Description

Book Synopsis

The hilarious 1980s political satire by Jonathan Coe, published as a Penguin Essential for the first time.

It is the 1980s and the Winshaw family are getting richer and crueller by the year:

Newspaper-columnist Hilary gets thousands for telling it like it isn''t; Henry''s turning hospitals into car parks; Roddy''s selling art in return for sex; down on the farm Dorothy''s squeezing every last pound from her livestock; Thomas is making a killing on the stock exchange; and Mark is selling arms to dictators.

But once their hapless biographer Michael Owen starts investigating the family''s trail of greed, corruption and immoral doings, the time growing ripe for the Winshaws to receive their comeuppance. . .

This wickedly funny take on life under the Thatcher government was the winner of the 1995 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize


''A sustained feat of humour, suspense and polemic, full of twists and ironies'' Hilary Mantel, Sunday Times

''A riveting social satire on the chattering and all-powerful upper classes'' Time Out

''Big, hilarious, intricate, furious, moving'' Guardian

Written with his signature wit, Jonathan Coe''s unmissable new novel, The Proof of My Innocence is available now!

What a Carve Up

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    £8.99

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    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Thu 11 Jun 2026.

    A Paperback / softback by Jonathan Coe

    2 in stock


      View other formats and editions of What a Carve Up by Jonathan Coe

      Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
      Publication Date: 04/08/2016
      ISBN13: 9780241978917, 978-0241978917
      ISBN10: 0241978912

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      The hilarious 1980s political satire by Jonathan Coe, published as a Penguin Essential for the first time.

      It is the 1980s and the Winshaw family are getting richer and crueller by the year:

      Newspaper-columnist Hilary gets thousands for telling it like it isn''t; Henry''s turning hospitals into car parks; Roddy''s selling art in return for sex; down on the farm Dorothy''s squeezing every last pound from her livestock; Thomas is making a killing on the stock exchange; and Mark is selling arms to dictators.

      But once their hapless biographer Michael Owen starts investigating the family''s trail of greed, corruption and immoral doings, the time growing ripe for the Winshaws to receive their comeuppance. . .

      This wickedly funny take on life under the Thatcher government was the winner of the 1995 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize


      ''A sustained feat of humour, suspense and polemic, full of twists and ironies'' Hilary Mantel, Sunday Times

      ''A riveting social satire on the chattering and all-powerful upper classes'' Time Out

      ''Big, hilarious, intricate, furious, moving'' Guardian

      Written with his signature wit, Jonathan Coe''s unmissable new novel, The Proof of My Innocence is available now!

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