A Stranger in the Earth

by Marcel Theroux

Arriving in London to work for his great uncle at the local newspaper, Horace Littlefair is unprepared, overdressed, and underpaid for what awaits him when he is hurled into a world of love, racism, blackmail, political intrigue, and Scrabble, where disaster follows his every step. 25,000 first printing.

Genres: Fiction, Novels, British Literature, Humor

279 pages, Hardcover

First published March 9, 1998

About the author

Marcel (Raymond) Theroux is a British novelist and broadcaster. He is the older son of the American travel writer and novelist, Paul Theroux. His younger brother, Louis Theroux, is a journalist and television reporter.

Born in Kampala, Uganda, Theroux was brought up in Wandsworth, London. After attending a state primary school he boarded at Westminster School. He went on to study English at Clare College of the University of Cambridge and international relations at Yale University. Currently he lives in London and is married. His French last name originates from the region around Sarthe and Yonne in France. It is quite common in Francophone countries and is originally spelled Théroux. His paternal grandfather was French Canadian.

He wrote The Stranger in The Earth and The Confessions of Mycroft Holmes: a paper chase for which he won the Somerset Maugham Award in 2002. His third novel, A Blow to the Heart, was published by Faber in 2006. His fourth, Far North, a future epic set in the Siberian taiga, was published in June 2009. He worked in television news in New York and Boston.

In 2004 he presented The End of the World as We Know It part of the War on Terra television series about climate change on Channel 4, for which he was chosen as presenter precisely because he initially knew nothing about the subject. He even had a preconception about environmentalists being spoilsports opposed to progress. But during his research he became convinced that we face a global problem, on a scale so serious that an expansion of nuclear energy is probably the best solution (choosing the lesser evil). He reached this conclusion partly via the subjects of several interviews, amongst them Gerhard Bertz of insurance agency Munich Re, who indicated that in the past 20 years payments for natural disasters have increased by 500 percent. During another, with Royal Dutch Shell chairman Lord Ron Oxburgh, a PR assistant intervened to curtail the conversation, apparently because Oxburgh's negative views on the consequences of current oil consumption were considered detrimental to the corporation's image.

In March 2006 Theroux presented Death of a Nation on More4, as part of the The State of Russia series. In the program he explored the country's post-Soviet problems including population decline, the growing AIDS epidemic and the persecution of the Meskhetian Turks.

On 28 September 2008 he presented Oligart: The Great Russian Art Boom on Channel 4 about how Russia's rich are keeping Russia's art history alive by buying, and exhibiting domestic art.

On 16 March 2009, Marcel Theroux presented In Search of Wabi-sabi on BBC Four as part of the channel's Hidden Japan season of programming. Marcel travelled throughout Japan trying to understand the aesthetic tastes of Japan and its people.

Reviews

[Marika · Rating 2 out of 5]

selected for its length (under 300 pages) and its promise of amusement ("a witty satire -- had me roaring with laughter at 2 a.m.").

11/3
I experienced none of the promised roaring .. not even a vocalized chuckle or two. Maybe it was trying for "sweet" but it just didn't get past "ho hum".

I did enjoy the main character, and the author's treatment of him. That is probably the only thing that saved this from being a 1 star throwaway. But a plot needs to be either interesting or amusing. A small, predictable plot can be wonderful if treated as a vehicle for humor. I think that was the intent here ... but the humor was so small and gentle that it simply did not satisfy.

I'm not even keeping this one. Its going back to the Book Sale for another chance at finding a loving home.

[Rebekkila]

This is the story of Horace Littlefair, resident of a tiny village in rural England, who decides to make a new life in London, where he has been offered employment at an obscure newspaper owned by his great-uncle. Dressed in walking breeches and a long tweed coat, he is promptly cheated by a cabdriver and spends his first night sleeping on a park bench. Thus begins Horace's adventures in his new life. Inept at reporting and surrounded by eccentric and unsuitable characters who becomes his new family, Horace finds himself in a most curious new world.

