X-Book

The New Republic

Buy Now £7.99 Send as a gift
How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

A scalpel sharp political satire from the Orange Prize winning writer of We Need to Talk about Kevin.

Edgar Kellogg has always yearned to be popular. Leaving his lucrative career as a lawyer for the sexier world of journalism, he’s thrilled to be offered the post of foreign correspondent in a Portuguese backwater with a home-grown terrorist movement. Barrington Saddler, the disappeared larger-than-life reporter he’s been sent to replace, is exactly the outsize character Edgar longs to emulate.

‘The Daring Soldiers of Barba’ have been blowing up the rest of the world for years in order to win independence for Barba, a province so dismal, backward and windblown that you couldn’t give the rat hole away. So why, with Barrington vanished, do the terrorist incidents suddenly dry up?

A droll, playful novel, The New Republic addresses weighty issues like terrorism with the deft, tongue-in-cheek touch that is vintage Shriver. It also presses the more intimate question: What makes particular people so magnetic, while the rest of us inspire a shrug? What’s their secret? And in the end, who has the better life – the admired, or the admirer?

Critics Review

Praise for So Much For That:

‘Wide-ranging, sometimes zany and unpredictable, this is a compelling read. And however many twists Shriver shoves in, you always believe her’
The Times

‘Many people will like Lionel Shriver’s ninth novel – admirers of gripping and clever contemporary fiction, discerning critics and, if there is any justice, literary prize committees’
Guardian

‘Shriver proves she is not afraid of anything…’
Observer

‘It’s a wonder that subject matter on the surface so bleak can be transformed into something so uplifting’
Daily Telegraph

‘Yes, a brilliantly funny cancer book! You can rely on Lionel Shriver to upend your expectations’
Daily Express

‘Required reading for all mortals’
Daily Mail

‘…witty, observant and beautifully controlled. British readers will close this excellent novel feeling grateful for the NHS’
Literary Review

‘…a visceral and deeply affecting story, a story about how illness affects people’s relationships, and how their efforts to grapple with mortality reshape the arcs of their lives’
Michiko Kakutani, New York Times

More from the same

Author

Narrator

About xigxag and the x-book®

Enjoy the best audiobooks on xigxag, an innovative, user-friendly audiobook platform that makes it easy to find, purchase, and enjoy your favorite books in audio format. xigxag’s flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less – affordable prices and the best audiobook deals with no subscription required.  Give the perfect gift with our audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options

 

xigxag’s groundbreaking listen-and-read x-book® technology offers a truly immersive digital book experience.  Our technology combines the audiobook, text, and images into a brilliant integrated format, with exclusive audiobook features and a next-gen digital reading experience built in.  The x-book selection can be easily discovered by looking for the purple x-book ribbon, or filtering by x-book when searching for a book.

 

xigxag’s commitment to sustainability and ethical practices ensures a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform – an exciting alternative to big tech.  Enjoy audiobooks from the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, a leader in audiobook innovation. Experience extraordinary customer service from their friendly UK support team.

 

Search effortlessly, read honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the book and the narration, and discover hidden gems.  Download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere and get the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app.  Experience the future of audiobooks today.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to get tailored content recommendations, product updates and info on new releases. Your data is your own: we commit to protect your data and respect your privacy.