Set in Southeast England, friendship and love among a group of men whose lives have been intertwined since World War II. When one dies, the survivors are brought together and are forced to take stock of the paths their lives have taken, by choice and by accident, since the war. Winner of the 1996 Booker Prize.
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"I really enjoyed the build-up to the very end of this story, it lagged in parts for me but I was definitely tearing up in the last few pages. I had to push through it because I wasn't in the mood for something written at a slower pace - lots of reminiscing, back and forth in time and between the narratives of the different characters. I am glad I finished it!"
— Jessica (4 out of 5 stars)
" This one's been hanging around on my shelf for some time, and I finally decided to read it after seeing the movie. Heck, didn't those script writers do a good job with the flimsy material in this book? And what a disappointment the book turned out to be. I can't for the life of me understand how this came to win a Booker Prize. "
— Christopher, 2/15/2014" A moving tribute to the lifespan of a friendship for several bar patrons. It's an interesting look at the changing social dynamics of working class london, and the unspoken tension and issues between several bar buddies as they give their regards to a deceased friend. "
— Ran, 1/27/2014" coughAsILayDyingcough "
— Alice, 1/25/2014" Hard to get into, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. "
— Pat, 1/21/2014" all-time favorites,novel "
— Meg, 1/18/2014" I loved this novel (and really enjoyed the film based on it--with Ray Winstone, Helen Mirren, et al.). "
— Tim, 1/17/2014" This Booker prize winning title, tells the tale of four friends on a journey to fulfill the last request of one of thier mates. This group has been together for a long time, but they must overcome thier history on this one last day together. "
— Anders, 1/5/2014" Finely constructed tale of a bunch of mates (geezers, innit) carrying out the last wishes of one of their number. Fragmented storytelling that doesn't negatively impact the narrative - good stuff. Recommended if you're after something plain-speaking with hidden depth. "
— Luke, 12/26/2013" Great book about friendship - and a great film. "
— Roslyn, 12/4/2013" A tale of a group of aging men who have been friends for years - one of them has just died - I liked the characters...overall a nice story. "
— Claire, 11/9/2013" Well written excellent characterizations. "
— Teresa, 4/6/2013Graham Swift is the author of eight novels, including the Booker Prize–winning Last Orders and Waterland, which won the Guardian Fiction Award. His work has been translated into more than thirty languages. He lives in London.
Jenny Sterlin, winner of several Earphones Awards, has more than ninety audio titles to her credit, including Laurie R. King’s popular Sherlock Holmes / Mary Russell series. Before beginning her narration career, she helped found England’s experimental Living Theatre.
Ian Stewart is an Emeritus Professor and Digital Media Fellow in the Mathematics Department at Warwick University, England, with special responsibility for public awareness of mathematics and science. He won the Royal Society’s 1995 Michael Faraday Medal for outstanding contributions to the public understanding of science. He is best known for his popular science writing on mathematical themes.
Simon Prebble, a British-born performer, is a stage and television actor and veteran narrator of some three hundred audiobooks. As one of AudioFile’s Golden Voices, he has received thirty-seven Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie in 2010. He lives in New York.
Gerard Doyle, a seasoned audio narrator, he has been awarded dozens of AudioFile Earphones Awards, was named a Best Voice in Young Adult Fiction in 2008, and won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. He was born of Irish parents and raised and educated in England. In Great Britain he has enjoyed an extensive career in both television and repertory theater and toured nationally and internationally with the English Shakespeare Company. He has appeared in London’s West End in the gritty musical The Hired Man. In America he has appeared on Broadway in The Weir and on television in New York Undercover and Law & Order. He has taught drama at Ross School for the several years.
Simon Jones is an English actor and award-winning audiobook narrator. Besides winning many AudioFile Earphones Awards for narration, he has won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration, including for top prize of Audiobook of the Year. He was named a “Golden Voice” by AudioFile magazine and as “Narrator of the Year” in 2005 by Publishers Weekly. As an actor, he has been featured in numerous Broadway productions and has appeared in the films The Devil’s Own, Twelve Monkeys, For Love or Money, Green Card, Brazil, Monty Python’s Meaning of Life, and Miracle on 34th Street remake. His television appearances include a role in The Cosby Mysteries and Murder She Wrote. He studied at Cambridge University and the legendary Cambridge Footlights Dramatic Club.