[John Senner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Country boy only slightly more worldly than Chancy Gardner takes a job as a reporter for his great-uncle's small London newspaper. He stumbles through life with his Pakistani landlord, an advocate for urban foxes, a politician with a sex problem, and a 100-year old lady who knew his grandfather.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Theroux's debut doesn't hint at the bleak parameters
of his wonderful "Strange Bodies," but is carried by
its main character, Horace, an innocent impossible not to root for.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

One night, bored, I went to see Marcel Theroux read from his debut novel at a local bookstore. I enjoyed the old-fashioned wit of his excerpts so much I ended up buying a copy--something I am not prone to do. It took half a year, but when I finally got around to reading it, it was exactly what I expected: a gentle, witty tale of a country bumpkin's move to London to work for his great-uncle's newspaper. There are a boatload of supporting characters who are all utterly believable, with their own quirks and entertaining agendas. One small criticism is the silliness of character names, which slightly detracts from the overall assuredness of the writing. There is a lot going on, but it all resolves more or less satisfactorily, as is the norm in fish-out-of-water stories of this ilk. The one area that could have used a bit more attention was the history of the hero's grandfather. A promising debut.

[Stephen Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wondered, if the author had his time again if he would have changed anything? I was struck by what a good book this is; wonderfully paced, memorable characters, a plot that keeps giving, very well written, but...somehow I felt all the fantastic ingredients just didn't deliver what should have been a knock-out punch. Specifically, this comedy needed the set pieces to be funnier. I genuinely felt had the authors' editor sent him back to write just a little more farce and awkwardness into just a few more scenes we could have had those laugh out loud moments that have the reader forcing the book into the hands of by-standers and imploring them to have a read. All the opportunities were there, smut and exposure for Colefax and Raylena, Parliament, the tabloids, a fox loose in the Common's perhaps? In the end the denouement was a bit of a fizzle and I was left feeling how perfect this could have been, A++ if you will, instead of an A.

[Debra Moniz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book didn’t get the love from the Goodreads community, but I found it sweet, cozy, funny and quite satisfying. Horace is a dear.

[Mariam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells the story of Horace, who's ready to pack up and move away from his small hometown to London and work at his Great-Uncle's newspaper company. He is clueless about the ways of the city, and workings of the office. First, he gets scammed by a taxi driver, who took advantage of him being a foreigner. Later he ends up buying the most expensive shoes- that he doesn't need NOR FIT HIM.
🦊
Eventually, he learns things, not in an easy way, and makes friends. This book will make you laugh out loud and want to read more about Horace's journey. There is a little side story to Horace's life, that involves a politician, a crime, a police witness, and a court hearing. And urban foxes. It's not a mystery, rather we see how the politician plays a game to try not to be found guilty.
🦊
What I found quite amazing was the fact that politicians were held accountable (for immoral activity) and had to be presented in court. They didn't harm the state and yet a policeman was able to bring the politician to court. It's at least one step ahead of justice even though we all know how money plays a big game.
🦊
What I found disturbing was the representation of Arab men. Now we all have heard about them but this getting in the book is unsettling. And to label as "He brings with him £5,000 and says he wants to share his life with me...do u think a woman is a thing that u can buy with money?...many Arab men are like this." And this girl proceeds to say, "a man about 65 came and started talking...he was being very polite..all English..he said, 'but I have never kissed Polish girl'...it was unbelievable. But the Arab men they are the worst."
What is wrong with people?! Both the cases are not okay but just because of the stereotype you can't say the other is fine or better. This is the only thing I disliked, rest of the book is quite enjoyable, I wish it didn't end sooner.

[Jpmist · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first blush this reminded me a bit of "Chronic City." and "The Corrections" Sort of a new kid in town, meets people and events ensue. I like the metaphor of a box of spinning gyroscopes bouncing off each other.

And I have to say I liked this a lot better than my first Theroux effort "Strange Bodies" which I couldn't be bothered to even write how much I didn't enjoy finishing it as it seemed to get less interesting as it went along.

Still, I did read it all and rather quickly. The first person point of view always works well for me. There were just enough other characters to make it interesting without losing track of who they were. I suppose there's a arc there to be articulated for the main character, but it didn't seem to be that dramatic or of great import.

I'll likely read more of Theroux again, but I can't really trumpet this effort.

[Sayge · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book though the first 3/4 of it. I fell in love by the end. Particularly timely, I think.

[Marcella · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something about this book that kept me enthralled in Horace's life. I want to say it's a page turner but there is no mystery or suspense that propels the reader. It's just a well crafted story about a small town man making his way in London. If you like Paul Theroux's stories you will like Marcel Theroux's (his son)stories.

[Ilene · Rating 3 out of 5]

So interesting to read an acclaimed first novel from 1998 and then look up the author to see if he succeeded in meeting expectations. In this case he did, not surprising considering the talent that runs through the Theroux family. Charming read, assuming you appreciate dry, English wit.