At the dawn of the twenty-first century Adam Kellas finds himself hurled on a journey between continents and cultures. In his quest from the war-torn mountains of Afghanistan to the elegant dinner tables of north London and then the marshlands of the American South, only the memory of the beautiful, elusive Astrid offers the possibility of hope. With all the explosive drama of The People’s Act of Love, this is a spellbinding tale of folly and the pursuit of love from one of today’s most talented and visionary writers.
We Are Now Beginning Our Descent
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'Astonishing. A love story that owes everything to the great collision of Osama bin Laden and Bush Jr's foreign policy. An intensely flavoured excavation of our times ... wholly original.' The Times
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From the bestselling author of The People's Act of Love
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By O. Ford
Format:Hardcover
James Meek's latest book, We Are Now Beginning Our Descent is a more contemporary narrative than that of his previous novel, The People's Act of Love. Adam Kellas, a British journalist reporting from Afghanistan, falls in love with the enigmatic Astrid, only to be separated from her. His love for her and other doubts lead him to abandon his old friends and set off in search of Astrid. At the same time, Kellas is attempting to push through a glossy war-thriller novel for publication, but questions its artistic credibility.
This latter narrative strand, along with Meek's own journalistic past, means that it is tempting to view We Are Now Beginning Our Descent as autobiographical to a certain extent, or at least addresses issues directly relevant to Meek's own experiences in writing. One passage in particular suggests as much, when Kellas' friend M'Gurgan contemplates how and why people write. He suggests that there are two kinds of writers - bards, who write principally to entertain people ("He remembers the people he meets and makes history out of things that have only just happened") and priests, who search for higher meanings and ideas ("The way the priest sees it, truth is more important than happiness").
From the evidence here however it seems Meek is comfortable with both approaches. The book is a fast paced, entertaining read, but also raises big questions about the modern world - such as how can a war-time journalist ever be detached from the conflict he is reporting on? Or how can love survive in a world of such huge distances? (A point emphasised by the many different locations.) However, whilst accomplished and at times thought-provoking, I believe Meek capable of better.... Read more ›
This latter narrative strand, along with Meek's own journalistic past, means that it is tempting to view We Are Now Beginning Our Descent as autobiographical to a certain extent, or at least addresses issues directly relevant to Meek's own experiences in writing. One passage in particular suggests as much, when Kellas' friend M'Gurgan contemplates how and why people write. He suggests that there are two kinds of writers - bards, who write principally to entertain people ("He remembers the people he meets and makes history out of things that have only just happened") and priests, who search for higher meanings and ideas ("The way the priest sees it, truth is more important than happiness").
From the evidence here however it seems Meek is comfortable with both approaches. The book is a fast paced, entertaining read, but also raises big questions about the modern world - such as how can a war-time journalist ever be detached from the conflict he is reporting on? Or how can love survive in a world of such huge distances? (A point emphasised by the many different locations.) However, whilst accomplished and at times thought-provoking, I believe Meek capable of better.... Read more ›
19 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By Ms Stephanie
Format:Hardcover
James Meek's reading in Blackwell's, Edinburgh last night showed his audience that the only thing more exciting than reading his books is listening to him be so articulate about them. We Are Now Beginning Our Descent (one of my favourite title choices in ages) is completely different from The People's Act of Love, but likewise says something original and true about how people operate now, in a war-fatigued, globalised world. It was great to see the range of readers the book has attracted, judging from the other audience members at Meek's gig yesterday - everyone from retired Edinburgh literati to young immigrants (and his sister, artist Joanna Kane).
Yet it isn't only a political novel or a war novel - it describes what it's like for a disillusioned man to alienate himself from his friends (spectacularly), become convinced he's in love, allow his emotions to fly him to rural America and then have his expectations thrown for a loop by the strange, complicated woman he elected to fall for. The book asks fascinating questions: how many different ways are there to sell out? When we feel things most strongly, is it because we're deceiving ourselves more than usual? This fairly miserable character, Adam Kellas, has a strange pull on the reader, and it all rings weirdly true.
Yet it isn't only a political novel or a war novel - it describes what it's like for a disillusioned man to alienate himself from his friends (spectacularly), become convinced he's in love, allow his emotions to fly him to rural America and then have his expectations thrown for a loop by the strange, complicated woman he elected to fall for. The book asks fascinating questions: how many different ways are there to sell out? When we feel things most strongly, is it because we're deceiving ourselves more than usual? This fairly miserable character, Adam Kellas, has a strange pull on the reader, and it all rings weirdly true.
14 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I must be one of the few people reading this new book by Meek who HAVEN'T read 2006's favourite "The People's Act of Love". I bought "We Are Now Beginning..." because I loved Meek's short story about the devil trying to tempt a woman who has given up material goods; the devil almost falls in love with her he gets so obsessed with her lack of interest in him... In a way I can see how this (AMAZING) book relates to that story. Although on the surface this is a book about a war reporter, "embedded" in Afghanistan, it's really about love and how that works.
Let me tell you just some of the good things about this book:
1) there is some absolutely beautiful writing: "Big broken Soviet helicopter gunships sat in the mulberry groves like worn-out hounds slumped in the shade".
