Quick View
{"id":7451406336059,"title":"The Two Roberts","handle":"the-two-roberts","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: \u003cem\u003eThe Guardian, The Observer, The Herald, BBC\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn intoxicating, brave, and compassionate novel reimagining one of the most passionate love stories of modern British art.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScotland, 1933. Bobby MacBryde is on his way. After years grafting at Lees Boot Factory, he’s off to the Glasgow School of Art, to his future. On his first day he will meet another Robert, a quiet man with loose dark curls—and never leave his side.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTogether they will spend every penny and every minute devouring Glasgow—its botanical gardens, the Barras market, a whole hidden city—all the while loving each other behind closed doors. With the world on the brink of war, their unrivalled talent will take them to Paris, Rome, London. They will become stars as the bombs fall, hosting wild parties with the likes of Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon, and Elizabeth Smart. But the brightest stars burn fastest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStunningly reimagined, \u003cem\u003eThe Two Roberts\u003c\/em\u003e is a profoundly moving story of devotion and obsession, art, and class. It is a love letter to MacBryde and Colquhoun, the almost-forgotten artists who tried to change the way the world sees—and paid a devastating price.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2025-10-28T10:34:06-04:00","created_at":"2025-09-09T16:55:24-04:00","vendor":"House of Anansi Press Inc","type":"","tags":["Adult Coming Soon","Adult LGBTQ+","Anansi International","By (author) Barr Damian","Literary Fiction","pub date: 2026-05-05"],"price":1999,"price_min":1999,"price_max":2699,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":42450344312891,"title":"trade paperback","option1":"trade paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487014124","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Two Roberts - trade paperback","public_title":"trade paperback","options":["trade paperback"],"price":2699,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9781487014124","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":42450344443963,"title":"epub","option1":"epub","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781487014131","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Two Roberts - epub","public_title":"epub","options":["epub"],"price":1999,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":null,"barcode":"9781487014131","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/houseofanansi.pro\/cdn\/shop\/files\/9781487014124.jpg?v=1760645562"],"featured_image":"\/\/houseofanansi.pro\/cdn\/shop\/files\/9781487014124.jpg?v=1760645562","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":25953981890619,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.647,"height":2550,"width":1650,"src":"\/\/houseofanansi.pro\/cdn\/shop\/files\/9781487014124.jpg?v=1760645562"},"aspect_ratio":0.647,"height":2550,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/houseofanansi.pro\/cdn\/shop\/files\/9781487014124.jpg?v=1760645562","width":1650}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: \u003cem\u003eThe Guardian, The Observer, The Herald, BBC\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn intoxicating, brave, and compassionate novel reimagining one of the most passionate love stories of modern British art.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScotland, 1933. Bobby MacBryde is on his way. After years grafting at Lees Boot Factory, he’s off to the Glasgow School of Art, to his future. On his first day he will meet another Robert, a quiet man with loose dark curls—and never leave his side.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTogether they will spend every penny and every minute devouring Glasgow—its botanical gardens, the Barras market, a whole hidden city—all the while loving each other behind closed doors. With the world on the brink of war, their unrivalled talent will take them to Paris, Rome, London. They will become stars as the bombs fall, hosting wild parties with the likes of Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon, and Elizabeth Smart. But the brightest stars burn fastest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStunningly reimagined, \u003cem\u003eThe Two Roberts\u003c\/em\u003e is a profoundly moving story of devotion and obsession, art, and class. It is a love letter to MacBryde and Colquhoun, the almost-forgotten artists who tried to change the way the world sees—and paid a devastating price.\u003c\/p\u003e"}
