Available for the first time in the United States—a tale of art and espionage during World War II by the best-selling author of the Aubrey-Maturin series.
The eponymous protagonist of this novel is a prisoner of the German army in France; but as we soon discover, he is nobody's idea of a hero. In order to keep himself sane while denying the charges and absorbing the beatings of his captors, Richard Temple conducts a minute examination—one might almost call it a prosecution—of his own life.
Temple escapes from a blighted childhood and his widowed, alcoholic mother thanks to an artistic gift, which is the one thing of value he has to his name. His life as a painter in London of the 1930s is cruelly deprived. In order to eat, he squanders his one asset by becoming a forger of art, specializing in minor works by Utrillo. He is rescued by the love of a beautiful and wealthy woman, and it is the failure of this relationship, coupled with the outbreak of war, that propels him into the world of espionage.
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Patrick O'Brian, before his death in 2000, had attained, at the end of a long life, both literary renown and commercial success. In addition to twenty volumes in the highly respected Aubrey/Maturin series, his many books include Testimonies, The Golden Ocean The Catalans, and The Unknown Shore. O'Brian also wrote acclaimed biographies of Pablo Picasso and Sir Joseph Banks and translated many works from the French, among them the novels and memoirs of Simone de Beauvoir and Jean Lacouture's biographies of Charles de Gaulle. He passed away in January 2000 at the age of 85. There are over five million copies of his books in print.
Loyal fans of the prolific O'Brian may welcome the opportunity to round out their collections with this first American edition of his 1962 novel about a bohemian artist in 1930s England, but those anticipating a rollicking yarn in the tradition of the celebrated Aubrey/Maturin series will be disappointed. It's 1944 when the novel opens on Richard, pegged as an Allied agent, withstanding torture and interrogation at the hands of the Gestapo in a French prison. In his cell in between beatings, he retreats to his memories, which make up the bulk of the novel. The story casts back to his bleak childhood as son of a strict rector and his pretty wife. He studies painting in France, and eventually returns to England, facing the life of a starving artist in London. There, he falls in with a gang of thieves and becomes a forger of famous paintings, drifting along hand-to-mouth until he coincidentally meets Phillipa Bret, a wealthy socialite who becomes his patron and object of desire. By this time, the Nazis have invaded France, and at Philippa's urging, Richard tries to enlist. Poor health leaves him fit only for intelligence-a career switch O'Brian quickly glosses over. This desultory character study will thwart readers looking for action and intrigue.
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Seller: WorldofBooks, Goring-By-Sea, WS, United Kingdom
Hardback. Condition: Very Good. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR003617777
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Seller: WorldofBooks, Goring-By-Sea, WS, United Kingdom
Hardback. Condition: Good. The book has been read but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact and the cover is intact. Some minor wear to the spine. Seller Inventory # GOR004215026
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Condition: Good. Ships from the UK. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # 40472230-6
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Condition: Fair. This is an ex-library book and may have the usual library/used-book markings inside.This book has hardback covers. Clean from markings With owner's name inside cover. In fair condition, suitable as a study copy. Dust jacket in fair condition. Seller Inventory # 9751590
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Seller: Ainsworth Books ( IOBA), Chilliwack, BC, Canada
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. Illustrated by Brian Sanders jacket art (illustrator). First Edition; First Printing. Only slight wear, remainder mark bottom page edges; DJ in protective Mylar sleeve, unclipped. A bright solid, book. This is the 1st British edition. ; 1.1 x 8.43 x 5.59 Inches; 250 pages; This is the story of Richard Temple - prisoner of war, sometime adventurer, lover and artist - told with insight, empathy and drama by one of the world's master storytellers.Captive in a brutal German prison towards the end of World War II, Richard Temple has been stripped of everything that once defined him: pride, courage, his very identity have all been surrendered in a desperate bid to protect his secrets from the Nazis.But with the real Richard Temple suppressed to the point of near-extinction, a sudden respite in his torture allows him a moment of rare release, when he can lower his guard and remember who he is. Huddled in his cell, too badly beaten to move, the action of the novel takes place in the Richard's mind as he retraces a convoluted course from an unhappy childhood, through a vague and uncertain adolescence to a complex, compromised adulthood, shot through with artistic sensibility and the myriad impulses that make a man. Seller Inventory # 11631
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Condition: Very Good. Book is in Used-VeryGood condition. Pages and cover are clean and intact. Used items may not include supplementary materials such as CDs or access codes. May show signs of minor shelf wear and contain very limited notes and highlighting. 0.97. Seller Inventory # 0007214987-2-3
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Seller: The Print Room, Cockernhoe nr Luton, United Kingdom
Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. Jacket by Brian Sanders (illustrator). 1st Edition. First published by Macmillan in 1962, this is a first edition, first impression with '1' on copyright page, of the new edition of 2005. Some minuscule edge wear to top and bottom of jacket and spine, not price clipped (£16.99), no inscriptions, internally clean tight and square, overall a vg++ copy, looks unread. 250pp. This is the story of Richard Temple, prisoner of war, sometime adventurer, lover and artist, told with insight, empathy and drama by one of the world's master storytellers. Captive in a brutal German prison towards the end of World War II, Richard Temple has been stripped of everything that once defined him, pride, courage, his very identity have all been surrendered in a desperate bid to protect his secrets from the Nazis. But with the real Richard Temple suppressed to the point of near extinction, a sudden respite in his torture allows him a moment of rare release, when he can lower his guard and remember who he is. Huddled in his cell, too badly beaten to move, the action of the novel takes place in the Richard's mind as he retraces a convoluted course from an unhappy childhood, through a vague and uncertain adolescence to a complex, compromised adulthood, shot through with artistic sensibility and the myriad impulses that make a man. Patrick O'Brian's signature combination of narrative flair, intuitive sympathy and psychological insight make this a fascinating exploration of how passive resistance can be a form of courage and what it truly means to be a hero. Patrick O'Brian (1914-2000), is principally known for his Aubrey / Maturin series of naval novels, set during the Napoleonic Wars. Seller Inventory # 007575
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