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Old Filth
by
Gardam, Jane
Comment on this title
Synopses & Reviews
Award Excerpt
ISBN13:
9781933372136
ISBN10:
1933372133
Condition:
Standard
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$10.95
List Price:
$18.00
Used Trade Paperback
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Awards
2005 Orange Prize nominee
4.8
10
What Our Readers Are Saying
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Average customer rating 4.8 (10 comments)
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julieb43
, March 06, 2015
(view all comments by julieb43)
Old Edward Feathers can be difficult to like at times. He calls his housekeeper 'Mrs. Er,' continually forgetting her name although she's worked for him a number of years. He takes both she and his gardener, who are quite devoted to him, rather for granted even going so far as 'firing' them when he thinks he can live alone. But he is getting on in years, almost 90, and has lost his wife of many years. He is often as disagreeable as he is sympathetic. He doesn't seem to want to admit that he's old and should be more careful. He does risky things despite his employees' best intentions to protect him. But Edward (or Old Filth) is beset by repressed childhood memories that begin surfacing after his wife dies and their routine safe existence is shattered. Gardam has created memorable full-bodied characters and a realistic story of aging, memory, and acceptance. The story weaves in and out of the past, much as Feathers' memory, until all the pieces come together. It's good to know that there are two other novels in this trilogy that will explore more of Edward's past.
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SandyPP
, July 20, 2014
(view all comments by SandyPP)
Critic Maureen Corrigan calls Gardam the best British writer you've never heard of. I couldn't agree more except now I've heard of her and I'll keep reading. To my joy, I have now discovered this is the first book in a trilogy! Don't let the title turn you off--it means Failed in London; Try Hong Kong. Old Filth is multilayered, wise psychologically and sucked me right in. I lived it in for the days I was reading (or perhaps I should say inhaling) it. An elderly retired lawyer loses his wife, prompting him to open a long-sealed box of memories revealing not only pain but secrets. The story skillfully unfolds, moving from London, the British countryside, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Wales, and the high seas. I love a book that introduces me to a world or phenomena previously unknown to me. Here it's Raj Orphans, children sent back to Britain at a very young age from the "colonies" to be raised by foster parents and boarding schools while losing their attachment to their parents. Gardam is so good that what would be unbelievable coincidences for lesser writers turn out not to be. And I almost forgot to mention that it can be funny too.
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Sheila Deeth
, March 04, 2014
(view all comments by Sheila Deeth)
They don’t even see him, in a corner of the room, when today’s important lawyers remember Old Filth. They remember him with a touch of fond reverence---Failed In London but surely made it when he Tried Hongkong. They know he’s back in England, and his wife died, and there was that thing... maybe. But there are many “things” hiding in Jane Gardam’s novel, Old Filth: The history of England’s children, born in the Empire’s farflung corners and sent “home” because, somehow, foreign illnesses might be more dangerous than growing up without a family; the history of war, its confusion and agony and loss; and the history of law in the promise of foreign shores. Relationships slowly reveal themselves in new lights as different characters take the stage. And behind it all, almost unseen, Old Filth is almost accidentally gathering his fractured selves into one---invisible, lost, forgotten, then remembered again. The writing is pleasingly spare, inviting readers to connect the dots, and rewarding them with brilliantly evocative scenes, low-key pathos and humor, and powerful depths of character and relationships. Events shift effortlessly from past to present, from Malaysia to boarding school and university; and every mystery hides its own kind of answer, near or far, waiting for its perfect revelation. The novel is powerfully moving. The protagonist demands an almost reluctant sympathy. And the decline and fall of Empire are beautifully chronicled in the life of a lonely, oddly appealing, irascible old man. Disclosure: Our book group picked this book and I’m so glad they did.
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MarcieDell
, January 30, 2013
I absolutely love this book. I read a great number of books in 2012, most of them excellent, many endearing, several enthralling. This one was enchanting. I stand in awe of Jane Gardam's powers of subtlety and certainty.
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spock445
, January 30, 2013
This novel was suggested to me by a friend who loves reading as much as I do. Put off by the title, it took me a while to suck it out of my "to read" list and actually look over the reviews, after which I couldn't believe I had waited. Author Jane Gardam tells an engrossing story of the shame and sadness of the Raj orphans, child neglect among the British upper class Foreign Service, and the decline of Britian's colonial history. It is a tale of bravery, honor, and grit, that takes place between the turn of two centuries.
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logophyle
, January 01, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are people you actually care about getting to know. The peek into the life of Raj orphans is eye opening and heart wrenching. Great story and character development plus a deep family secret that reveals itself in a final twist makes this an excellent read.
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rainmaker
, January 26, 2011
(view all comments by rainmaker)
Edward Feathers is presented as an example of a particular type of English person, born in an outpost of the colonial Empire and never able to shake off the circumstances of his birth. But in so many ways, Feathers is unique and surprising. And all of the characters that revolve around Edward, making him just exactly as big as life, have their own surprises and secrets. Reading this book reminds me of watching La Cenerentola on a tape that was missing the last several minutes. First, it is not really the Cinderella story of my childhood. And second, although it ends abruptly, you know how everything turned out, and that all is as it should and must be.
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Bookwomyn
, January 01, 2010
(view all comments by Bookwomyn)
I already reviewed this book but apparently must say something else in order to nominate it for 2010 Puddly Awards. This was a great book - undiscovered by many but those who did read it loved it. Her latest book "The Man in the Wooden Hat" (a prequel to "Old Filth" is just as wonderful.
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salliforth
, October 20, 2009
(view all comments by salliforth)
My book group read this book, and the majority of us loved it. We had a great discussion, and at the end we all agreed that we not only enjoyed the story and writing, we were very impressed with the quality and design of the book itself (something we usually don't comment on). The tale is told through the parsing of bits of information from different perspectives and various times. It intrigues, informs and puzzles - an inventive and effective structure. As a result of our reading this book, we will be reading Kipling's "Kim" soon.
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Bookwomyn
, June 25, 2007
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What a wonderful book . . . intelligent, compelling story of an old lawyer mulling over his life and memories. It's funny and sad. Filth stands for "Failed in London, Try Hong Kong." Gardam is a unique author and she's done a bang-up job on this book.
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Product Details
ISBN:
9781933372136
Binding:
Trade Paperback
Publication date:
06/01/2006
Publisher:
Europa Editions
Pages:
256
Height:
1.10IN
Width:
5.30IN
Thickness:
1.00
Age Range:
18 and up
Grade Range:
13 and up
Number of Units:
1
Copyright Year:
2006
UPC Code:
2801933372138
Author:
Jane Gardam
Subject:
Asians
Subject:
General Fiction
Subject:
England
Subject:
Literature-A to Z
$10.95
List Price:
$18.00
Used Trade Paperback
Ships in 1 to 3 days
Qty
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3
Burnside
1
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2
Hawthorne
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