Tom Crewe

A brilliant and captivating debut, in the tradition of Alan Hollinghurst and Colm Tóibín, about two marriages, two forbidden love affairs, and the passionate search for social and sexual freedom in late 19th-century London. In this powerful, visceral novel about love, sex, and the struggle for a better world, two men collaborate on a book in defense of homosexuality, then a crime—risking their old lives in the process. In the summer of 1894, John Addington and Henry Ellis begin writing a book arguing that what they call “inversion,” or homosexuality, is a natural, harmless variation of human sexuality. Though they have never met, John and Henry both live in London with their wives, Catherine and Edith, and in each marriage there is a third party: John has a lover, a working class man named Frank, and Edith spends almost as much time with her friend Angelica as she does with Henry. John and Catherine have three grown daughters and a long, settled marriage, over the course of which Catherine has tried to accept her husband’s sexuality and her own role in life; Henry and Edith’s marriage is intended to be a revolution in itself, an intellectual partnership that dismantles the traditional understanding of what matrimony means. Shortly before the book is to be published, Oscar Wilde is arrested. John and Henry must decide whether to go on, risking social ostracism and imprisonment, or to give up the project for their own safety and the safety of the people they love. Is this the right moment to advance their cause? Is publishing bravery or foolishness? And what price is too high to pay for a new way of living? A richly detailed, insightful, and dramatic debut novel, The New Life is an unforgettable portrait of two men, a city, and a generation discovering the nature and limits of personal freedom as the 20th century comes into view.

A Novel

The New Life

A captivating and “remarkable” (The Boston Globe) debut that “brims with intelligence and insight” (The New York Times), about two marriages, two forbidden love affairs, and the passionate search for social and sexual freedom in late 19th-century London. In the summer of 1894, John Addington and Henry Ellis begin writing a book arguing that homosexuality, which is a crime at the time, is a natural, harmless variation of human sexuality. Though they have never met, John and Henry both live in London with their wives, Catherine and Edith, and in each marriage, there is a third party: John has a lover, a working-class man named Frank, and Edith spends almost as much time with her friend Angelica as she does with Henry. John and Catherine have three grown daughters and a long, settled marriage, over the course of which Catherine has tried to accept her husband’s sexuality and her own role in life; Henry and Edith’s marriage is intended to be a revolution in itself, an intellectual partnership that dismantles the traditional understanding of what matrimony means. Shortly before the book is to be published, Oscar Wilde is arrested. John and Henry must decide whether to go on, risking social ostracism and imprisonment, or to give up the project for their own safety and the safety of the people they love. A richly detailed, powerful, and visceral novel about love, sex, and the struggle for a better world, The New Life brilliantly asks: “What’s worth jeopardizing in the name or progress?” (The New York Times Book Review, Editors’ Choice).

Sie wollen ein Buch über Homosexualität schreiben. John und Henry. 1894 ist der eine längst etabliert im Geistesleben Londons, dazu respektabel verheiratet, Vater dreier Töchter. Der andere steht noch ganz am Anfang: seiner Karriere, seiner Ehe mit einer selbstbewussten Intellektuellen. Beide Männer sehnen sich nach Fortschritt, nach einer Zukunft, in der das Denken und das, was es zutage bringt, den gesellschaftlichen Umgang bestimmt, nicht die starren, immergleichen Regeln. Für sie ist dieses Buch ein Schritt nach vorn, ein Schritt ins Freie, doch lauern dort Gefahren. Denn was im Buch gilt, lässt sich nicht weiter ignorieren. So lässt sich John ein mit einem hübschen jungen Mann weit unter seiner Klasse, lustvoll demontiert er seine bürgerliche Existenz, während Henry einsehen muss, dass seiner Frau weit mehr an ihrer besten Freundin liegt. Als ein Skandal die Stadt erschüttert, die Krone interveniert, müssen sie sich fragen: Wie weit gehen für das neue Leben? Tom Crewe hat einen modernen historischen Roman geschrieben. In fulminanter Sprache und im tiefen Wissen um die Viktorianische Epoche erzählt er von der bis heute fortwährenden Sprengkraft neuer Liebes- und Lebensformen. Ein beeindruckendes Meisterwerk über den Grenzverlauf der Freiheit.

