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The Newer World

'a near-miracle of storytelling' Guardian

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The Newer World

By: Sebastian Barry
Narrated by: Jamey Lewis
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Summary

THE NEW INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF DAYS WITHOUT END AND OLD GOD'S TIME

'A masterly work of historical witness and moral reckoning' OBSERVER

An immersive and unforgettable novel of one man's life in the aftermath of the American Civil War.

I knew as I made my way home that there was no home. All the old things . . . were gone forever.

Against the rapidly shifting landscape of post Civil War America, Tennyson Bouguereau - freed man, devoted brother, nascent singer, conflicted soldier and wanted man - journeys to find meaning and belonging. From the relative safety of home in Tennessee with his sister Rosalee, he is offered the possibility of a whole new life in Nashville, until a surprising trip to Victorian England changes everything.

Exquisitely rendered, and with a rich cast of characters, The Newer World is a lyrical, visceral novel about what it is to survive, and what might be lost along the way.

©2026 Sebastian Barry (P)2026 Faber & Faber Biographical Fiction Genre Fiction World Literature War
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Another lyrical read by a storyteller at the top of his craft. Tennyson’s story is the 3 in the American western saga. Beautiful told through the eyes of a black man in post civil war America. A must read! Hope there is a 4th book. Wonderful narration that transports the listener.

The Soul of a Poet

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I’ve loved all of Sebastian Barry‘s books but this one is my least favourite. While it portrayed brilliantly the cruelty of race relations in the US at that time, I did wonder at the decisions that the main character made. Also, there was rather too much repetition of the previous book’s events at the start of this book.

Exquisite writing

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