- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Flamingo; First Edition, First Impression edition (24 Aug 1995)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0002243105
- ISBN-13: 978-0002243100
- Product Dimensions: 23.2 x 15 x 3.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,362,159 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Synopsis
Set in prehistoric times, this is a novel about the advent of language - of how human beings first came to speak. The tale is told through the interaction between Blind, young and strong, and Gob, old and feeble.
From the Back Cover
IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WURD, AND THE WURD WAS 'WHAA?AA!'
One spring evening in a stone age encampment, the first word was uttered, followed shortly by the first lie. Before long someone had told the first story, cracked the first joke, sparked off the first row…
Gob's life is nearly over, His teeth are gone, his legs won't work, but one thing's for sure, there's nothing wrong with his mouth. Gob has seen it all – survived exile, earthquake, fire and ice to tell his tale, and nothing's going to stop him. After all, he is the world's first narrator, and his story is the extraordinary account of Man's first faltering steps on the confusing path to enlightenment.
Also available in Flamingo: 'Fou, Mischief, Blueglass, Baa' and 'Gallimauf's Gospel'
'Chris Wilson's free-wheeling, friskily rhetorical style generates a fine comic exuberance.'
SUNDAY TIMES
'An immensely readable book, and the pleasures of the sounds it makes in the mind's ear are quite extraordinarily rich…with phrases of great pith and power.
JOHN CLUTE, 'New Statesman and Society'
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Chris Wilson is one of the most underrated novelists of our age.
In "The Wurd" he applies his trademark wit and insight to the tale of a prehistoric man who was present for the discovery of language.
This book is written in caveman language, with phonetic spellings of words. Rather than this being distracting it adds to the reader's understanding and sympathy for the tale's narrator.
Like all of Wilson's books there is an incredible sense of fun
present for the whole story. At the same time it is filled with wry observations on the nature of humanity.
I love it. If you like Don De Lilo's "White Noise" or Vonegutt's "Breakfast of Champions" you'll probably like this, however
Wilson is in a class of his own for being so damned entertaining.
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