{"AlsoRecommendedISBN_0":"9781487006389","AlsoRecommendedISBN_1":"9781487010751","AlsoRecommendedISBN_2":"9781487012762","BASICMainSubject":"FIC011000","BASICMainSubjectLiteral":"FICTION\/LGBTQ+\/Gay","BiographicalNote":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDAMIAN BARR\u003c\/strong\u003e is an award-winning writer, broadcaster, and journalist. His memoir \u003cem\u003eMaggie \u0026 Me\u003c\/em\u003e, won Stonewall Writer of the Year and Sunday Times Memoir of the Year. His debut novel, \u003cem\u003eYou Will Be Safe Here\u003c\/em\u003e, was shortlisted for six major awards. He hosts the internationally syndicated television show \u003cem\u003eBig Scottish Book Club\u003c\/em\u003e, now in its sixth series. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and lives in Brighton, England.\u003c\/p\u003e","BISACSubjectLiteral_0":"FICTION \/ LGBTQ+ \/ Gay","BISACSubjectLiteral_1":"FICTION \/ Literary","BISACSubjectLiteral_2":"FICTION \/ Historical \/ 20th Century \/ General","BISACSubject_0":"FIC011000","BISACSubject_1":"FIC019000","BISACSubject_2":"FIC014080","ContributorBio_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDAMIAN BARR\u003c\/strong\u003e is an award-winning writer, broadcaster, and journalist. His memoir \u003cem\u003eMaggie \u0026 Me\u003c\/em\u003e, won Stonewall Writer of the Year and Sunday Times Memoir of the Year. His debut novel, \u003cem\u003eYou Will Be Safe Here\u003c\/em\u003e, was shortlisted for six major awards. He hosts the internationally syndicated television show \u003cem\u003eBig Scottish Book Club\u003c\/em\u003e, now in its sixth series. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and lives in Brighton, England.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","ContributorRole_0":"By (author)","Contributor_0":"Barr, Damian","Description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: \u003cem\u003eThe Guardian, The Observer, The Herald, BBC\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn intoxicating, brave, and compassionate novel reimagining one of the most passionate love stories of modern British art.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScotland, 1933. Bobby MacBryde is on his way. After years grafting at Lees Boot Factory, he’s off to the Glasgow School of Art, to his future. On his first day he will meet another Robert, a quiet man with loose dark curls—and never leave his side.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTogether they will spend every penny and every minute devouring Glasgow—its botanical gardens, the Barras market, a whole hidden city—all the while loving each other behind closed doors. With the world on the brink of war, their unrivalled talent will take them to Paris, Rome, London. They will become stars as the bombs fall, hosting wild parties with the likes of Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon, and Elizabeth Smart. But the brightest stars burn fastest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStunningly reimagined, \u003cem\u003eThe Two Roberts\u003c\/em\u003e is a profoundly moving story of devotion and obsession, art, and class. It is a love letter to MacBryde and Colquhoun, the almost-forgotten artists who tried to change the way the world sees—and paid a devastating price.\u003c\/p\u003e","EAN":"9781487014131","Height":"8.5","HeightCode":"in","Imprint":"Anansi International","MetaKeywords":"Young Mungo;Queer Fiction;2SLGBTQIA+;Historical Fiction;Peggy;The Great Believers;Rebecca Makkai;Rebecca Godfrey;Douglas Stuart;Shuggie Bain;Booker Prize;Best Fiction Book of 2025;Best Fiction Book of 2026;Books about Artists;Book Club;Pallant House Gallery;Queer Author;Gay Author;Gay Romance","NumberOfPages":"320","OtherText_Accolades_0":"\u003cp\u003e“Barr proves that Glasgow has many stories to tell. A funny, charming book that crackles with creative rebellion. It is a pleasure to read and there is real joy in discovering the forgotten history of these working-class antiheroes.”—\u003cstrong\u003eDouglas Stuart\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_1":"\u003cp\u003e“A full-blown treat, historical fiction that brings to life unjustly neglected figures of queer art.”—\u003cstrong\u003ePatrick Gale\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_10":"\u003cp\u003e“A brilliant and unflinching portrait of love and talent.”—\u003cstrong\u003eGraham Norton\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_11":"\u003cp\u003e“A warm, tender and attentive work—there are deep pleasures in its prose, world-building and sincerity of feeling”—\u003cstrong\u003eSarah Perry\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_2":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eThe Two Roberts\u003c\/em\u003e is the greatest and truest story of two male lovers I have ever read.