This Green and Pleasant Land: Winner of The Diverse Book Awards 2020

In the sleepy village of Babel's End, trouble is brewing. Bilal Hasham is having a mid-life crisis and his mother has just died. His wife Mariam is distant and distracted, and his stepson Haaris is spending more time with his real father. Bilal's mother's dying wish was to build a mosque in Babel's End, but when Shelley gets wind of this scheme, she unleashes the forces of hell. This Green and Pleasant Land is a life-affirming look at love, faith, and the meaning of home.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 464 pages
Publication date: 01 October 2020
Publisher: Zaffre

Tender, challenging, and as warm as it was razor-sharp, Beth O'Leary's novel "Tender" has been shortlisted for the Diverse Book Awards. Simon Savidge, a renowned critic, praised it as a sublimely witty and touching story, while Jonathan Coe described it as the standout new novel by acclaimed author Ayisha Malik, perfect for fans of David Nicholls and Candice Carty-Williams.

Set in the sleepy village of Babel's End, trouble is brewing. Bilal Hasham, in the midst of a mid-life crisis, finds solace in lying in a grave he has dug in his garden. His elderly Auntie Rukhsana has come to live with him, forming an unlikely friendship with the village busybody, Shelley Hawking. His wife, Mariam, is distant and distracted, and his stepson, Haaris, spends more time with his real father.

Bilal's mother's dying wish was to build a mosque in Babel's End, but when Shelley learns of this scheme, she unleashes the forces of hell. Will the mosque project bring Bilal's family and his beloved village together again, or drive them apart?

Warm, wise, and laugh-out-loud funny, "This Green and Pleasant Land" is a life-affirming look at love, faith, and the meaning of home. It explores the complexities of human relationships, the power of forgiveness, and the importance of finding one's place in the world.

O'Leary's writing is characterized by her vivid descriptions and her ability to capture the essence of human emotions. "Tender" is a powerful exploration of grief, loss, and the search for meaning in life, and it will resonate with readers of all ages and backgrounds.

The Diverse Book Awards celebrate books that showcase diversity and representation in literature. The shortlisted titles represent a wide range of genres, including fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, and they highlight the importance of promoting inclusivity and diversity in the literary world.

We encourage you to check out the other shortlisted titles and support the authors who have been recognized for their exceptional work. The winners of the Diverse Book Awards will be announced in the coming weeks, and we look forward to seeing which books will take home the prestigious prizes.

Weight: 340g
Dimension: 132 x 197 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781785764509