Leading the Cheers (Hardcover)

The Song Before it is Sung by Justin Cartwright 4.7 out of 5 stars (9)  £4.79

White Lightning by Justin Cartwright 5.0 out of 5 stars (2)

The Promise Of Happiness : by Justin Cartwright 3.3 out of 5 stars (43)  £4.79

Half in Love by Justin Cartwright 3.7 out of 5 stars (12)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson 4.1 out of 5 stars (162)  £3.99

› Explore similar items

Amazon.co.uk Review
The impact a return to the past can have on the present is the theme of this delicately crafted novel by Whitbread winner and Booker nominee Justin Cartwright. Dan Silas, who has been living in his native England for the last 27 years returns to the American town where he grew up for his high school reunion. The place resonates with poignant reminders of his teenage years, not least his deeply cherished memories of Gloria, his childhood sweetheart. But a journey back cannot fail to disrupt one's perceptions of one's past, and Dan discovers that not only are his memories of his relationship with Gloria a false recording of reality but that she gave birth to their daughter soon after he left America. That daughter, of whom he never knew, is now dead, killed by a serial killer a few years previously. Furthermore, his oldest friend Gary has suffered a breakdown and now believes himself to be the brother of a dead Indian chief. Dan tries to resolve his sense of helplessness in the face of a present and a past that no longer make sense by visiting his daughter's killer in prison and by retrieving some "stolen" Indian artefacts from a museum for Gary. Cartwright explores well the dislocation Dan experiences as a consequence of this sudden radical corruption of his life and the way his necessary readjustment throws his present life into sharper focus. At times the novel suffers from a sugary American pathos that is a little cloying, and some incidents, Gary's illness for example, are treated with frustrating simplicity. Despite this, the novel is a haunting examination of the fragile relationship between experience and identity. --Perry Chaser --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Amazon.co.uk Review
The impact a return to the past can have on the present is the theme of this delicately crafted novel by Whitbread winner and Booker nominee Justin Cartwright. Dan Silas, who has been living in his native England for the last 27 years returns to the American town where he grew up for his High School reunion. The place resonates with poignant reminders of his teenage years, not least his deeply cherished memories of Gloria, his childhood sweetheart. But a journey back cannot fail to disrupt one's perceptions of one's past, and Dan discovers that not only are his memories of his relationship with Gloria a false recording of reality but that she gave birth to their daughter soon after he left America. That daughter, of whom he never knew, is now dead, killed by a serial killer a few years previously. Furthermore, his oldest friend Gary has suffered a breakdown and now believes himself to be the brother of a dead Indian chief. Dan tries to resolve his sense of helplessness in the face of a present and a past that no longer make sense by visiting his daughter's killer in prison and by retrieving some "stolen" Indian artefacts from a musuem for Gary. Cartwright explores well the dislocation Dan experiences as a consequence of this sudden radical corruption of his life, and the way his necessary readjustment throws his present life into sharper focus. At times the novel suffers from a sugary American pathos that is a little cloying, and some incidents, Gary's illness for example, are treated with fustrating simplicity. Despite this, the novel is a haunting examination of the fragile relationship between experience and identity.

See all Product Description

7 Reviews 5 star:  (5) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:  (1) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.3 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   5 of 6 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Whitbread winning novel about Englishman's return to US, 12 May 1999 By A Customer This review is from: Leading the Cheers (Paperback) Leading the Cheers, winner of the Whitbread Novel of the Year award earlier this year, tells the story of a man called Dan Silas who returns to his old high school in Michigan. There many surprises await him. One of his friends believes he is the reincarnation of a Native American chief and his cheerleader girlfriend says she has had a child by him. It was conceived in Thomas Jefferson's house on a school trip. This is warm but quite incisive portrait of small town America, and our relationship with America. Absolutely the best book of the year.Truly magical. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   5 of 7 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book about memory and love and America., 17 Jul 1999 By A Customer This review is from: Leading the Cheers (Paperback) This is the story of an Englishman who goes back to his high school reunion. It's funny, witty, profound and very original...One of the best reads I have had in years. END Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   5 of 8 people found the following review helpful: 2.0 out of 5 stars Very disappointing, 14 Jul 1999 By A Customer This review is from: Leading the Cheers (Paperback) After reading the glowing reports of other reviewers, I feel I have to register my astonishment. This is not a great book. It's barely even a mediocre book. The story is full of sad and scarcely likable people - the 'hero' is full of his own self-importance and spends too much time in his hotel room with the porn channel. It's a book that makes you think that there are some things it's better not to go back to Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 7 customer reviews...		Most Recent Customer Reviews 3.0 out of 5 stars Left me wanting more The premise for this book is gripping - a man going to his school reunion finds out that his girlfriend of the time claims to have had his child (who has recently been murdered)... Read more Published 10 months ago by Hayles 5.0 out of 5 stars Probably the best contemporary fiction of the year. This is a stunning story of an Englishman who returns to America after a number of years, to find that all his expectations of his past have been confounded. Read more Published on 17 May 1999 5.0 out of 5 stars A well deserved Whitbread Novel winner This was an excellent book, better even than his 'Masai Dreaming'. His acute pyschological observations never fail to strike a chord. Read more Published on 5 Mar 1999 5.0 out of 5 stars Probably the best contemporary fiction of the year. This is a stunning story of an Englishman who returns to America after a number of years, to find that all his expectations of his past have been confounded. Read more Published on 25 Jan 1999 Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 7 customer reviews...

Books read in 2008 and early 2009: A list by Madam Butterfly   Just Bloody Brilliant! - they blew my socks off!: A list by Nancy Carter "Nan"   KATE ATKINSON - Her Novels & Series: A list by A. Rose Create a Listmania! list

Search Listmania!

• Books > Fiction > Authors, A-Z > C > Cartwright, Justin
• Books > Fiction > By Period

• Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
• I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
• I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.