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The Rain Before it Falls by Jonathan Coe
Paperback
About the author
Jonathan Coe
87 books2,639 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Jonathan Coe, born 19 August 1961 in Birmingham, is a British novelist and writer. His work usually has an underlying preoccupation with political issues, although this serious engagement is often expressed comically in the form of satire. For example, What a Carve Up! reworks the plot of an old 1960s spoof horror film of the same name, in the light of the 'carve up' of the UK's resources which some felt was carried out by Margaret Thatcher's right wing Conservative governments of the 1980s. Coe studied at King Edward's School, Birmingham and Trinity College, Cambridge, before teaching at the University of Warwick where he completed a PhD in English Literature. In July 2006 he was given an honorary degree by The University of Birmingham.
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Retrieved 10:55, February 2, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan...
Jonathan Coe, born 19 August 1961 in Birmingham, is a British novelist and writer. His work usually has an underlying preoccupation with political issues, although this serious engagement is often expressed comically in the form of satire. For example, What a Carve Up! reworks the plot of an old 1960s spoof horror film of the same name, in the light of the 'carve up' of the UK's resources which some felt was carried out by Margaret Thatcher's right wing Conservative governments of the 1980s. Coe studied at King Edward's School, Birmingham and Trinity College, Cambridge, before teaching at the University of Warwick where he completed a PhD in English Literature. In July 2006 he was given an honorary degree by The University of Birmingham.
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Retrieved 10:55, February 2, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan...
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 23, 2026
Really enjoyed the anchor of the pictures to build this story. Stayed up late resting it which is always a a good sign. A family history but one also of tragedy and loss.
Some lovely descriptive text including:
“ they fought over where to sit at the dining table, at the cinema or at the circus, on the picnic rug or even at the back of the car. Endless, small – minded territorial disputes. You could understand the whole, sorry history of human warfare just by observing their behaviour for half an hour. It was very wearing.”
“ I could not help seeing that she was unhappy, and desperately frustrated. It was a narrow, pinched little life that they were making for themselves. Growing up where she did, Beatrix had developed a romantic and adventurous nature, and she had no outlet for it anymore.”
“ Hearing it felt like being pulled out of cold water and having a thick blanket thrown around you” (in relation to the Aunty Ivy greeting you with a “hello”)
“ he had assumed a slightly strange position, crouching rather than sitting down, and this gives him a kind of tense, coiled quality, like a trap about to spring.”
Some lovely descriptive text including:
“ they fought over where to sit at the dining table, at the cinema or at the circus, on the picnic rug or even at the back of the car. Endless, small – minded territorial disputes. You could understand the whole, sorry history of human warfare just by observing their behaviour for half an hour. It was very wearing.”
“ I could not help seeing that she was unhappy, and desperately frustrated. It was a narrow, pinched little life that they were making for themselves. Growing up where she did, Beatrix had developed a romantic and adventurous nature, and she had no outlet for it anymore.”
“ Hearing it felt like being pulled out of cold water and having a thick blanket thrown around you” (in relation to the Aunty Ivy greeting you with a “hello”)
“ he had assumed a slightly strange position, crouching rather than sitting down, and this gives him a kind of tense, coiled quality, like a trap about to spring.”
Displaying 1 of 1 review