Twenty-two-year-old Etto is drowning in grief. His twin brother, Luca, died in an accident, and within the year, his mother committed suicide. He has no real relationship with his father, and in his small town of San Benedetto, Italy, he has no prospects other than following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a butcher. Etto has no hope until disgraced Yuri Fil, a famous Ukrainian soccer player accused of fixing a game, comes to San Benedetto with his sister, Zhuki, and the rest of his entourage. Yuri shows Etto that everything can be made better with soccer. Pasulka’s poetic language captures the wild fanaticism of European soccer fans, the slow pace and intimacy of small-town life in Italy, and the heartbreak of losing loved ones while struggling to maintain relationships that are seemingly beyond repair. Even if you aren’t a fan of the game, this is so much more than a soccer novel; it is a beautiful story rich in detail and authenticity. --Carolyn Kubisz
"[A] celebration of young love, sunshine and
la dolce vita..." (
O, The Oprah Magazine — Editor's Pick, "3 Books for Wintry Weekends")
Poetic... A beautiful story rich in detail and authenticity. (
Booklist)
[A] heartwarming second novel from award-winning writer Pasulka. . . [She] scores a refreshing success with her affectionate portrait of a small-town community and her fresh angle on an aching heart. (
Kirkus Reviews)
"With a magician's sleight of hand, Brigid Pasulka once again conjures up a stunning chorus of characters. . .
The Sun and Other Stars is storytelling at its best, and Pasulka has made magic with this wise, poignant tale of love, community, and the sport that brings them all together!" (Gail Tsukiyama
author of The Samurai's Garden)
“How in the world did I just lose my heart to the entire village of San Benedetto, to its butchers and playboys and slackers and, most of all, its large population of swaggering elderly (mea culpa) soccer fans? Or maybe the question is this: How can a story about unbearable grief be so funny, so bawdy, so vibrant with the earthy joys of ordinary life? To that one, I know the answer: when it is told by someone with the uncommon wit of the fearless, tender, wise Brigid Pasulka.
The Sun and Other Stars is, as its title promises, a wondrous and radiant novel.” (Julia Glass
author of The Widower's Tale and Three Junes)
“What a smashing novel. Even more intricately braided and moving than her excellent first one. Fans of both Dante and the Azzuri will find plenty to relish and celebrate.” (James McManus
author of Going to the Sun and Positively 5th Street)
Praise for A Long Long Time Ago and Essentially True "Resonant moments. . .appealing characters and keen observations." (
New York Times Book Review)
“Her sweet, generous novel offers hope that her appealing heroine and a nation to often brutalized frequently by the forces of history will both have better tomorrows.” (
The Chicago Tribune)
“In this life-affirming novel of past and present, Brigid Pasulka twines the bright colors of fable with the subtler tones of disillusionment, survival, and rebirth. . . .Rarely does a novel succeed so well in evoking place and history, especially with a story as winning as this one. A marvelous debut.” (Nicholas Mones
author of The Last Chinese Chef and Lost in Translation)
“At once haunting and exquisitely vibrant, Pasulka's original tale is a treasure, transcending history, time, and place.” (Martha McPhee
author of Gorgeous Lies)
“Grand in scope, yet meticulous in detail, Brigid Pasulka's generous and affectionate novel finds universal truths in both its most-dramatic moments and its most-intimate observations. A compassionate, elegant, and moving debut.” (Adam Langer
author of Crossing California and The Thieves of Manhattan)
“Magical. . .Pasulka’s delightful debut braids together two tales of old and new Poland.” (
Publishers Weekly, starred review)
“This first-time novelist has an indisputable talent for a tale well-told. Like any good host, she makes us feel as if we've found a small piece of home.” (
Bookpage)
“One of the many gifts of Brigid Pasulka's debut novel, is that it transports us through the outer layers straight into the heart of Poland, brilliantly evoking the country's emotional landscape. . . .
A Long Long Time Ago & Essentially True rings hauntingly, echoingly real.” (
National Geographic Traveler)