By Neal Thomson Colum McCann’s contributions to the world of literature go beyond his lyrical, award-winning novels (most recently TransAtlantic). The guy is a ceaseless champ for the written word, whether it’s promoting global storytelling via the Narrative4 collective he cofounded or nurturing students at Hunter College’s MFA Creative Writing Program. One of those students, […]

By Morgan Ribera This fiction debut by Vanessa Manko makes for a magical summer read that explores the true meaning of exile through one man’s long-distance, cross-continent relationship with his wife, family, and country. Read full list & review here!

By Graeme Green There’s more country-hopping in Vanessa Manko’s recommended The Invention of Exile (Oneworld), which follows a Russian inventor who moves to the US and starts a family only to be accused of attending anarchist gatherings and deported back to Russia, fleeing again when civil war breaks out to Paris, Constantinople and finally Mexico, […]

By Rosanna Spence History repeats itself. Just as the Cold War started to fade into memory, the last few months have seen Russia and the US at loggerheads again, the same old tensions and animosities resurfacing. The Invention of Exile, a beautiful, thought-provoking debut novel from Brooklyn-based American writer Vanessa Manko, follows Austin Voronkov, a […]

By Emma Page A deceptively simple story about one man’s struggle to defy his own inauspicious stars, Vanessa Manko’s debut, The Invention of Exile, begins as a straightforward historical novel. Read full review and Q&A here!

Vanessa Manko’s The Invention of Exile argues that home is wherever your loved ones are. Read full review here!

Enter the Woman’s Day Book Giveaway for a chance to win a signed copy of The Invention of Exile. Thanks Woman’s Day! Learn more here.

The Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize is awarded to the best debut novel of the year. Thank you Center for Fiction. See the full list here!  

An incident from her own family history inspired Manko’s fine fiction debut. Read full review here!

This novel has been praised by Salman Rushdie and Colum McCann for its heart-wrenching portrayal of the immigrant experience in early 20th century America. This unique story brings to life the pain and struggle of an existence in exile, and of your home not being with a country, but with your family. Thank you Mashable! […]