Description
Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of the Richard & Judy selected SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN.
''Exceptionally accomplished ... a near masterpiece'' DAILY EXPRESS
''Heart-wrenching ... a mesmerising page-turner'' MAIL ON SUNDAY
''Delightfully written...Paul Torday is a remarkably original novelist'' EVENING STANDARD
Late one summer evening, Wilberforce - rich, young, and work-obsessed - makes a detour on his way home to the vast undercroft of Caerlyon Hall, and the domain of Francis Black, a place where wine, hospitality and affection flow freely.
Through Francis, Wilberforce is initiated into a life rich in the promise of friendship and adventure, where, through his new set of friends, the possibility of finding acceptance, and even falling in love, seems finally to be within his reach.
Wilberforce becomes a willing pupil to Francis, and in the cellars of Caerlyon he nurtures a new-found passion for wine. But even the finest
Trade Review
Exceptionally accomplished.. second novels are notoriously difficult to pull off but Torday has managed a near masterpiece * DAILY EXPRESS *
The whole book is delightfully written...Paul Torday is a remarkably original novelist * EVENING STANDARD *
Grows more and more poignant as the novel progresses.. satisfyingly full-bodied and slips down a treat * SUNDAY TIMES *
Remarkably, given the bleakness of both subject and hero, it is an incredibly good read * DAILY TELEGRAPH *
What makes us want to find out about Wilberforce is Torday's wonderful prose - the same simple, clear writing that made Salmon Fishing so readable * FINANCIAL TIMES *
He has a good feeling for character and a sly sense of humour * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *
A well-told tale...Torday wryly observes Wilberforce's descent * THE TIMES *
Telling the story back-to-front allows Torday to highlight Wilberforce's self-delusion; he's that familiar figure, the alcoholic who pretends that he's merely a connoisseur * GUARDIAN *
Torday's confidence in his story's power to command attention is not misplaced...Wilberforce is well worth sampling * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *
A heart-wrenching tale of alcoholism and a lonely man's search for identity...a mesmerising page-turner * MAIL ON SUNDAY *
[The plot] provides Torday with copious opportunities for comedy, which he readily exploits. But there is a serious undertone * TIME OUT *
Slips down a treat * THE WEEK *
