Louis de Bernieres Books In Order

Publication Order of Dog Books

Publication Order of The Dust That Falls from Dreams Books

Publication Order of Latin American Trilogy Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Plays

Publication Order of Collections

Publication Order of Anthologies

Louis de Bernieres is a bestselling British author famously known for his 4th novel Captain Corelli’s Mandolin published in 1994 and which won the author Commonwealth Writers Prize for the Best Book. The novel was later shortlisted for the 1994 Sunday Express Book of the Year and has been translated into over eleven languages, and it is also an international bestseller. Bernieres was selected as one of the “Twenty Best of Young British Novelists” which was a part of a promotion in Granta Magazine in 1993. In 2008, the De Montfort University awarded Bernieres an Honorary Doctorate by the same institution which he schooled when it was Leicester Polytechnic.

The author was born near Woolwich, London in 1954 and spent his childhood years in Surrey. He attended Bradfield College and later joined the military at the age of 18 years but resigned after four months. He then joined Victoria University of Manchester and the University of London. Before starting his full-time writing career, Bernieres held several jobs like being motorcycle messenger, mechanic, and also served as a teacher in Columbia. He is now a resident of Bungay in Suffolk. In 2009 Bernieres separated from his fiancé, Cathy Gill who won the custody of their children, Sophie and Robbie, but was later awarded equal custodial rights and since then he has never married again.

The author is an avid musician; he plays mandolin, flute, guitar, and clarinet even though he refers himself as an enthusiastic but not well educated and erratic amateur. His literary writing mostly references music and the composers her fancies such as the guitars of Antonio Lauro and Villa-Lobos in the Latin American trilogy.

Corelli’s Mandolin

Corelli’s Mandolin is one of the original novels by Bernieres published in 1994. The book received positive reviews globally, won several awarded and shortlisted in various publications. The book is set during the early days of the World War II before Dictator Benito Mussolini invaded Greece. The story introduces Dr. Iannis is a doctor practicing medicine in Cephalonia accompanied by Pelagia his daughter to whom he teaches his healing art. Even when the Italians invade, at first life seems simple and not as hard as it was first expected. The leader of the Italian Garrison is Captain Antonio Corelli who ironically responds to the “Heil Hitler” with his own version of “Heil Puccini” and who his most prized possession is a mandolin. However it is not long either before Pelagia and Corelli are involved in one heated affair despite Pelagia being in a relationship with Mandras, who at the moment is off to join the Greek partisans.

The chemistry of love is complicated and even more complex during wartime even when the people involved are on the same side. Moreover, for Captain Corelli and Pelagia, it even becomes more difficult to negotiate the minefield of allegiances, both political and personal, as all around them, brutality rise, friends turn to enemies and the curse of the war infects everyone.

The English author, Bernieres is famously known for his expertise into magical realism. Set on the scenic island of Cephalonia (today is known as Kefalonia), in Greece during the Second World War, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin is a story full of honesty, love, and music. The love featured in the story is not just the typical erotic love that exists between a man and a woman, but it is love that is nurtured during the war when people are preparing to wage war on their adversaries. The heroine of this story, the beautiful Pelagia is in love with a handsome fisherman, Mandras who later join the Greek Guerilla. She then meets the Mandolin-playing Italian, Corelli and falls in love with him as well. However, the love they share is forbidden one since Pelagia is still engaged to Mandras and Corelli is an Italian military man whose country is at war with the Allie and Greece.

Even though Pelagia and Corelli live in the same house, they choose not to make love which could otherwise complicate their current situation.
Apart from the romantic love witnessed in the story, there is also a fatherly love that exists between, Pelagia and her father, Dr. Iannis. Their love is nurturing, and it is based on trust and respect. Dr. Iannis is an intelligent and a good family figure. He sees the love that blossoms between his daughter and Corelli, but instead of condoning it, he informs his daughter of the consequences of continuing that love.
The last notable love that author, Bernieres has added into the story is the heroic homosexual love that one of the Greek soldiers named Carlo has to his subordinate, Francesco. However, Carlo manages to keep that love to himself since they are in the army and that kind of love is not allowed. However, will he keep it to himself to the last bit? Is the feeling that he feels towards Francesco mutual?

Birds without Wings

Birds Without Wings is a mesmerizing, dense, and yet humorous book that will bring out all of your emotions that no one thought it would be possible in a single story.

The story is set in the peaceful and scenic fictional village of Eskibahce in South West Turkey and the native home to the Greek Christians and the Turkish Muslims who have lived in the region for centuries peacefully, side by side tolerating, and enjoying each others religions and traditions. The author introduces the readers to a cast of characters and when war is waged, and the outside world invaded, the twin torment of nationalism and religion result to forced battles and massacres and the peaceful fabric the existed is destroyed. Birds Without Wings is a political as well as personal story that showcases the costs of war.

Even though the story set in a fictional village, the narrative closely resembles the story of Kayakoy, a village proximal to Fethiye the ruins which are still present even today. It was once a prosperous Greek Village, with two churches and over one thousand houses, two schools, and fourteen chapels. It was entirely deserted in 1923 when the Turkey Government deported the Greek residents living in Turkey to Greece in an exchange policy. The writing style, the settings, the characters and the history in the Birds Without Wings is impeccably crafted and will grip you from the first to the last page.