Debut novel about a fashion designer turned terror suspect that Colum McCann calls “poetic, incisive and inordinately funny”
FROM THE MEMOIRS OF A NON-ENEMY COMBATANT
A novel by Alex Gilvarry
*INDIE NEXT PICK FOR JANUARY 2012
*BARNES & NOBLE DISCOVER SELECTION
“Combining a Kafkaesque hero with a captivating ‘coming toNew York’ story, Gilvarry’s debut is a
timely and touching triumph.”
—Booklist
“Gracefully tackles politically charged subject matter…with wit and compassion…An engaging victim of uncertain times, [here’s] a protagonist who will appeal to readers of all political persuasions.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A smart, funny novel with political undertones…
The events that unfold are equally
disturbing and entertaining.”
—Library Journal
“A talented writer and observer, [Gilvarry] skillfully
captures the frenetic world of striving designers.”
—Kirkus
“The deepest intelligence is poetic, incisive and
inordinately funny. Heads up, folks.
Alex Gilvarry just walked through the door.”
—Colum McCann, author of Let the Great World Spin
“It’s rare for a novel to tread so fearlessly into the political and yet to emerge so deeply funny and humane. Gilvarry is a young talent on the rise. Watch him gallop through the mess we’ve made of our civilization with style and panache.”
—Gary Shteyngart, author of Super Sad True Love Story and Absurdistan
“One of the best celebrations and condemnations of American fear and ambition since
Bellow’s Augie March was doing the celebrating and condemning.”
—Brock Clarke, author of Exley and An Arsonist’s Guide to Writers’ Homes in New England
Alex Gilvarry’s brilliant debut novel FROM THE MEMOIRS OF A NON-ENEMY COMBATANT begins with a hilarious “Boy meets City” account, told by the innocently witty Boyet Hernandez (Viking; On-sale: January 9, 2012; $26.95; 978-0-670-02319-6). Fresh out of design school inManila, Boy came toNew York in pursuit of the American dream. With the help of some dubious financing from an eccentric neighbor, he is able to start his own fashion label, (B)oy, and is soon catapulted into the glossy editorials of high fashion. But a mere month after a Barneys order promises to truly launch his career, his dream is transformed into a nightmare with a knock on the door in the middle of the night: the flamboyant ex-Catholic is swept to Gitmo, administered a Qur’an and locked away indefinitely to discover his link to a terrorist plot. Villified as the “Fashion Terrorist” by the American media, Boy prepares for the trial of his life—his combatant status review—and writes this intimate confession, even as his belief in American justice begins to erode.
Complete with story-bound footnotes, FROM THE MEMOIRS OF A NON-ENEMY COMBATANT cleverly transforms the memoir genre into a work of satiric fiction. The novel flits back-and-forth between comical accounts of Boy’s life leading up to his capture and much darker descriptions of his detainment in a six-by-eight-footGuantanamo cell. His spectacular struggle for justice and glory is ultimately a universal plight and elements of this imagined memoir can easily be read as reality for many. January marks the tenth anniversary of Gitmo’s existence, andAmerica’s dubious behavior there is certain to loom in our minds and dominate headlines.
At once humorous and philosophical, FROM THE MEMOIRS OF A NON-ENEMY COMBATANT will make you chuckle, reflect, empathize and rally for justice. This eye-opening debut is not one to be missed.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A native of Staten Island, Alex Gilvarry has traveled extensively in the Philippines, where his family is from. He’s the editor of the website Tottenville Review, he has been named a Norman Mailer Fellow and his writing has appeared in The Paris Review. He lives in Brooklyn and Cambridge, Massachusetts.
