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The Ship of Fools

The Ship of Fools

by Gregory Norminton (Author)

  • Used

    Paperback 2002

    $3.60
Synopsis

The characters on Norminton's purgatorial 'Ship of Fools' - a ship that's going nowhere fast - bicker and struggle for attention; telling tales that bounce off one another to form a compendium of interralated stories, running from lyrical romance to scabrous satire, by way of fairy-tale and black comedy. Often wickedly funny, always stunningly written and displaying an astonishing range of voices (the prudish nun, the bawdy old woman, the penitent drunkard, and the glutton whose stomach does all the talking - to name a few) 'The Ship of Fools' is truly a treasure chest of a novel, and an example of story-telling at its very best.

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More Information

Format: Paperback
 Pages: 288
 Edition: First Edition
 Publisher: Sceptre
Published: 07 Nov 2002
ISBN 10: 0340821027
ISBN 13: 9780340821022

Media Reviews
'A glorious, ribald chunk of wit and erudition, sparkling with creativity and bursting with rude life ... Norminton's flair for a story excellently told can not be overstated' -- The Times 'Clever and energetic and sly and funny and full of inventiveness. I wish there was more fiction like this being published in Britain.' -- Kate Atkinson 'A remarkable book ...bawdy, entertaining and full of surprises ... the whole thing is a coat of very many colours; at times wonderfully funny and outrageous' -- Publishing News 'Hats off ... to a young novelist trying to do something different, or at least to do something familiar in a new way.' -- The Guardian 'Normington ... flex(es) his considerable storytelling powers in a tale of dazzling twists and turns echoing Borges and Umberto Eco. [His] confident mastery of language ... is witty and visceral. Most writers would be overstretched by such a task. It marks him as a writer of skill and cleverness.' -- Scotsman 'These stories consume the reader ... [The Ship of Fools] is, in fact, pure entertainment. Finishing it, one has the contented sensation of having completed a beautifully painted and crafted jigsaw of a thousand pieces.' -- Scotland on Sunday 'It's not often that a debut novelist attempts the impossible ...What is astonishing here is not only the academic complexity of his chosen subject, but also that he manages to pull it off ... the overall effect is one of impressive handling of psychology and storytelling.' -- Big Issue in the North 'A hilarious and beautifully crafted romp -- kind of like Chaucer, but far more rude.' -- Inga McVicker, Waterstone's, Edinburgh 'Wonderfully lyrical. Very funny.' -- Jasmeet Fyfe, Blackwells, London 'This is an incredible book ... tales of Rabelasian proportions and delight are revealed in this exceptional first novel. Each story is startlingly different and compelling in turn. Gregory Norminton can certainly write and he has a tremendous way with words ... A very fascinating and wonderful read.' -- Vincent Cassar, Author and bookseller 'A multi-layered slice of bawdy philosophy for laughing at and thinking about.' -- Steve Birt, Ottakar's 'Ship of Fools is gonna be a big hit!' -- Roland Taylor, Borders 'A linguistic feast for the literary gourmand! Norminton has served up an eclectic menu of fanciful tales and trials and -- unlike the elusive chicken -- each can be savoured as a snack or a banquet.' -- Sam Oliver, Waterstone's, Newcastle
Author Bio
Gregory Norminton is a twenty-five-year-old Oxford English Graduate who has trained as an actor, written several plays and is at present writer-in-residence and teacher of drama at Wellington College in Berkshire. 'The Ship of Fools' is his first novel.