Gold

Rhodes, Dan

ISBN 10: 1847670164 / ISBN 13: 9781847670168

Published by Canongate U.S., 2007

About this Item

Seller Inventory # 1847670164-VB

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Gold
• Publisher: Canongate U.S.
• Publication Date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1847670164
• ISBN 13: 9781847670168
• Binding: paperback
• Condition: As New

About this title

Synopsis

Like a Welsh Amélie set in a pub, Gold is a tender, understated tale of love, loss, and growing up. It is also vintage Dan Rhodes, one of the most critically beloved novelists working today. Miyuki Woodward, lover of beer and microwaveable food, has been taking a two-week vacation—away from her companion—to the same seaside town in Wales for the last eight years. She is made to feel at home at the salty seaside pub, where Short Mr. Hughes, Tall Mr. Hughes, and Mr. Puw are happy to add her to their trivia-contest team. This year, following an impulsive artistic act involving gold spray paint, Miyuki will take part in the most turbulent events the village has seen since Tall Mr. Hughes returned from the pub toilet without remembering to button up. Gold is a bittersweet, idiosyncratic, funny affirmation of life and a touchingly satisfying story rich in pathos, insight, and asides from the best-selling author of Timoleon Vieta Come Home and Anthropology.

Reviews

This tenderly funny tale from British author Rhodes (Don't Tell Me the Truth About Love) traces the sweetly unsentimental course of Miyuke Woodward's annual holiday at a rustic Welsh coastal cottage. Miyuke and lover Grindl (known as the Lesbians in the small town where they have a decorating business) spend a month apart on separate, two-week vacations each year. This year, vacationing Miyuke spends her days as always, indulging in junk food and beer at the local pub, reading a book a day and walking across fields and along the seaside cliffs, until she discovers a rock that glows golden in the afternoon sunlight. Impulsively, she decides to paint it gold, only to be seen doing so by a pub regular, tall Mr. Hughes, who subsequently disappears from his usual spot at the bar. Confronted by two other pub regulars, short Mr. Hughes and Mr. Puw, Miyuke tells of the rock, and the three set off to find their compatriot. Rhodes's tale features lovely touches (such as the Children from Previous Relationships, a local band that's never played in public), and effortlessly ends an immaculately crafted story of minor perturbations and their unpredictable outcomes. (Sept.)
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