Product Description
Coming Up for Air
Author: Sarah Leipciger
Format: Paperback
A remarkable true story richly reimagined
Three Extraordinary Lives Intertwine Across Oceans and Time
'Bold in its weaving of three ingeniously linked storylines and rich in sensuous detail and vivid characterisation. I can't wait for her next.' — Patrick Gale
'A stunning, stirring story told with exceptional skill and rare beauty' — Terri White
'Glittering. A triumph.' — Rachel Joyce
**Longlisted for the Hwa Gold Crown 2020**
On the banks of the River Seine in 1899, a young woman takes her final breath before plunging into the icy water. Although she does not know it, her decision will set in motion an astonishing chain of events. It will lead to 1950s Norway, where a grieving toy-maker is on the cusp of a transformative invention, all the way to present-day Canada where a journalist, battling a terrible disease, risks everything for one last chance to live.
Taking inspiration from a remarkable true story, Coming Up for Air is a bold, richly imagined novel about the transcendent power of storytelling and the immeasurable impact of every human life.
More Praise for Coming Up for Air:
'Extraordinary.' — Francis Spufford
'Vivid, evocative, moving. I loved it' — Claire Fuller
'Spellbinding and beautifully written.' — Carys Bray
'Dazzling . . . I savoured every word of its beautiful prose' — Prima
About the Author
Born and raised in Canada, Sarah Leipciger lives in London with her three children. She is Associate Lecture in Creative Writing at Birkbeck University and also teaches at City Lit London. Her short fiction has been shortlisted for the Asham Award, the Fish Prize and the Bridport Prize. She is the author of the critically acclaimed THE MOUNTAIN CAN WAIT (2015) and COMING UP FOR AIR (2020). MOON ROAD is her third novel.
For custom orders and quotes: shop@schoolspace.co.za
© 2026 Schoolspace. This product description is the exclusive intellectual property of the publisher, protected under copyright law. Unauthorized use, adaption, or copying is strictly prohibited.
