Pascali's Island (novel)

Pascali's Island is a novel by Barry Unsworth, first published in 1980. The first United States publication of the book by Simon & Schuster was titled The Idol Hunter.

Pascali's Island
First edition (UK)
AuthorBarry Unsworth
LanguageEnglish
GenreHistorical novel
PublisherMichael Joseph
Publication date
1980
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Media typePrint (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages189 pp
ISBN0-7181-1854-5
OCLC8365961
LC ClassPR6071.N8 P37x 1980c

The film version, produced in 1988, was written and directed by James Dearden. It stars Ben Kingsley, Charles Dance and Helen Mirren.

The novel is set on an island which is an outpost of the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Basil Pascali is a spy who reports regularly to Istanbul on the activities of the local people. He expects to be found out at any moment. When an English archaeologist arrives on the island, Pascali is suspicious of him, and the archaeologist's involvement with the woman Pascali loves creates further tensions.

The novel was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1980.

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