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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
Some
WWII violence; bomb disposal danger; the horrific nature of the patient's burns
Language
Some
Some strong language
Sexual Content
A lot
Explicit sexual content — the desert love affair is depicted in detail
Substance Use
Barely any
Medical morphine use by the patient
Emotional Intensity
Some
Explores loss, identity, colonialism, and the psychological dissolution of self
What this book is about
In the final days of WWII, nurse Hana tends to a badly burned mystery man in a damaged Italian villa, joined by a Canadian thief and an Indian Sikh sapper. As the 'English patient' recounts his life in the North African desert and a doomed love affair, Ondaatje's Booker Prize winner weaves identity, colonialism, and passion into a luminous, sensual narrative.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Explicit sexual content in the desert affair
WWII violence and the bombing of Japan
Graphic burns and physical suffering
Reader Verification
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