Glover’s Mistake - Hardcover

Laird, Nick

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0007197500 ISBN 13: 9780007197507

Publisher: Fourth Estate, 2009

Synopsis

From a rising young novelist comes an artful meditation on love and life in contemporary London.

When David Pinner introduces his former teacher, the American artist Ruth Marks, to his friend and flatmate James Glover, he unwittingly sets in place a love triangle loaded with tension, guilt and heartbreak. As David plays reluctant witness (and more) to James and Ruth's escalating love affair, he must come to terms with his own blighted emotional life.

Set in the London art scene awash with new money and intellectual pretension, in the sleek galleries and posh restaurants of a Britannia resurgent with cultural and economic power, Nick Laird's insightful and drolly satirical novel vividly portrays three people whose world gradually fractures along the fault lines of desire, truth and jealousy. With wit and compassion, Laird explores the very nature of contemporary romance, among damaged souls whose hearts and heads never quite line up long enough for them to achieve true happiness.

About this title

Review:

‘Glover’s Mistake is a fine, thoughtful piece of work that combines a compelling plot and pithy insights into the relationship between creativity and criticism; between art and those who make their livings skulking in its shadow.’ John O’Connell, The Times

‘It is a book that takes its characters pretty seriously, feeling their pain and acknowledging the complexity and muddle of their lives...the strength of this book comes from the sheer quality of the writing.’ Guardian

‘Glover’s Mistake is a curiously old fashioned book, although not in a bad way. It’s an entertaining comedy of manners reminiscent of everyone from David Lodge to Kingsley Amis.’ The Gloss magazine

‘Laird’s insightful observations on modern romance and the London art scene make this novel an entertaining read.’ Hot Press

‘Glover’s Mistake is well set up for an Andrew Davies’ ‘Line of Beauty’ style BBC adaptation... A triumph from the Tyrone born poet and novelist.’ RTE Guide

Synopsis:

The captivating new novel from acclaimed young writer Nick Laird, author of 'Utterly Monkey'. David Pinner is not content. A 35-year-old English teacher in a small private school in Marylebone, he isn't a writer or a boyfriend or a father. He isn't even a very good son. If he's not trawling pornographic websites, he's drinking with friends he doesn't really like or trying to avoid his neighbours. His new flatmate is James Glover, a barman whose life hasn't quite worked out either. And although he's a nice guy - a Christian and a small-town boy from East Anglia - he has certain fixed ideas about things. Into the lives of these two dissatisfied bachelors comes Ruth, a successful American artist who taught David when he was an undergraduate at Goldsmiths. Ruth meets Glover on David's doorstep and although she's 48 and he's 25, a relationship begins. David, as mutual friend, puts himself in the middle of it, and his interest in the couple grows obsessive, and eventually destructive.

About this edition

• Publisher: Fourth Estate
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0007197500
• ISBN 13: 9780007197507
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256