ALEX GILVARRY WILL BE TOURING TO:
New York, NY Greenlight Bookstore / 7:30pm January 12
Cambridge, MA Harvard Book Store / 7pm January 19
Boston, MA Porter Square Books / 7pm February 9 (w/ Liz Moore)
ww.alexgilvarry.com www.penguin.com
FROM THE MEMOIRS OF A NON-ENEMY COMBATANT ▪ Alex Gilvarry ▪ Viking
$26.95 ▪ On-sale date: January 9, 2012 ▪ ISBN: 978-0-670-02319-6
Also available as an e-book
Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the U.S.member of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S.adult and children’s trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks, including Berkley Books, Dutton, Frederick Warne, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Grosset & Dunlap, New American Library, Penguin, Philomel, Riverhead Books and Viking, among others. The Penguin Group is part of Pearson plc, the international media company.
Thank you to Penguin for the generous Giveaway and for sponsoring an upcoming Guest Post by author Alex Gilvarry, who will be visiting Roof Beam Reader in the very near future!
For your chance to win a copy of this highly-anticipated new release from debut author Alex Gilvarry, you need only do two things:
1) Follow/Subscribe to Roof Beam Reader; and
2) Leave a comment with your e-mail address in the following format: Me(at)mailservice(dot)com.
Giveaway closes Tuesday, January 17th. Good Luck!
Like the sound of this fun but with deep & disturbing undercurrents, please put me on the pile
parrishlantern(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk
I am an email subscriber lomazowr(AT)gmail(DOT)com.Book sounnds really interesting.
Looks like an interesting read. I subscribe via email.
larkspurpurple (at) gmail.com
The book sounds amazing! Thank you for the giveaway.
P.S. Is it US only? If yes, don’t count me in.
xjustakidx(at)hotmail(dot)com
This sounds like a fun ride!
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
Thanks for the giveaway. This book sounds very interesting.
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
Sounds great, I subscribed by email.
Also thank you for the giveaway!
cavraara(at)aol(dot)com
Thanks for the giveaway! I’m an email follower.
pherlaithiel (at) gmail (dot) com
ohhh, lovely book! It sounds great. I hope the contest is international.
email subscriber
aliasgirl at libero dot it
Sounds like a good one. I’m subscribed by email. And thanks for the giveaway!
jmartinez0415(at)gmail(dot)com
sounds interesting, and something I wouldn’t normally pick up- I’ll definitely have to give it a read even if I don’t win the giveaway
mandy.s.holden(at)gmail(dot)com
oh and I’m an email subscriber already
I subscribe!!
blogattoday(at)gmail(dot)com
I subscribed and followed on Twitter.
Email- cwyant3497(at)gmail(dot)com
Twitter- @CourtsBookNook
I know I would enjoy reading FROM THE MEMOIRS OF A NON-ENEMY COMBATANT thank you.
Email Subscriber.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Thanks for the giveaway!
I’m subscribed by e-mail.
susanna(dot)pyatt(at)student(dot)rcsnc(dot)org
Sounds like an interesting read!
elizabeth @ bookattict . com
Thanks for the giveaway!
Please count me in if the contest is international.
I’m a email subscriber.
Janhvi
justjanhvi at gmail dot com
This book sounds smart, creative and entertaining. It’s also a rather unique story-line which I like. And I would feel extremely bad if I didn’t support a fellow Brooklyn resident with his debut novel!
Thank you for a fantastic giveaway. Please include me in it.
Aimala127(at)gmail(dot)com
Sounds like an entertaining read. Thanks for the giveaway
This book has two of my favorite things. . . the “coming to NYC story”, and that it’s written by a local writer. Look forward to reading it!
oktoberv29(at)hotmail(dot)com.
Very interested to see Gilvarry’s writing style. I live in Staten Island currently and have been in NYC my whole life. I subscribe via email and follow you on twitter!
I am an e-mail subscriber. Thanks for the giveaway.
mce1011 AT aol DOT com
I’m a follower and this sounds like a great story! My e-mail is tpisces(at)gmail(dot)com
e-mail subscriber
Thanks!
ruthaw_1974(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks so much for the opportunity to win this. I subscribed via email. Thanks!
losthighway766(at)gmail(dot)com
I’d like to read this
kgrant77(at)gmail(dot)com
Great giveaway
Email subscriber.
thanks for a chance
I Follow/Subscribe to Roof Beam Reader. This book sounds really interesting!
aikychien at yahoo dot com