The Chateau

A nostalgic tale of two lovers' journey through post-war France, from the author of SO LONG, SEE YOU TOMORROW It is 1948 and a young American couple arrive in war-torn France for a long holiday. Full of anticipation and enthusiasm, Harold and Barbara Rhodes find themselves enchanted by the glamour and charm of Paris. But as they travel further into the countryside they meet a people still overcoming devastation, and their reception at the Château Beaumesnil is not all the open-hearted Americans could wish for. Luxuriously meandering and joyously observant, The Château sees William Maxwell bring to life the soul-enriching experience of what it means to truly travel and open oneself up to new life. 'Surprising on every page... I ended The Château feeling very sad that it was over' Brandon Taylor, author of Real Life 'Reading The Château is like meeting a very old friend with whom the conversation is always spontaneous, intimate, restorative and unpredictable' Salley Vickers

William Maxwell (1908-2000) was born in Illinois. He was the author of a distinguished body of work: six novels, three short story collections, an autobiographical memoir and a collection of literary essays and reviews. A New Yorker editor for 40 years, he helped to shape the prose and careers of John Updike, John Cheever, John O'Hara, Sylvia Townsend Warner and Eudora Welty. His novel, So Long Tomorrow won the American Book Award, and in 1995 he received the PEN/Malamud Award.