"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Why was I thinking of pickled vegetables--of cauliflower and carrots; of green and red peppers; of radishes and red cabbage? I hadn't eaten the dish in a lifetime... and then, with an involuntary cry of anguish, and clear blue sky, I saw my mother and me tickling my father, who is pretending to be asleep on the grass.Poignant stuff, in itself. But Bailey/Andrews' intent isn't merely to paint a cameo portrait of Yiddish life, it's also to tell the story of how the stranger becomes the Englishman, and how intellectual and artistic values can be translated across borders.
As the scene shifts from Vienna to London to the opera houses of the world, what abides is the wit and life force of Uncle Rudolf and his bemused coterie of exiles: "He spoke in French, and very occasionally said something in his native Polish, but there was one English word, and one only, that he loved. It was "belly". He would pat his stomach and say "Mon belly", and then he'd laugh out loud. "Mon belly, Monsieur Petrescu. C'est enorme." This is a charming, exquisite, uplifting novel. --Sean Thomas
‘An exquisitely composed novel of doubleness, dubeity and prolonged protected silences.’ The Guardian
‘The underlying story is sad – harrowing, indeed – but there is spicy humour here too. Andrew himself is an appealing narrator: honest, troubled, perceptive. It is the clarity of his vision that gives the novel its crisp and satisfying accuracy, and makes it one of Paul Bailey’s best books.’ Independent
Praise for Paul Bailey
'He has a rare feeling for language and an understanding of character which few can rival.' Selina Hastings, Daily Telegraph
On KITTY AND VIRGIL:
'A book the depth and beauty of which it is hard to do justice in the language of criticism and dissection.' Alex Clark, TLS
On OLD SOLDIERS:
'Old Soldiers has taken root in my head. It's a spare, intense, elliptical novel, beautifully and cunningly set in a London which is at once drawn from Dickens and bang up-to-date.' Jonathan Raban, Sunday Times
On GABRIEL’S LAMENT:
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize
'A magnificent novel, moving, eccentric and unforgettable.' Daily Telegraph
On PETER SMART’S CONFESSIONS:
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize
'Rich in characters, situations, jokes and comic repartee. It's a fiendishly clever and funny book.' Anthony Thwaite, Observer
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Seller Inventory # Abebooks15117
Book Description Condition: New. New. In shrink wrap. Looks like an interesting title! 0.7. Seller Inventory # Q-0312318340