Please Do Not Disturb
Published on 16. June 2016
Book
Hardback
304 pages
978-1-4088-6629-0 (ISBN)
Description
The funny, disturbing and deeply affecting new book by the acclaimed author of Terms & Conditions
Charlie, a curious boy with a dangerous dictaphone habit, eavesdrops on the eccentric guests of the Mirage Hotel, as the African nation of Bwalo prepares for the annual appearance of its Glorious Leader Tafumo.
Sean, an Irishman who's given his heart (and the best part of his liver) to Bwalo, struggles to write the great African novel - if only his crazed fiancee and fierce thirst would stop distracting him.
Josef, mythmaker and kingmaker, who paved the way for Tafumo's rise to power, starts to hear the ominous rattle of skeletons in his closet.
Hope, the nurse caring for the King, keeps the old man alive, maintaining the facade of the powerful ruler, as she mourns her own broken dreams.
And in the countdown to the Big Day, storm clouds are gathering as petty criminal, Jack, smuggles something into Bwalo - to the Mirage Hotel - that will change the lives of all of them for ever...
Charlie, a curious boy with a dangerous dictaphone habit, eavesdrops on the eccentric guests of the Mirage Hotel, as the African nation of Bwalo prepares for the annual appearance of its Glorious Leader Tafumo.
Sean, an Irishman who's given his heart (and the best part of his liver) to Bwalo, struggles to write the great African novel - if only his crazed fiancee and fierce thirst would stop distracting him.
Josef, mythmaker and kingmaker, who paved the way for Tafumo's rise to power, starts to hear the ominous rattle of skeletons in his closet.
Hope, the nurse caring for the King, keeps the old man alive, maintaining the facade of the powerful ruler, as she mourns her own broken dreams.
And in the countdown to the Big Day, storm clouds are gathering as petty criminal, Jack, smuggles something into Bwalo - to the Mirage Hotel - that will change the lives of all of them for ever...
Reviews / Votes
Richly layered, mordantly funny, and graced by compassion, Glancy's determinedly small-scale take on revolution and the death of dreams consistently seduces and delights * Kirkus * You'd have to go back to the young Paul Theroux to find a writer this savvy and sympathetic about political fallout in post-colonial Africa ... This is impressive work from a smart, feverish talent * Michael Upchurch, Seattle Times * This tale of a lawyer losing his grip on reality is original, very funny and very poignant. Read it! * Paul Torday, author of Salmon Fishing in the Yemen on Terms & Conditions * It's wonderful. Funny, poignant, simple and profound - it's the kind of book I absolutely love. And it has the best ending I've read in a very long time * Gavin Extence, author of The Universe Versus Alex Woods on Terms & Conditions * This great debut feels fresh and playful, and exceptionally readable (footnotes have never been so addictive). It also has stuff to say about life, too, and the importance of seeing the big picture - and the small print. Every book seems to have "funny and life-affirming" written on it but this one actually is * Matt Haig, author of The Humans * A deliciously cynical story * Independent on Sunday on Terms & Conditions * Hilarious * Sun on Terms & Conditions *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 135 mm
Weight
432 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4088-6629-0 (9781408866290)
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
Additional editions
Robert Glancy
Please Do Not Disturb
E-Book
06/2016
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
€9.49
Available for download
Person
Robert Glancy was born in Zambia and raised in Malawi. At fourteen he moved from Africa to Edinburgh then went on to study history at Cambridge. His first novel, Terms & Conditions, was published by Bloomsbury in 2014 to critical acclaim. He has recently been awarded the Grimshaw Sargeson Fellowship in New Zealand, where he currently lives with his wife and children.
@RobertGlancy
@RobertGlancy