The Post-birthday World
by Lionel Shriver | Literature & Fiction | This book has not been rated.
ISBN: 0061187844 Global Overview for this book
ISBN: 0061187844 Global Overview for this book
Registered by bookworm76 of Chermside, Queensland Australia on 1/21/2009
This book is in a Controlled Release!
2 journalers for this copy...
The smallest details of staid coupledom duel it out with a lusty alternate reality that begins when a woman passes up an opportunity to cheat on her longtime boyfriend in Shriver's latest (after the Orange Prize–winning We Need to Talk About Kevin). Irina McGovern, a children's book illustrator in London, lives in comfortable familiarity with husband-in-everything-but-marriage-certificate Lawrence Trainer, and every summer the two have dinner with their friend, the professional snooker player Ramsey Acton, to celebrate Ramsey's birthday. One year, following Ramsey's divorce and while terrorism specialist "think tank wonk" Lawrence is in Sarajevo on business, Irina and Ramsey have dinner, and after cocktails and a spot of hash, Irina is tempted to kiss Ramsey. From this near-smooch, Shriver leads readers on a two-pronged narrative: one consisting of what Irina imagines would have happened if she had given in to temptation, the other showing Irina staying with Lawrence while fantasizing about Ramsey. With Jamesian patience, Shriver explores snooker tournaments and terrorism conferences, passionate lovemaking and passionless sex, and teases out her themes of ambition, self-recrimination and longing. The result is an impressive if exhausting novel. (from Publishers Weekly)
received as part of a bookbag. thanks!
Released 13 yrs ago (3/11/2011 UTC) at Marrickville, New South Wales Australia
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Posting off to J4shaw as part of me clearing out my bookshelf