRhidian Brook is an award-winning writer of fiction, television drama and film. The Testimony of Taliesin Jones won several prizes, including the Somerset Maugham Award. His short stories have appeared in numerous publications, including the Paris Review, New Statesman and Time Out, and have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4. He is also a regular contributor to 'Thought For The Day' on the Today programme.

The Testimony of Talieson Jones is a lyrical and acutely perceptive coming-of-age tale about faith, doubt and growing up, from Rhidian Brook, the accalimed author of The Aftermath.Taliesin Jones is a boy on the brink of adulthood, faced for the first time with life's biggest questions.Taliesin's life is falling apart: his mother has run off with her hairdresser, his father's temper is out of control and his brother has been ominously mute for weeks. Even more distressing than Taliesin's dysfunctional family are his classmates' claims that God does not exist. Deeply troubled by life's uncertainty, the boy seeks answers in the unlikely figure of Billy Evans, an old man with an exceptional - possibly even miraculous - talent.The Testimony of Taliesin Jones is an extraordinary novel, exploring the space between childhood and adulthood, between belief and doubt.'A beautiful meditation on childhood... and a panacea for a cynical age' The Times'A rare, beautiful evocation of childhood, faith and hope. Extraordinary. I utterly believed it' Victoria Hislop, author of The Island'Brook's debut is one of quiet miracles . . . in the marvellous way he is able to convince us of the power of faith' Sunday Times'Poetic' GuardianRhidian Brook is an award-winning writer of fiction, television drama and film. The Testimony of Taliesin Jones won several prizes, including the Somerset Maugham Award. His short stories have appeared in numerous publications, including the Paris Review, New Statesman and Time Out, and have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4. He is also a regular contributor to 'Thought For The Day' on the Today programme.

'The problem with Rhidian's Thoughts is how often I find myself agreeing with him. Most annoying!' John HumphrysWhy bother with God?Do you know what matters in life?What are the limits of kindness?Why doesn't God intervene?What are you worth?For twenty years, bestselling novelist Rhidian Brook has pondered such questions on Radio 4's Thought for the Day, encouraging, nudging, sometimes provoking millions into thinking about the possibility of a God who is intimately and cosmically involved in the human story.Over 100 of his Thoughts are presented here, forming a kind of alternative history of the 21st century, and inviting us to reflect on the deeper spiritual dimensions of our lives and times.'This earthy disturber of breakfasts subverts and provokes with Thoughts that last much longer than a day.' Roy Jenkins'I hate celebrities, Harry Potter, musicals, and Thought for the Day. Unless Rhidian Brook is on.' Philip Kerr'A great collection from a wise and humane thinker and writer.' Victoria Hislop'Profound, entertaining, wise and funny - this is a masterclass in the genre.' Bishop Nick Baines'Gems on every page. Take your time so you can reflect fully on the beauties contained in the brevity.' Professor Laurie McGuire

Experience Holy Week as if for the first time... first hand.Bestselling novelist and broadcaster Rhidian Brook invites you to step back into the story of Holy Week and see it unfold as if you were there.Told as a series of vivid, real-time eyewitness reports, Notes on an Execution takes you from Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem to his execution and beyond, without the cushion of hindsight. You stand among the crowds and disciples, experiencing each moment with all its original tension, shock and surprise - full of the confusion and hope felt by those who first encountered Jesus.A moving final reflection explores what Easter means for us today, with thoughtful questions for personal meditation or group discussion.Rooted in biblical accounts and historical insight, Notes on an Execution brings fresh life to a story that has shaped the world for two thousand years. Perfect for Lent reading, small groups or personal devotion, it will help you see the story you thought you knew with new eyes... and feel its urgency and wonder afresh.

Sent by the Salvation Army to bear witness to the work they were doing in response to the Aids pandemic, Rhidian Brook, his wife and two children, follow a tril of devastation through communities still shattered and being broken by the disease. He met truck stop workers in Kenya, victims of rape in Rwanda, child-headed families in Soweto, children of prostitutes in India. A remarkable journey amongst the infected and the affected through a world that, despite seeming on the brink of collapse, is bein held together, not by power, politics, guns and money, but by small acts of kindness from people living with more hope than chance of surviving AIDS and HIV.

'Wonderful entertainment' – The Times'Larger-than-life fun' – Daily Mail'A wild-eyed road trip across America, filled with colourful characters, crazy anecdotes, sparky dialogue' – Big Issue'I killed Joe once, in a manner of speaking. But not twice. Not in the way you mean.'Llew Jones wanted to see the States and write about the experience. Then he met Joe Bosco, a butterfly salesman as charismatic as he is infuriating, and they were soon hurtling across 1980s America together, caught up in an adventure that got way, way out of control. Now Llew is in jail, his friend is gone, and he has to give his side of the story if he’s ever going to get free . . .Part existential road trip, part neo-gothic thriller, part morality tale, The Killing of Butterfly Joe by Rhidian Brook (author of The Aftermath, now a major movie starring Keira Knightly and Alexander Skarsgård) is a dazzling and propulsive novel full of characters you’ll never forget. An epic story of friendship, desire, and participating in the Great American Dream – ‘the one that leads from rags to riches via pitches’ – whatever the consequences.