In this sequel to his award-winning Empire of the Sun, young James returns to England at the end of World War II. He stumbles through medical study at Cambridge, trains briefly as an RAF pilot in Canada, and marries. When his wife dies suddenly, Jim is thrust into the violence and sexual promiscuity of the sixties. Penetrating and wise, J. G. Ballard's biting social commentary and pushing of boundaries make this semi-autobiographical novel a small classic.
In the haunting sequel to Empire of the Sun, Ballard puts his earlier account of a boy's experiences in Japanese-occupied Shanghai in the context of a lifetime. After the war, Ballard returns to England where he eventually settles into suburban married life--until his wife's accidental death. "Piercingly honest."--Publishers Weekly.
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