THE WHITE PORCUPINE is a virtuoso novel by a critically acclaimed British author. It is a mystery, and a profound exploration of loyalties: father and daughter, lovers and friends, soldiers and nations. Set in Java in the 1940s and the Netherlands in the 1970s, it tells the peculiar story of Ben Pinksterbloem, a military radio expert caught up in a post-colonial drama. Ben is brave, cunning, and ruthless, but in Java he commits the soldier's ultimate betrayal.Thirty years later, loyalties are tested again. The children of Ben's former comrades launch a despairing act of terrorism, hijacking a train and a school, demanding the righting of past wrongs. Ben attempts to intercede - but the tragi-comedy may be beyond his control...THE WHITE PORCUPINE is Jonathan Falla's fifth novel and displays all his skills in dramatic storytelling, with strange landscapes, powerful characters, and bizarre humour. The critics have said of his previous work: "A very witty writer with a gift for gallows humour." (Observer, London). "An outstanding novel." (Sunday Times, London). "An original, unflinching work on a subject of great importance. The strength of the writing and the subject carry all before them." (New York Times). "Compelling and tragically relevant." (BBC Radio 4). Jonathan Falla is an English writer long resident in Scotland, UK. He is the acclaimed author of more than a dozen books from publishers such as Longman, Cambridge University Press, Aurora Metro, and Polygon. These include five novels, a study of Burmese rebels, poetry translations, military memoirs and drama.Born in Jamaica, Falla was educated at Cambridge. He trained as a specialist nurse and for many years he worked for international aid agencies in Java, Burma, Sudan, Nepal and Uganda.He is now Director of the St Andrews University creative writing summer school, and also teaches arts subjects for the Open University. He is the winner of several prizes including a PEN fiction award, the 2007 Creative Scotland Award and a senior Fulbright fellowship at the University of Southern California.
