Books to look out for in the first half of 2026 -Lucy Popescu, Camden New Journal

The Tribe is the epic tale of a family and its history and a family in history.

The Carraches are a powerful Sephardic dynasty in the cosmopolitan city of Salonica during the dying days of the Ottoman Empire. After the Greek annexation of the city, they settle in France until, in 1940, the Nazi Occupation sends some into hiding, some into flight and others into camps. In the early 1960s, the survivors and their children confront the family's past, with long hidden secrets uncovered and deep-seated conflicts exposed, even as the Eichmann trial forces the world at large to confront the full enormity of the Holocaust.

The Tribe crosses cultures and continents in its exploration of family, race, nation and empire. As the central characters journey from adolescence through early adulthood to late middle age, they experience first loves, political and sexual awakenings, artistic triumphs, religious pressures, marital struggles, dynastic rivalries, brutal persecution, resilience and liberation, before, helped by their children, they finally achieve a degree of reconciliation both with one another and the city of their birth.

About the Author
Michael Arditti is an acclaimed novelist, short story writer and critic. His novels are The Celibate (1993), Pagan and her Parents (1996), Easter (2000), Unity (2005), A Sea Change (2006) The Enemy of the Good (2009), Jubilate (2011), The Breath of Night (2013), Widows and Orphans (2015), Of Men and Angels (2018), The Anointed (2020), The Young Pretender (2022) and The Choice (2023). He was awarded an Honorary D Litt from the University of Chester and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Reviews

Through these varied stories, Arditti proves himself to be a brilliant and sure-footed storyteller. He is able to establish place, character, politics and conflict in a few short pages. He is also adept at leaving a scene early, then picking the narrative up later from a new perspective. There is a depth of research which makes every location feel authentic ... this family saga is an exceptional achievement.

-- Alice Jolly * The Spectator *

If you enjoy historical epics, then I would also wholeheartedly recommend Michael Arditti's The Tribe (Salt), the enthralling tale of a Sephardic dynasty in Salonica.

-- Martin Chilton * The Independent *

An epic reading experience ... ambitious ... fascinating.

-- Susie Mesure * Prospect *



Book Information
ISBN 9781784633646
Author Michael Arditti
Format Paperback
Page Count 528
Imprint Salt Publishing
Publisher Salt Publishing
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 38mm