The Old Spring
Published on 1. July 2010
Book
Hardback
320 pages
978-1-906994-06-8 (ISBN)
Description
Dawn and Frank wake up one wet morning in the flat above their pub, the Old Spring. Today they have to meet the brewery representative, creepy Tim Green, and track down an error in their books - or face the consequences. Dawn has something else on her mind too: the anniversary of an old tragedy for which she has always felt responsible.
Frank has a problem of his own - a secret that has ended his sex life with Dawn. Darren the cleaner meanwhile is haunted by the ghost of a long-dead landlord. The pub's 'chaplain', Father Thomas, tries to rediscover his faith under the sceptical scrutiny of his tormentor, Alan. And in the local hospital, pub regular Romesh drifts towards death on his magic carpet, while back in the snug, the tattooed man faces up to a life and death crisis of his own.
The Old Spring abounds with sadness, banter and exuberant storytelling, showing all the communal spirit and camaraderie of the pub at its best.
Frank has a problem of his own - a secret that has ended his sex life with Dawn. Darren the cleaner meanwhile is haunted by the ghost of a long-dead landlord. The pub's 'chaplain', Father Thomas, tries to rediscover his faith under the sceptical scrutiny of his tormentor, Alan. And in the local hospital, pub regular Romesh drifts towards death on his magic carpet, while back in the snug, the tattooed man faces up to a life and death crisis of his own.
The Old Spring abounds with sadness, banter and exuberant storytelling, showing all the communal spirit and camaraderie of the pub at its best.
Reviews / Votes
This is a small classic - a slim book of deep but intimate ambition, a record of the beauty and strangeness of small lives on a small island -- Maggie Gee * Guardian * A wonderfully boozy evocation and celebration of pub life, full of all the sorts of characters you dread meeting in a public bar, but are glad you did * Gerard Woodword *More details
Edition
Main
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Profile Books Ltd
Product notice
Trade binding
Dimensions
Height: 210 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
367 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-906994-06-8 (9781906994068)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
New editions
Richard Francis
The Old Spring
Book
07/2011
Tindal Street Press
€29.91
Article is exhausted; no reprint
Person
Richard Francis has published nine previous novels and three non-fiction books. He has written for TV and regularly broadcasts on BBC Radio. In 2010, as well as The Old Spring, he is publishing Fruitlands: The Alcott Family and Their Search for Utopia with Yale University Press.
In 1999, Richard Francis became Professor of Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, where he is now an Honourary Research Fellow. He is married with two grown-up children. Richard and his wife live in Bath and south-west France.
In 1999, Richard Francis became Professor of Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, where he is now an Honourary Research Fellow. He is married with two grown-up children. Richard and his wife live in Bath and south-west France.