The Romantic

From one of Britain's best-loved and bestselling writers comes an intimate yet panoramic novel about the tumult and unexpected nature of life, set in the 19th century A new "whole life" novel from William Boyd, the author of Any Human Heart. Set in the 19th century, the novel follows the roller-coaster fortunes of a man as he tries to negotiate the random stages, adventures and vicissitudes of his life. He is variously a soldier, a farmer, a pawnbroker, a bankrupt, a jailbird, a writer, a gigolo - and many other manifestations - and, finally, a minor diplomat, based in Trieste (then in Austria-Hungary) where he sees out the end of his days.

A producer. A novelist. An actress. It is summer in 1968, the year of the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. While the world is reeling our trio is involved in making a rackety Swingin' Sixties British movie in sunny Brighton. All are leading secret lives. As the film is shot, with its usual drastic ups and downs, so does our trio's private, secret world begin to take over their public one. Pressures build inexorably - someone's going to crack. Or maybe they all will. From one of Britain's best loved writers comes an exhilarating, tender novel that asks the vital questions: what makes life worth living? And what do you do if you find it isn't?

"This is well-plotted, exciting stuff and Boyd has a great sense of time and place. His boozy, maturer, more fallible Bond is totally believable. Mission accomplished, Mr Boyd." -- Natasha Harding Sun "Boyd was a smart choice for a Bond thriller. The action clips along. There are welcome literary flourishes and a dense plot." -- Richard Fitzpatrick Irish Examiner "Written with aplomb, Boyd's Bond novel is a terrific twisting thriller." Sunday Times "Anyone wishing this autumn to enjoy the Cold War with the assurance of a happy ending should seek out William Boyd's new James Bond novel, Solo, in which 007 is dispatched to West Africa and the fictitious country of Zanzarim, where he finds himself in the midst of a civil war." -- Stephen McGinty Scotsman "A fantastic read, which I ripped thro...

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Dreams of Bethany Mellmoth written and read by William Boyd. A philandering art dealer tries to give up casual love affairs - seeking only passionate kisses as a substitute. A man recounts his personal history through the things he has stolen from others throughout his life. A couple chart the journey of their five year relationship backwards, from awkward reunion to lovelorn first encounter. And, at the heart of the book, a 24-year old young woman, Bethany Mellmoth, embarks on a year-long journey of wishful and tentative self-discovery. The Dreams of Bethany Mellmoth depicts the random encounters that bring the past bubbling to the surface; the impulsive decisions that irrevocably shape a life; and the endless hesitations and loss-of-nerve tha...

Stylowy, zaskakujący, świetnie napisany romans szpiegowski. Lato 1976 roku w Anglii zapowiada się wyjątkowo upalnie. Ruth Gilmartin, matka samotnie wychowująca kilkuletniego synka, udziela obcokrajowcom prywatnych lekcji angielskiego, zmaga się z pogmatwanym życiem uczuciowym, próbuje znaleźć czas na dokończenie pracy dyplomowej na uniwersytecie w Oksfordzie. Od jakiegoś czasu niepokoi ją zachowanie matki, ekscentrycznej wdowy mieszkającej w wiejskim domu na odludziu. Wielostronicowy, pokreślony rękopis, który Sally Gilmartin przekazuje córce, ujawnia dotąd pilnie przez nią strzeżony niewiarygodny sekret. Matka Ruth nie jest rodowitą Brytyjką, lecz Rosjanką, która po rewolucji bolszewickiej wyemigrowała z ojcem i bratem do Paryża, a tuż przed wybuchem drugiej...