The Vanishing Point: Stories

by Paul Theroux

Overview

From the bestselling novelist, travel writer, and “master of the short story” (NPR) comes a brilliant new collection.

The stories in Paul Theroux’s fascinating new collection are both exotic and domestic, their settings ranging from Hawaii to Africa and New England. Each focuses on life’s vanishing points—a moment when seemingly all lines running through one’s life converge, and one can see no farther, yet must deal with the implications. With the insight, subtlety, and empathy that has long characterized his work, Theroux has written deeply moving stories about memory, longing, and the passing of time, reclaiming his status, once again, as a master of the form.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063432321
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/28/2025
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336

About the Author

Paul Theroux is the author of many highly acclaimed books. His novels include Burma Sahib, The Bad Angel Brothers, The Lower River, Jungle Lovers, and The Mosquito Coast, and his renowned travel books include Ghost Train to the Eastern Star, On the Plain of Snakes, and Dark Star Safari. He lives in Hawaii and on Cape Cod.

Editorial Reviews

"A colorful, action-packed saga." — Wall Street Journal on Burma Sahib

“Paul Theroux has exploited this biographical lacuna with great shrewdness and gusto… his fictional account of Blair’s life there [Burma] is a valid and entirely credible attempt to add flesh to the skeletal facts we have of this time. […]this novel is one of his finest, in a long and redoubtable oeuvre.” — New York Times Book Review on Burma Sahib

“Stellar. ... frames an insightful portrait of a young George Orwell within a scathing depiction of British colonialism. ... With piercing prose, Theroux lays bare the fraudulent and fiercely despotic nature of the British Empire. This brims with intelligence and vigor.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Burma Sahib

“It’s a risky proposition for one writer to attempt to channel another, especially one as closely read and influential as George Orwell. But Theroux has the chops and the moxie, drawing on his experiences as a novelist and travel writer to imagine Orwell’s life-shaping sojourn in Burma with dramatic specificity. ... Theroux’s engrossing, suspenseful novel incisively maps the start of Blair’s metamorphosis into George Orwell, resounding critic of malevolent power.” — Booklist (starred review) on Burma Sahib

"From a distinguished literary veteran, a compelling historical novel about callow youth. ... Theroux is always great with setting; here it’s not just Burma but the mind of Orwell that he persuasively inhabits." — Kirkus Reviews on Burma Sahib

“Paul Theroux knows the cultural and political landscape of Burma. This riveting read provides a fascinating fictional account of Orwell’s police work during the most interesting and least known part of his career, and makes him come alive in the tropical setting.” — Jeffrey Meyers, author of Orwell: Wintry Conscience of a Generation and Orwell: Life and Art

From the Publisher