Birds Without Wings Av Louis De Bernieres

<p><b>Set against the backdrop of the collapsing Ottoman Empire, <i> Birds Without Wings</i> traces the fortunes of one small community in south-west Anatolia - a town in which Christian and Muslim lives and traditions have co-existed peacefully for centuries. </b><br><br>When war is declared and the outside world intrudes, the twin scourges of religion and nationalism lead to forced marches and massacres, and the peaceful fabric of life is destroyed. <i>Birds Without Wings </i>is a novel about the personal and political costs of war, and about love: between men and women; between friends; between those who are driven to be enemies; and between Philothei, a Christian girl of legendary beauty, and Ibrahim the Goatherd, who has courted her since infancy. Epic in sweep, intoxicating in its sensual detail, it is an enchanting masterpiece.<br><br><b>''A mesmerising patchwork of horror, humour and humanity'' <i>Independent</i></b></p>