The Hopeless Life Of Charlie Summers
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Review
"one of the most outstanding authors to have emerged in recent years" (Caroline Jowett DAILY EXPRESS )
"Torday is master of blending satire with gentle humanity" (Clare Longrigg PSYCHOLOGIES )
"Charlie then turns up at Henry's house - and Eck begins to see a disturbing reflection of himself" (Kate Saunders THE TIMES )
"Charlie is a wonderful creation, at once sad and heroic, whose search for redemption attains real pathos at the end of this affecting, skilfully crafted novel" (David Evans FINANCIAL TIMES )
"shades of both Greene and Ambler here, both in the crispness of the exposition and the marrying of humour with something close to tragedy" (John Preston THE SPECTATOR )
"A beautifully told tale - we loved it!" (BELLA )
"A brilliant, page-turning read that combines the pace of Torday's The Girl on the Landing with his trademark humour in Salmon Fishing" (GRANTA )
"a fine tale. Even the worst of us, according to this novel, can find redemption" (Virginina Blackburn DAILY EXPRESS )
"Brilliantly and sympathetically drawn.. this wonderfully written, clever book does not miss a single trick" (Wendy Moore DAILY MAIL )
Four stars (SHE )
"This is his fourth novel and it too deserves to do well... It is funny, touching and ultimately surprising" (Allan Massie THE SCOTSMAN )
"his quietly compassionate portrait of Charlie has powerful echoes off Dickens's Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities" (Claire Allfree METRO )
"another deft and likeable comedy from Torday" (Max Davidson MAIL ON SUNDAY )
"this is a hugely readable and largely fluent novel" (Elizabeth Buchan SUNDAY TIMES )
"The Salmon Fishing in the Yemen author is now achieving 'must-read' status. You're in for an Eck of a good time" (NEWS OF THE WORLD )
"Torday's novel gives a strong impression of the callous indifference that moving around big sums of other people's money tends to entail." (David Horspool TLS )
"Torday is master of blending satire with gentle humanity" (Clare Longrigg PSYCHOLOGIES )
"Charlie then turns up at Henry's house - and Eck begins to see a disturbing reflection of himself" (Kate Saunders THE TIMES )
"Charlie is a wonderful creation, at once sad and heroic, whose search for redemption attains real pathos at the end of this affecting, skilfully crafted novel" (David Evans FINANCIAL TIMES )
"shades of both Greene and Ambler here, both in the crispness of the exposition and the marrying of humour with something close to tragedy" (John Preston THE SPECTATOR )
"A beautifully told tale - we loved it!" (BELLA )
"A brilliant, page-turning read that combines the pace of Torday's The Girl on the Landing with his trademark humour in Salmon Fishing" (GRANTA )
"a fine tale. Even the worst of us, according to this novel, can find redemption" (Virginina Blackburn DAILY EXPRESS )
"Brilliantly and sympathetically drawn.. this wonderfully written, clever book does not miss a single trick" (Wendy Moore DAILY MAIL )
Four stars (SHE )
"This is his fourth novel and it too deserves to do well... It is funny, touching and ultimately surprising" (Allan Massie THE SCOTSMAN )
"his quietly compassionate portrait of Charlie has powerful echoes off Dickens's Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities" (Claire Allfree METRO )
"another deft and likeable comedy from Torday" (Max Davidson MAIL ON SUNDAY )
"this is a hugely readable and largely fluent novel" (Elizabeth Buchan SUNDAY TIMES )
"The Salmon Fishing in the Yemen author is now achieving 'must-read' status. You're in for an Eck of a good time" (NEWS OF THE WORLD )
"Torday's novel gives a strong impression of the callous indifference that moving around big sums of other people's money tends to entail." (David Horspool TLS )
Book Description
A modern TALE OF TWO CITIES by the bestselling author of SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I loved this book so much that I immediately went out and bought another book by Paul Torday. With someone who writes as well as this, I don't think you can really go wrong.
