The Matisse Stories, A. S. Byatt lighting ”—Rory Stewart One of the

”—Rory Stewart One of the largest rivers in the world

nerves of steel and a strong stomach

Aw weaves together stories of insiders and outsiders

Posing a bold challenge to narrow or nationalistic views

one of Shakespeare's most resistant and rollicking works

The Matisse Stories, A. S. Byatt lighting ”—Rory Stewart One of theEach story is in some way inspired by a painting of Henri Matisse, each is also about the intimate connection between seeing and feeling about the ways in which a glance we meant to be casual may suddenly call forth the deepest reserves of our being. Their subjects' lives unravel from simple beginnings a trip to the hair dresser, a cleaning woman's passion for knitting, lunch in a Chinese restaurant but gradually the veneer of ordinariness is peeled