The Narrow Road to the Deep North

Richard Flanagan’s fascinating novel, ‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North’ was awarded the 2014 Booker Prize. It explores the effects of love, adultery, loneliness, regret, and conflict. The story is told in short chunks that cover five sections and several decades. Dorrigo Evans, the main character is plagued by recollections of a romantic relationship he had with his uncle’s wife and his subsequent adventures as a prisoner of war in the Far East while the Burma Railway was being built.

Even with his rising fame, decades later, he struggles with emotions of remorse and failure. The title draws inspiration from the journey journal of Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō and the epic Oku no Hosomichi from the 17th century.