The Book of Dave by Will Self (2006)
Full title: The Book of Dave: A Revelation of the Recent Past and the Distant Future
A great book by the living master of the English language – Will Self. One of the ‘easier’ books (e.g. ‘How the Dead Live’, ‘Dorian’ and ‘My Idea of Fun’) by this some times impenetrable writer (e.g. ’Dr Mukti and Other Tales of Woe’, ‘Umbrella’ and ‘Shark’).
It is set in both the recent past and the far future and tells the story of Dave Rudman, a London cabbie, whose marriage fails so he writes a book, intended to be read by his son, which lays out his philosophy of life and how to survive it. The parts of the story which are set in the future deal with a post-apocalyptic flooded England in which ‘The Book of Dave’ has become the basis for a repressive and misogynous religion that rules the lives of the population of the Island of Ham.
Self has invented a language for the future inhabitants based on the slang and common usage that would have been employed by Dave Rudman when writing his book. It can take a little getting used to, but is great fun once you do.
No comments:
Post a Comment