China

by Alan Wall

A superb, contemporary novel from Alan Wall. Digby Walton was once the heir to an English pottery company. Now in old age he contemplates the history of that company as he reflects upon the modern world. He stares with Ruskin's tragic eye at the society that surrounds him. His own heir is Theo, who wishes to ignore history and simply play trumpet in his jazz band Zeno. Theo wants to live entirely inside the perfection of songs, but the question is, will reality let him? Meanwhile Digby's next-door neighbour, Daisy Gresham, famed as one of the great film beauties of her day, seeks her own elusive son, perilously engaged in the international anarchist movement as he brings Ruskin's critique dangerously up to date. Alan Wall's novel weaves back and forth between the present and the twentieth century that formed it, its wars and industries, industries that once propelled an empire but now appear in permanent decline, asking constantly what art contributes to life and whether life can ever survive for long without it. Beneath the humour the range of themes is vast, from the Somme to contemporary rock music, from the first world to the third, from the Battle of Britain to September 11th.

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Wall was born in Bradford and studied at the University of Oxford. In addition to his work as a professional author, he has developed a career teaching creative writing with posts at Liverpool John Moores University, the University of Birmingham and the University of Chester. He is also a published poet and critic.

Reviews

[Sangeeth Varma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked it.
Well written account of a slightly weird family, focussing on the lives of a tired old former Titan of Industry and his underachieving trumpet player son.
Was a random pick from library shelf.
Loved it from the first page. Can't really explain why except the fact that I thought it was well written.