THE UNDESIRABLES

A heart-wrenching novel of war and courage by the author of the critically acclaimed GUERNICA.

Set during the Boer War in Southern Africa at the turn of the 20th century, THE UNDESIRABLES is narrated by Lettie, an extraordinarily brave 14-year-old Boer girl who, together with her mother and siblings, is forced by the British to live in a containment camp. Lettie dreams of boys and of becoming a writer, although she has barely a pencil or paper to her name, and she harbors fond memories of stargazing with her grandfather before the war. But caught in the reality of starvation, bone-chilling cold and back-breaking work, she struggles to survive. Still, she draws strength from her mother — who is unyielding in the face of so much despair — and her own hopes for a life with her family that once was and might be again. Inspired by the experiences of the author's grandfather during his time as a soldier in the Boer War, THE UNDESIRABLES will introduce readers to a little-known — but shocking — event in history. During the conflict, more Boer children died from malnutrition and the conditions in the camps than soldiers in combat from both sides combined. Dave Boling is the author of the critically acclaimed novel GUERNICA, which sold abroad in 13 territories (listed below). It won the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award for Fiction, was a Barnes and Noble "Discover Great New Writers" selection, one of Richard and Judy's Summer Reads in the UK (where it became a bestseller), and was selected by Waterstone's (UK) as one of 12 "New Voices" novels. A native of the Chicago area, Dave Boling is a journalist in Washington State.