Blue Gate of Babylon

by Paul Pickering

Pickering's blend of ancient and modern, fact and fable, in this comic tale of a 21-year old ex-classical scholar who becomes entwined in the world of Cold War espionage features ritual murders, whores and bestial secret servicemen. Other novels by Pickering include "Charlie Peace's Treasure".

Paperback

First published October 28, 1989

About the author

Paul Pickering is the author of seven novels, Wild About Harry, Perfect English, The Blue Gate of Babylon, Charlie Peace, The Leopard’s Wife, Over the Rainbow and Elephant. The Blue Gate of Babylon was a New York Times notable book of the year, who dubbed it ‘superior literature’. Often compared to Graham Greene and Evelyn Waugh, Pickering was chosen as one of the top ten young British novelists by bookseller WH Smith and has been long-listed for the Booker Prize three times. Educated at the Royal Masonic Schools and the University of Leicester, he has a PhD in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University, presented his doctoral thesis to the Bulgakov Society in Moscow, recently completed a Hawthornden Fellowship Residency on Lake Como and is a member of the Folio Prize Academy. The novelist J.G. Ballard said Pickering’s work is ‘truly subversive’. As well as short stories and poetry, he has written plays, film scripts and columns for The Times and Sunday Times. He lives in London and the Pyrenees.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful book! This a funny, surreal look at post-war Berlin and the building of the Wall. Toby Jubb, naive young ambassador in training is sent from Paris after an indiscreet affair. As his cover as a spy, he is given a brothel to run, to entice a Russian general to defect. Mayhem ensues. If you're a fan of hardboiled, realistic spy novels, this is definately NOT the book for you!!

[Frank Merkley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious