- Paperback: 320 pages
- Publisher: Vintage; New edition edition (3 Mar 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0099477556
- ISBN-13: 978-0099477556
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.8 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 57,927 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
"'Beard is as good on the sensuality of smoking as on the philosophy. This is an unusually intelligent, funny and readable first book' Sunday Times; 'Gregory Simpson is, after years of being paid to smoke a packet a day for research purposes, trying to give up. He decides to write to keep his hands busy and the resulting journal - combining memories of seduction, little-known facts about the tobacco industry and the comfortable camaraderie of the suicide club - is an elegant, witty and confident disquisition on smoking as desire and as a metaphor for desire' Observer; 'Populated by a cast of well-drawn eccentrics...loaded with encyclopaedic detail on the history and iconography of smoking, this comic novel nevertheless aims at deep seriousness...Beard's writing can be breathtaking' Daily Telegraph"
Product Description
Gregory Simpson is, after years of being paid to smoke a packet a day for research purposes, trying to give up. To keep his hands busy he decides to write a journal.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4 reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Addicted to Association
16 Oct 2001
Format:Hardcover
More than a book about smoking, Beard's character finds himself addicted to memories, lust, love and companionship. Living in a world he can't really get into, but can't give up.
The book is written in the style of a man trying to give up smoking, writing entries to keep his hands busy and the length of the entries as well as thier content, show the withdraw. The main characters life unravels through these entries as well which give it a nice touch. At times witty, at times rather morbid, this book is a great read. Though I don't like this edition's cover art... cough, cough...
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
An excellent first effort
14 April 1999
Format:Hardcover
An author's first novel will set the tone of his career. Therefore, the career of Richard Beard is one that I shall be following. In "X20", Beard involves the reader with a host of characters. He has shown the ability to give depth to his subjects, and allow them to grow throughout the novel.
This book does seem to start off with a noticeable lack of focus. The author tells the story from a several different points in time, jumping back and forth between periods in his life. Hearing the story from the start and the finish concurrently can be a little overwhelming at first, but that is soon remedied. By the end of the book, I was wishing that there were more cigarettes in a pack. This is a very worthy read for smokers and non-smokers alike.
Not a book about giving up smoking
21 April 2004
Format:Paperback
This is a cleverly written book, WITHOUT Beard trying to outsmart the reader. For example note the names of the characters. Great. This was so readable, I too could not put it down. This book I swear, energized me. I felt better for reading it. What better thing can you say.
Adrian
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