I couldn't put the book down. The plot was ingenious, the themes topical, the characterization very credible and as an added bonus, it had me laughing out loud. That's not to say that it was a comedy. There are definitely some scary parts and one or two very scary characters. And the ending is terribly sad.
However, everything flowed, all details were relevant, and Mr Torday is a very competent and compelling storyteller.
I only wish that really good books like this would get more attention, but sadly, it's often the so-called bestsellers that end up being a disappointment. You won't get that here.
I couldn't put the book down. The plot was ingenious, the themes topical, the characterization very credible and as an added bonus, it had me laughing out loud. That's not to say that it was a comedy. There are definitely some scary parts and one or two very scary characters. And the ending is terribly sad.
However, everything flowed, all details were relevant, and Mr Torday is a very competent and compelling storyteller.
I only wish that really good books like this would get more attention, but sadly, it's often the so-called bestsellers that end up being a disappointment. You won't get that here.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have read all Paul Torday's books up to date and this one did not disappoint. As the plot has been outlined in other reviews, I will keep this brief and just say ''The Hopeless Life of Charlie Summers'' is another great read. His earlier novels, like this one, are a mixture of humour and (often) sadness - his characters usually somewhat flawed but likeable. There is always an unusual twist to look forward to. I so enjoyed this latest novel and urge others to read it. It's impossible not to like ''Eck'' and Charlie Summers.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a very easy read, describing the interaction between the itinerant underperforming eponymous businessman Charlie Summers, who mets two friends, Eck and Henry, whilst holidaying in the South of France, and attaches himself to them. The narrator, Eck Chetwode-Talbot, is a veteran of Afghanistan now employed by a ruthless ex-school colleague who heads a hedge fund just prior to the global financial crisis and melt-down of the global banking system. The book has veins of light humourous observations running through it, as Eck tries to sort out what is important in his life whilst the events in Afghanistan come back to haunt him, and Charlie flounders from one failed business venture to the next. The separate threads of the characters comes together at the end, although I was wondering at times where it was all going. Really just a light entertaining story. Quite good but not outstanding.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Well written but predictable
Pros - It's well written, and the financial backdrop and jargon seem well observed. It's also interesting (if you've read any of the author's other novels)to see how the lives of... Read more
Published 15 days ago by happy hermit
I'd like to vist Torday-land
I do find Paul Torday's books very readable. It helps that he has characters wandering out of one book into another and plots or themes from one book prefigured in another. Read more
Published 4 months ago by D. Harris
Wonderful writing of Paul Torbay
SAFE READING - NO SPOILERS
If you need book plot information, please see the product details or other more comprehensive reviews. Read more
If you need book plot information, please see the product details or other more comprehensive reviews. Read more
Published 9 months ago by RR Waller
torday back on top
I loved Salmon...found Wilberforce a bit too much...hated Girl on ... but this is Torday back on top. Read Charlie in one sitting; loved the dry humour. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Yvonne Moore
My first Paul Torday book
This book popped up as an Amazon recommendation at a time when I was "Between Authors". I wanted something easy and light, and this book met both of those criteria. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Broad Sailor
Not as goor as 'Salmon fishing'
. lazy book, not in depth view of issues regarding issues at all. Why coast like this after Salmon Fishing ??
Published 15 months ago by Paul at Bank
Brilliant!
This is Paul Torday at his best. The story is delicious from beginning to end and you just keep wishing the book would not come to an end too quickly so that the pleasure can last... Read more
Published 17 months ago by P. CHADWICK
The Hopeless Life of Charlie Summers
A rather disappointing novel given the excitement that could have been generated by the subject material. Definitely one for my give to charity pile
Published 18 months ago by Mr. Graham Hawken
Another great read from Paul Torday
I just love this author. The story has been explained well by other reviewers so I won't describe it myself. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Donna Mcmanus
Tordays best book yet?
I loved this book, with its storylines interwoven so very skillfully and taking in just about every topical issue and yet making it all sound so plausable. Read more
Published on 10 April 2010 by Penny Nom
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