Books: Thirteen Ways to Be 13

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The novel thus matures into, among a hundred other things, a moving and eloquent portrait of the artist as a young man. Writing is the way Jason can communicate without a stammer, have his own say and get back at the world. Writing is how he can make time disappear and his tormenting classmates shrink into playthings. Writing becomes, in effect, an imaginative sanctuary and escape.

With Cloud Atlas Mitchell won a slew of prizes, sold more than 400,000 copies and established himself in many minds as the most accomplished cult novelist of the century so far. Black Swan Green goes one step further by showing that he's as vital--as shouting and original and central--a voice as the contemporary novel has to offer. He's shown us dazzling power before; here he wins us with vulnerability.