{"product_id":"lewycka-m-short-history-of-tractors-in-ukrainian-9780241981443","title":"Lewycka M Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eis bestselling author Marina Lewycka''s hilarious and award winning debut novel, now available as a Penguin Essential for the first time. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e''Two years after my mother died, my father fell in love with a glamorous blonde Ukrainian divorcée. He was eighty-four and she was thirty-six. She exploded into our lives like a fluffy pink grenade, churning up the murky water, bringing to the surface a sludge of sloughed-off memories, giving the family ghosts a kick up the backside.'' \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSisters Vera and Nadezhda must aside a lifetime of feuding to save their émigré engineer father from voluptuous gold-digger Valentina. With her proclivity for green satin underwear and boil-in-the-bag cuisine, she will stop at nothing in her pursuit of Western wealth.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut the sisters'' campaign to oust Valentina unearths family secrets, uncovers fifty years of Europe''s darkest history and sends them back to roots they''d much rather forget . . .\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e''It''s rare to find a first novel that gets so much right . . . Lewycka is a seriously talented comic writer''  \u003ci\u003eTime Out\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e''Hugely enjoyable . . . yields a golden harvest of family truths'' \u003ci\u003eDaily Telegraph\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e''Delightful, funny, touching'' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eSpectator\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt's rare to find a first novel that gets so much right . . . Lewycka is\u003cb\u003e a seriously talented comic writer\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e * Time Out *\u003cbr\u003eMore than just a jolly romp with political undertones is the way it\u003cb\u003e captures the peculiar flavour of Eastern European immigrant life\u003c\/b\u003e . . . a \u003cb\u003every rich mixture indeed, \u003c\/b\u003eas well as very enjoyable reading * Daily Express *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFunny\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003egritty\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003eoriginal \u003c\/b\u003e... one I adore * Independent *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eRemarkable\u003c\/b\u003e, a\u003cb\u003e lovely novel\u003c\/b\u003e * Sunday Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003eAn \u003cb\u003eextraordinary read \u003c\/b\u003e. . . \u003cb\u003enothing short of amazing\u003c\/b\u003e. A\u003cb\u003e rare treat\u003c\/b\u003e, all too easy to gulp down in one greedy sitting * Spectator *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eOutstanding\u003c\/b\u003e * Literary Review *\u003cbr\u003eExtremely funny * The Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eIntelligent\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003elively\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003ewell written \u003c\/b\u003eand \u003cb\u003ecompassionate\u003c\/b\u003e * Financial Times *\u003cbr\u003ePloughs a \u003cb\u003erich comic furrow\u003c\/b\u003e * Daily Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003eA\u003cb\u003e clever, touching\u003c\/b\u003e story * Economist *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMad \u003c\/b\u003eand \u003cb\u003ehilarious\u003c\/b\u003e * Grazia *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eHilarious\u003c\/b\u003e * The Times *\u003cbr\u003eA \u003cb\u003edelightful \u003c\/b\u003efirst novel . . . an \u003cb\u003eunderstanding of history\u003c\/b\u003e, a \u003cb\u003eprofundity\u003c\/b\u003e, and yet a \u003cb\u003elightness of touch\u003c\/b\u003e, that are \u003cb\u003ea joy\u003c\/b\u003e... \u003cb\u003efunny \u003c\/b\u003eand \u003cb\u003etouching\u003c\/b\u003e * The Daily Mail *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eHugely enjoyable\u003c\/b\u003e . . . yields \u003cb\u003ea golden harvest of family truths\u003c\/b\u003e * The Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMemorably inventive, unexpectedly moving\u003c\/b\u003e * Daily Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWit\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003ehumour\u003c\/b\u003e,\u003cb\u003e sparkling dialogue,\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003evivid characterization\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003egenerous spirit\u003c\/b\u003e. Food for thought and a great read * Daily Mail *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eEnthralling\u003c\/b\u003e * Sunday Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThought-provoking\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003euproariously funny\u003c\/b\u003e, a\u003cb\u003e comic feast\u003c\/b\u003e. A\u003cb\u003e riotous oil painting of senility, lust and greed\u003c\/b\u003e * TLS *\u003cbr\u003eMore than just a jolly romp with political undertones is the way it captures the peculiar flavour of Eastern European immigrant life . . . a very rich mixture indeed, as well as very enjoyable reading * The Times *\u003cbr\u003eA delightful first novel . . . an understanding of history, a profundity, and yet a lightness of touch, that are a joy . . . funny, touching and completely convincing * The Spectator *","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48733427401047,"sku":"9780241981443","price":8.54,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780241981443.jpg?v=1720000034","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/lewycka-m-short-history-of-tractors-in-ukrainian-9780241981443","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}