Roman | Vom Kampf um neue Lebens- und Liebesformen im viktorianischen London

Das Neue Leben

Winner of the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction, the Prix du Premier Roman Étranger, and the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Literature • The Sunday Times (London) Novel of the Year • A Times (London) Best Book of the Year • Shortlisted for the 2023 Nero Book Award for Debut Fiction and the Polari Prize • Selected for Kirkus Review’s Best Fiction Books of the Year A captivating and “remarkable” (The Boston Globe) debut that “brims with intelligence and insight” (The New York Times), about two marriages, two forbidden love affairs, and the passionate search for social and sexual freedom in late 19th-century London. In the summer of 1894, John Addington and Henry Ellis begin writing a book arguing that homosexuality, which is a crime at the time, is a natural, harmless variation of human sexuality. Though they have never met, John and Henry both live in London with their wives, Catherine and Edith, and in each marriage, there is a third party: John has a lover, a working-class man named Frank, and Edith spends almost as much time with her friend Angelica as she does with Henry. John and Catherine have three grown daughters and a long, settled marriage, over the course of which Catherine has tried to accept her husband’s sexuality and her own role in life; Henry and Edith’s marriage is intended to be a revolution in itself, an intellectual partnership that dismantles the traditional understanding of what matrimony means. Shortly before the book is to be published, Oscar Wilde is arrested. John and Henry must decide whether to go on, risking social ostracism and imprisonment, or to give up the project for their own safety and the safety of the people they love. A richly detailed, powerful, and visceral novel about love, sex, and the struggle for a better world, The New Life brilliantly asks: “What’s worth jeopardizing in the name or progress?” (The New York Times Book Review, Editors’ Choice).

*Shortlist, Debut Fiction, 2023 Nero Book Awards * London, 1894. John and Henry have a vision for a new way of life. But as the Oscar Wilde trial ignites public outcry, everything they long for could be under threat. 'Beautifully written' Graham Norton 'Subtle, sexy and beautifully crafted' Sarah Waters 'Lavishly imagined' Sunday Times ______________ After a lifetime spent navigating his desires, John has finally found a man who returns his feelings. Meanwhile, Henry is convinced that his new unconventional marriage will bring freedom. United by a shared vision, they begin work on a revolutionary book arguing for the legalisation of homosexuality. Before it can be published however, Oscar Wilde is arrested and their daring book threatens to throw them, and all around them, into danger. How high a price are they willing to pay for a new way of living? ______________ 'A very fine new writer' Kate Atkinson 'I loved this book' Zadie Smith 'Some of the best writing on desire I've read' Douglas Stuart 'Extraordinary' Jonathan Bailey 'Filled with nuance and tenderness . . . charting the lives of men and women who inspired not only political progress but an entire new way of living and loving' Colm Tóibín

An enthralling novel about forbidden desire set against the backdrop of the Oscar Wilde trial

'A very fine new writer' Kate Atkinson 'Electrifying' Anne Enright ______________ Two Victorian marriages, two dangerous love affairs, one extraordinary partnership After a lifetime spent navigating his desires, John Addington, married to Catherine, has met Frank, a working-class printer. Meanwhile Henry Ellis's wife Edith has fallen in love with Angelica - and Angelica wants Edith all to herself. When in 1894 John and Henry decide to write a revolutionary book together, intended to challenge convention and the law, they are both caught in relationships stalked by guilt and shame. Yet they share a vision of a better world, one that will expand possibilities for men and women everywhere. Their daring book threatens to throw John and Henry, and all those around them, into danger. How far should they go to win personal freedoms? And how high a price are they willing to pay for a new way of living? 'Filled with nuance and tenderness... charting the lives of men and women who inspired not only political progress but an entire new way of living and loving' Colm T ibin

Na een jarenlange worsteling met zijn verlangens vindt John Addington, getrouwd en vader van drie volwassen dochters, een nieuwe liefde. Een man, Frank. Elders in Londen wordt het huwelijk van Henry Ellis en zijn vrouw Edith op de proef gesteld door de heftige liefdesrelatie van Edith met een vrouw, Angelica. Het zijn verboden liefdes in het Londen van de late negentiende eeuw. Wanneer John en Henry elkaar leren kennen besluiten ze een boek te schrijven, een hartstochtelijk pleidooi voor persoonlijke en seksuele vrijheid. Maar vlak vóór de verschijning ervan wordt Oscar Wilde gearresteerd. Die dramatische gebeurtenis plaatst John en Henry voor een dilemma: welke prijs zijn ze bereid te betalen voor het nieuwe leven dat ze voorstaan?

Het nieuwe leven

Amber Wells

Liaison Tonight's the Night

Discover Tom Crewe's magnificent debut novel about forbidden desire and the search for freedom in Victorian England... 'Beautifully written' Graham Norton 'Subtle, sexy and beautifully crafted' Sarah Waters 'Lavishly imagined' Sunday Times ______________ After a lifetime spent navigating his desires, John has finally found a man who returns his feelings. Meanwhile, Henry is convinced that his new unconventional marriage will bring freedom. United by a shared vision, they begin work on a revolutionary book arguing for the legalisation of homosexuality. Before it can be published however, Oscar Wilde is arrested and their daring book threatens to throw them, and all around them, into danger. How high a price are they willing to pay for a new way of living? ______________ 'A very fine new writer' Kate Atkinson 'I loved this book' Zadie Smith 'Some of the best writing on desire I've read' Douglas Stuart 'Extraordinary' Jonathan Bailey 'Filled with nuance and tenderness . . . charting the lives of men and women who inspired not only political progress but an entire new way of living and loving' Colm Tóibín

Tom Crewe

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