‘It’s a beautifully written and perceptive book, that also poses sharp questions about environmental nostalgia and the true value of species.’ – Number 4 of the ‘Best Books of the Year 2018’, Steven Poole, The Daily Telegraph

‘[T]he projects Kornfeldt writes about are incredibly compelling, given that we are living through a mass-extinction event that threatens the stability of the world’s ecosystems.’ – The New Yorker

‘The author’s careful synthesis of accomplishment versus aspiration is also spot-on—even world-class scientists will be dreamers, and there is much more research to be conducted before mammoths once again lumber across the tundra. Wondrous tales of futuristic science experiments that happen to be true.’ – Kirkus Reviews

‘In her cleverly titled book, The Re-origin of the Species, Swedish science journalist Torill Kornfeldt examines the world’s most famous (or perhaps most infamous) attempts to resurrect extinct species … Crisscrossing the globe to interview the world’s leading experts on de-extinction, she offers her personal impressions of their laboratories, their research, and even their motivations … The Re-Origin of the Species is a welcome addition to the growing corpus on de-extinction, and a strong debut by a gifted writer.’ – Abraham H. Gibson, The Quarterly Review of Biology, Stony Brook University.

A nameless man and woman argue, remember, accuse, break up, reconcile and break up again, flinging insults, often in quotes from European literature and poetry to films and song lyrics. Described by the author as a homage to Strindberg and Märta Tikkanen, it has similarities with Tikkanen’s Love Story of the Century, after which it takes its Swedish title, Århundradets kärlekskrig (Love war of the century).

‘Åsbrink’s elegant prose (translated by Fiona Graham) offers a lyrical history of a year that seems both recent and ancient.’ – The Spectator

‘[Åsbrink’s] careful juxtaposition of disparate events highlights an underlying interconnectedness and suggests a new way of thinking about the postwar era.’ – The New Yorker

‘[A]n extraordinary achievement.’ – The New York Times

‘Åsbrink works with great subtlety, allowing us to make our own judgments and trace any parallels or echoes with the present. Fiona Graham deserves credit for her remarkable translation.’ – The National

‘Like an image created from a thousand juxtaposed pixels, Åsbrink builds a cumulative picture of 1947 … Less a work of history, her book is more like an ingeniously constructed novel.’ – The Jewish Chronicle

Longlisted for the 2019 JQ Wingate Prize and the 2018 Warwick Prize for Women in Translation. A 2017 English Pen award-winner, and a Metro book of the year (2017).