Something to Tell You
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Product Description
Review
'Teeming with unusual characters, acute observations of life in London and insights into the complexities of sex, families and middle age.' --Sunday Telegraph
Review
'An entertaining series of glimpses of London's demi-monde, from the late seventies to the present day.'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having loved most of Kureishi's other books, I anticpated oh so much more. It's not rubbish, but not brilliant either (I managed to pick it up and read in large chunks, but am unsure whether that's because I was desparate to know what happens, or desparate to finish and get on with something else); the latter probably wins.
The story follows 50(ish) Jamal as he looks back over life, and the devestating events by which he lost his first love. All of the characters come across as shallow, living for nothing more than kinky sex and drugs. After the revelation of what Jamal has to tell us, there is little more to the story, and even that is predicatable, with clues given up to this point, which is less than halfway through the novel.
I personally found both Miriam (Jamal's sister) and her beau Henry particualrly irritating.... roll overs from the 80s "luvvies" who still live in the manner that decade imposed on them.
One for Kureishi comppletists; if you are new to his writing, please, I implore you, read The Buddha of Suburbia, which you will find infinetly more rewarding!
The story follows 50(ish) Jamal as he looks back over life, and the devestating events by which he lost his first love. All of the characters come across as shallow, living for nothing more than kinky sex and drugs. After the revelation of what Jamal has to tell us, there is little more to the story, and even that is predicatable, with clues given up to this point, which is less than halfway through the novel.
I personally found both Miriam (Jamal's sister) and her beau Henry particualrly irritating.... roll overs from the 80s "luvvies" who still live in the manner that decade imposed on them.
One for Kureishi comppletists; if you are new to his writing, please, I implore you, read The Buddha of Suburbia, which you will find infinetly more rewarding!
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Well Iloved it; every word. It was funny and the self-depricating middle age stuff I can completely relate to being 55. It may not be a life style we all relate to but so what, that's true of so much fiction. I loved the way he held the tension all the way through about the 'murder. I thought the descriptions of his sister and her struggles showed a lot of insight of someone struggling with so many conflicts, likewise Bushy and Wolf. He could have made the whole thing utterly tragic but instead he just stepped back and showed how ridiculous life can be. Since reading Intimacy I've always admired HK's ability to show his own vulnerability, to laugh and often sneer at himself. He shows an insight into the male psyche that many women abhor and want to deny, so the temptation is just to pathologise him. As a parent watching the developing relationship with Rafi is very poignant and also in this age of so many separated couples and kids wanting their parents back together I thought it captured a lot of what couples go through even if it's not their life style.
I have found it compelling reading and urge you not to be put off by all the 'disappointeds'.
I have found it compelling reading and urge you not to be put off by all the 'disappointeds'.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
having loved the Buddha of Suburbia by the same author, I was curious to see what he had to tell me in this book....but after barely managing to read I have to say that his attempt at writing about something other than the hybrid identity of Indian/Pakistani individuals in England has led to a flop in my eyes.
Sure, if I hadn't read his first book I would have been less harsh in my criticism, and my expectations would have been lower, but his characters, especially that of the narrator's sister, Miriam, are just so unbelievable and so farfetched in their decadence that I found it hard even to laugh at several parts in which his observations were definitely accurate and to the point.
The idea of a psychoanalyst talking about his secrets is compelling, but for some reason the book felt like Hanif Kuerishi was trying to play a part he always wanted, but didn't fit in.
Sure, if I hadn't read his first book I would have been less harsh in my criticism, and my expectations would have been lower, but his characters, especially that of the narrator's sister, Miriam, are just so unbelievable and so farfetched in their decadence that I found it hard even to laugh at several parts in which his observations were definitely accurate and to the point.
The idea of a psychoanalyst talking about his secrets is compelling, but for some reason the book felt like Hanif Kuerishi was trying to play a part he always wanted, but didn't fit in.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Don't judge a book by it's cover - a new real-life example
Well, our all-male book club, me included, got drawn in by the cover jokily depicting scenes form the Kama Sutra while critics praised it and just inside the cover we were reminded... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Neil Russell-Bates
Self Indulgent
I used to love Hanif Kureishi's books. He wrote smart, witty, thought provoking and funny dramas about real life that just sparkled with life. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Mrs. K. A. Wheatley
Excellent Book - Can read any time
Like reading this book whenever I'm in the mood. Lovely Read. Kureishi is a fantastic writer
Published on 24 Nov 2009
Pretentious drivel.
This has to be one of the worst books I have ever read. The characters are all incredibly shallow, and if the world was completely like the one depicted in his novel then God help... Read more
Published on 3 Aug 2009 by Pen pal
deeply disappointing excuse for shallow voyeurism
I found this to be a deeply disappointing book, full of excuses for voyeurism, good if you want a survey of the fetish scene, awful if you were influenced by William Boyd's glowing... Read more
Published on 4 Jun 2009 by M. Barnett
A very big 'so what'
I'm a big fan of Hanif Kureishi but you wonder with this book whether he's turning into a Prometheus of authors, forever bound to tell the same story about the same people over and... Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2009 by J. Brooks
Fascinating characters in a weird lifestyle
I enjoyed reading this book although it took quite a long time to read and I can't really explain what hooked me in. Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2009 by Janie U
Dull, pseudish book with gratingly unrealistic dialogue and little...
What a disappointment! This book has nothing like the delicious, irreverent freshness of Kureishi's The Buddha of Suburbia. Read more
Published on 22 Feb 2009 by Gabrielle O
awful
Only 1 of 2 books I have ever put down half way through reading, The tone is somewhat smug and the references to Ibsen only go to show that this book has none of the subtleties of... Read more
Published on 16 Feb 2009 by James
Alright, still...
Hanif Kureishi is an author of our life and times - in the main writing fiction - recording popular culture - contemporary living with all its fashions and fads. Read more
Published on 27 Nov 2008 by bohobozo
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