\" —\u003cstrong\u003eRussell T. Davies\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_3":"\u003cp\u003e“Working-class life and artistic Bohemia collide in this novel of all-consuming passion and the torture of creation. Brilliantly written, poignant, and powerful. This is Damian Barr’s chef-d’oeuvre.”— \u003cstrong\u003eIan Rankin\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_4":"\u003cp\u003e“We need love stories like these … \u003cem\u003eThe two Roberts\u003c\/em\u003e take up residence in your heart. Utterly absorbing, Damian Barr has pulled off that very difficult thing, to make a historical novel totally contemporary.”— \u003cstrong\u003eJackie Kay\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_5":"\u003cp\u003e“Extraordinary.\" — \u003cstrong\u003eCurtis Garner\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_6":"\u003cp\u003e“Epic and touching, and a revelation in its rediscovery of MacBryde and Colquhoun.”—\u003cstrong\u003eDavid Nicholls\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_7":"\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eThe Two Roberts\u003c\/em\u003e is beautiful! Beautiful writing. So vivid and alive and human and humane and funny and important!”— \u003cstrong\u003eJenni Fagan\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_8":"\u003cp\u003e“The writing is beautiful. Barr’s compassion and engagement powerful. Storytelling at its passionate best.”—\u003cstrong\u003eEsther Freud\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Accolades_9":"\u003cp\u003e“Damian Barr reimagines the love and squalor of this almost forgotten pair in this effervescent blur of fact and fiction, and illuminates the Roberts’ careering passion and talent as it fizzes from Glasgow, through war-torn Europe to Soho and then Sussex, to finally land for ever in our galleries.”—\u003cstrong\u003eRaffaella Barker\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Long_description_1":"\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBUZZY NEW NOVEL: Published by Canongate Books in the UK, \u003cem\u003eThe Two Roberts\u003c\/em\u003e was named a Best Fiction Book of 2025 by \u003cem\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/em\u003e and the BBC, with advanced praise from Graham Norton, Ian Rankin, Douglas Stuart, and many others.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGAY HISTORICAL FICTION: For Rooted in real, turbulent relationship between Scottish artists Robert MacBryde and Robert Colquhoun, \u003cem\u003eThe Two Roberts\u003c\/em\u003e is unapologetically gay historical fiction that honours the love story of these pioneering and radical men.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTHE NEO-ROMANTICS: Refusing to hide their romantic relationship in a time when homosexuality was illegal, the two Roberts were a part of the vibrant and hedonistic Soho art scene in post-War London. This novel vibrates with the wild creativity and existential joys of the rapidly changing 20th century.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","OtherText_Review_0":"\u003cp\u003e“A moving meditation on art, love and home … Barr mingles comedy and tragedy with wonderful fluidity.”—\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_1":"\u003cp\u003e“Deeply affecting … A vivid and moving portrait.”—\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_2":"\u003cp\u003e“Barr tells his story with verve and economy and on-point dramatic instinct.”—\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Financial Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_3":"\u003cp\u003e“A novel that brims over with generosity and warmth.”— \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Observer\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_Review_4":"\u003cp\u003e\"A tender and evocative act of resurrection.\" — \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Spectator Australia\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","OtherText_ShortDescription_0":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn intoxicating, brave, and compassionate novel reimagining one of the most passionate love stories of modern British art.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","ProductFormDescription":"epub","PublicationDate":"2026-05-05","Publisher":"House of Anansi Press Inc","ShortDescription":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn intoxicating, brave, and compassionate novel reimagining one of the most passionate love stories of modern British art.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","Width":"5.5","WidthCode":"in"}