Winner of the 2009 Commonwealth Writers' Prize. When a man slaps a child who is not his own at a neighborhood barbecue, the act triggers a series of repercussions in the lives of the people who witness the event.

Read Christos Tsiolkas's blogs on the Penguin Community.

Read a review of “The Slap” on WorldNews.tk.

Read a review of “The Slap” on Timesonline.co.uk.

In this powerful and riveting novel, literary phenomenon Christos Tsiolkas unflinchingly exposes the inner- workings of domestic life, friendship and parenthood in the twenty-first century, and reminds us of the passions and malice that family loyalty can provoke. When a man slaps another couple's child at a neighborhood barbecue, the event send unforeseeable shockwaves through the lives of all who are witness to it. Told from the points of view of eight people who were present, The Slap shows how a single action can change the way people think about how they live, what they want, and what they believe forever. “Tsiolkas is a hard-edged, powerful writer....The novel transcends both suburban Melbourne and the Australian continent, leaving us exhausted but gasping with admiration.” -Washington Post
"This astute exploration of suburban aspirations and failings . . . . vividly demonstrates the wide-ranging effects of a single moment's rash decision. . . . Beyond simply igniting the plot, the fateful slap draws attention to generational and philosophical differences regarding family life and the complex political, social, and ethnic milieu of contemporary Australia." —Publishers Weekly
“Radiates with vitality as it depicts the messy complications of family life.” -Booklist
“Complex and multilayered. ...intertwined lives and slowly revealed connections make for a singular reading experience.” -Library Journal
“Wildly energetic and fearless, thrillingly about our lives now.” - Helen Garner, author of The Spare Room
“A gripping suburban fable.” - Men's Style
“Strikingly tender . . . it claws into you with its freshness and truth.”—Sydney Morning Herald