- Paperback: 354 pages
- Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd (1 July 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 034074877X
- ISBN-13: 978-0340748770
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 13 x 2.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,079,430 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
"What's breaking into a bank compared with founding one?" Bertolt Brecht's provocative question opens Jake Arnott's first novel The Long Firm and sets the scene for its memorable exploration of the London underworld at the beginning of the 1960s. Five very different characters tell their five very different stories about "Torture Gang Boss" Harry Starks. A man who "liked to break people" but also a "frightened little child" is how his lover and kept boy Terry recalls him; a "lower-class tearaway", according to the Tory lord who frequents his erotic parties; a depressive with a diabolical mind, one who likes to "stage manage the fear", in the eyes of his various criminal and starlet peers; a product of working-class subculture and a living critique of capitalism, concludes the radical young sociologist who teaches him in prison. Harry Starks is the beginning and end of The Long Firm, a compelling showman who embodies the brutal realism and impossible dreams at the heart of Arnott's vision of London low life. The glamour and corruption of that life drive this story but Arnott manages to weave cliche into enigma, myth into inquiry, in a way that revitalises the well-worn images of the mad and the bad. As Starks would put it, keeping Brecht's question before the readers' eyes, "It's all about the economy of power, Lenny". --Vicky Lebeau
Review
" Harry, a club-owning gangster, takes you through '60s London meeting people such as The Krays, a bent Lord, a Barbara Windsor clone and a series of "pretty boys". "Arnott's immaculate storytelling enthralls and compells. The slickest book of the summer " MINX, SEPTEMBER 1999 'This is a gangster novel that recaptures to perfection the world of the sixties...Good stuff' Newcastle Evening Chronicle The story rattles along at a tremendous pace, and joyfully evokes the spirit of both the original era of Cool Brittannia, and its darker, underworld shadow.' Lancashire Evening Post 'Jake Arnott's ear for dialogue and eye for detail is so acute that the end result is a literary paradox - sophisticated pulp fiction' Metro 'An immensely readable and stylish gangster thriller set in the 60s...all very convincingly done and is a riveting read. A measure of Arnott's skill is the way that the reader wants the vile, murderous Harry to succeed' Gay Times 'Fantastic - I absolutely couldn't put it down' -- Terry O'Neill 'It's so realistic, it makes Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels seem like Listen With Mother' -- Elle 'the finest first novel of the year' -- Gay Times 'a powerful debut' -- The Bookseller 'Arnott brilliantly captures the gaudy, glamorous, seedy and sordid side of the 60s underworld and show business society. A must-read' -- Elle 'Arnott's creation of the decadent, dangerous atmosphere of the times is immaculate. His prose is as smooth as a seersucker suit, as sweet as a purple heart. Suck it and see' -- The Observer 'As polished as a brass knuckleduster...strong-arm stuff, which zings with an authentic low-life argot and grips the reader with its head-in-a-vice portrait of the ugly glamour of the era'
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
...This is an extremely pacy book... sometimes sickening in the violence that was a part of those times and is a part of our times too. Harry is not a nice person. He uses and abuses people... but, nonethless he has a certain charm which makes him a magnet for the 5 narrators in the book, whatever their motives...
I only bought this book to cover the boredom of air travel, but came off my flights intoxicated by this book and by the quantity of beer I swallowed to keep up... A brilliant first novel.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is an episodic, fantastic page turner set in the 60's. The Kray comparisons are very obvious, but do not spoil or detract from this page turner.
Sex-Drugs-Violence-Crime-60'S Glamour and Grime are all to be found in spades in this book. Not for the faint hearted.
The central character Harry Sparkes is big enough to carry any novel of this genre, or most other genres, The minor characters all have their part to play, and are skilfully written.
Fantastic, I recommend it, even if like me, you have no interest in the Krays or 60's swinging gangland London.
PS Did I say I thought it was Fantastic?
Sex-Drugs-Violence-Crime-60'S Glamour and Grime are all to be found in spades in this book. Not for the faint hearted.
The central character Harry Sparkes is big enough to carry any novel of this genre, or most other genres, The minor characters all have their part to play, and are skilfully written.
Fantastic, I recommend it, even if like me, you have no interest in the Krays or 60's swinging gangland London.
PS Did I say I thought it was Fantastic?
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"The Long Firm" is without doubt the best book I have read in the last year. Firstly, for the most original way in which it is written, telling the story of a 60's London gangster from 5 different points of view: a rent boy; a corrupt politician; a small-time hoodlum; a second-rate actress and finally, a rather boring and pretentious left-wing Hippy sociologist. Each part of the story is written in a different style and each adds to our understanding of the main character. My second reason for rating this book so highly is the fact that it was written by somebody so young. Jake Arnott was only a toddler when most of the events he writes about were taking place, yet he captures the mood of 60's London so vividly, it is uncanny. (The last time I heard anybody use the term "vada" was in 1963!!!!). And thirdly, as so many readers have already pointed out, the "Robin Hood" aspect of the story. In spite of all the blood, gore and violence, you actually sympathise with Harry, the main character. After all, I think that deep down we all have more respect for an honest villain (legendary or real-life) than a vile corrupt policeman or politician. I can't wait for Jake Arnott's next novel,.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Ripping read!
The start will have you gripped. Jake Arnott can really write, but there is just a little too much attention lavished on the period detail, the sadistic violence and the pretty... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Ignorant Bystander
A Whipcrack!
There's an episode of The Simpsons where Lisa is trying to convince Homer to go to Japan. `Come on, Dad,' she says, `You liked Rashamon.' `That's not how I remember it! Read more
Published 15 months ago by Paul D Brazill
Brilliant and gripping
I read this three years ago and the story has really stayed with me. I found it unputdownable. One of the best crime dramas I have ever read. Read more
Published on 4 April 2010 by B. J. du Cille
A cracking read
The tale of Harry Starks told through five very different sets of eyes. When you find out that Harry is a gay gangster in 1960s London your mind springs to Ronnie Kray, however... Read more
Published on 7 Jan 2009 by Oldevers
An ambitious sweep across the decades......
Well researched story of sixties London gangland told from different perspectives - rentboy, would be actress, corrupt MP, fellow criminal Jack the Hat and hippy sociology... Read more
Published on 23 Oct 2007 by Wynne Kelly
Good well researched read (but not the claimed masterpiece)
Having lived through the sixties and in many of the areas of London covered by this book plus I fear read one too many books on the Krays, I looked forward to this with some... Read more
Published on 2 Jan 2006 by Siriam
Amazing!!
Wow. From the moment I started the first chapter I knew this was going to be the business. This book takes you back to sixties London, through the eyes of five compelling... Read more
Published on 16 July 2005 by Mr. L. Jackson
Fair to middling
An elegantly written, fast-paced thriller with an atmospheric sense of time and place. However, while much of the characterisation is crisp and believable, Harry Starks' excursion... Read more
Published on 19 July 2004 by G. L. Haggett
Excellent debut by Jake Arnott
Excellent debut by Jake Arnott, his language is fantastically descriptive, and his vocabulary is extraordinary. Read more
Published on 20 Jan 2002
great atmosphere
As someone who grew up in this era, I found it recreated the atmosphere brilliantly. The use of the first person by a number of characters is also a very innovative form in my... Read more
Published on 16 Aug 2001 by hill47@aol.com
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