2) there are some of those thoughts that you ponder over for hours afterwards: "Now he wondered if the meeting of eyes, even lovers' eyes, was nothing but a more refined form of blindness."
or: "Here it was almost impossile to distinguish between constancy to a cause and madness. If you wanted to be virtuous, you had to accept that virtue would have a crooked shape."
3) it has the genuine tang of a book written by someone who's actually been there, who is confident in writing about a place and telling you things about it you might never have imagined. The moment that Kellas (the main character) realises that his translator, Mohammed, might not be all that glad to have exchanged shalwar kameez for a suit - says it all.
The bits of the book I liked least were the bits set in Camden! Amongst media folk! they were the least believable bit for me!! And there's also a great section (I don't want to spoil any of it) set in America.
Really, really read this book.... Read more ›
Let me tell you just some of the good things about this book:
1) there is some absolutely beautiful writing: "Big broken Soviet helicopter gunships sat in the mulberry groves like worn-out hounds slumped in the shade".
2) there are some of those thoughts that you ponder over for hours afterwards: "Now he wondered if the meeting of eyes, even lovers' eyes, was nothing but a more refined form of blindness."
or: "Here it was almost impossile to distinguish between constancy to a cause and madness. If you wanted to be virtuous, you had to accept that virtue would have a crooked shape."
3) it has the genuine tang of a book written by someone who's actually been there, who is confident in writing about a place and telling you things about it you might never have imagined. The moment that Kellas (the main character) realises that his translator, Mohammed, might not be all that glad to have exchanged shalwar kameez for a suit - says it all.
The bits of the book I liked least were the bits set in Camden! Amongst media folk! they were the least believable bit for me!! And there's also a great section (I don't want to spoil any of it) set in America.
Really, really read this book.... Read more ›
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was really looking forward to this; 'The People's Act of Love' was a quite outstanding achievement and the blurb for this sounded great, but overall I feel let down.
Meek sends his main character on a journey of self-discovery without first checking if we actually care enough. It will be impossible for this story to compete with the many modern and classic counterparts which have stars to whom the reader relates and sympathises. The author knows that the world will think that Adam Kellas is a simply awful man, but the longer the narrative spends trying to explain his point of view, the more difficult this becomes to read.
At the same time, however, 'We Are Now Beginning Our Descent' ends well, and throughout we are treated to passages of the thoughtful, stylish and memorable writing that graced 'The People's Act of Love'.
Meek sends his main character on a journey of self-discovery without first checking if we actually care enough. It will be impossible for this story to compete with the many modern and classic counterparts which have stars to whom the reader relates and sympathises. The author knows that the world will think that Adam Kellas is a simply awful man, but the longer the narrative spends trying to explain his point of view, the more difficult this becomes to read.
At the same time, however, 'We Are Now Beginning Our Descent' ends well, and throughout we are treated to passages of the thoughtful, stylish and memorable writing that graced 'The People's Act of Love'.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Political, Mental and Emotional Insulation
"The theme of the West's (and journalism's) distanced overflight of the rest of the world is an arresting one, richly written and cleverly developed. Read more
Published 2 days ago by prisrob
3.0 out of 5 stars
War cripples minds, too
British war correspondent James Meek shows a love story can captivate readers even if both lovers are rather weird and somewhat despicable persons. Well written.
Published 3 months ago by S. Hare
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb and thoughtful book
We Are Now Beginning Our Descent is the story of Adam Kellas, a left leaning journalist we first see reporting for an British (Scottish? Read more
Published 16 months ago by Bacchus
4.0 out of 5 stars
mixed feelings
Like many reviewers I have mixed feelings about this book. The language is at times dazzling and though Adam is not a wholly likeable character I felt sympathetic towards him and... Read more
Published on 28 Oct 2010 by meg keir
3.0 out of 5 stars
relationships
Adam Kellas, English journalist, meets Astrid Walsh, American journalist, when they are covering Afghanistan shortly after 9/11. They become close. Read more
Published on 17 May 2010 by SusieH
2.0 out of 5 stars
Simply Overrated
I decided to read "The People's Act of Love" because although it was not the subject of a review programme, nonetheless one of the reviewers mentioned it in passing with glowing,... Read more
Published on 8 Aug 2009 by Herman Norford
3.0 out of 5 stars
we are now beginning our descent
Certainly not as good as his last book, it somehow lacks direction, I am not sure quite what he wants to say. Read more
Published on 29 May 2009 by Mrs. J. Griffiths
1.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing
It is most unusual for me not to finish a book. In this case I read as far as page 80 which I felt gave the author a reasonable opportunity to capture my attention, excite my... Read more
Published on 14 May 2009 by Dr. David Griffiths
2.0 out of 5 stars
Second novel syndrome
As a fan of Meek's debut novel, I might applaud his veering off in a completely different style and direction for the follow up, had it not smacked of being horribly rushed for... Read more
Published on 21 July 2008 by Gary Swing
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ghosts of Intimacy within the Violent Touch of War
"I want to see you now. I want you to come to me."
We Are Now Beginning Our Descent is a well crafted and constructed novel that gets inside the head of Adam Kellas as... Read more
We Are Now Beginning Our Descent is a well crafted and constructed novel that gets inside the head of Adam Kellas as... Read more
Published on 22 May 2008 by Emma French
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