Francis spuffords first novel golden hill won the 2016 costa prize for a debut novel. The most recent, unapologetic, has been translated into three languages. The idea that underpins red plenty is an economic one. A journal paper or a scholarly monograph, certainly. Francis spufford s charming historical novel, golden hill, is set at that time, three decades before the american revolution. Spuffords method is to create fictional characters and fabricate incidents closely. He has written many nonfiction books over the course of his 25year career and published his debut novel, the costa first novel awardwinning golden hill, in 2016. Spuffords novel concerns invention and passing, wealth and poverty, appearances and illusions, the building of fortunes and the pining for that which is unavailablenot least of which for what some liar once called the american dream. Francis spufford is the author of five highly praised books of nonfiction. Margaret was a social historian while peter specialized in economic history. A flawlessly executed homage to the buccaneering fiction of fielding and sterne, golden hill presents an embryonic new york in the mideighteenth century, and a fastmoving plot of intrigue, adventure and lastgasp plot twists. At the end of the 1950s, after the success of sputnik and with the soviet union having come out of stalins dark shadow with impressive growth rates, there were many, outside the country as well as inside, who thought that central planning was. To read other authors share the ways in which they go about their work, click here to read the full article. This is a fusion of history and fiction which dramatises the period in the history of the ussr c.
I read a library copy and cant wait for the paperback to reread it. A short interview in which francis spufford, author of the child that books built and backroom boys, discusses his latest book, red plenty. In red plenty, spufford creates an eclectic mish mash of literary form which in turn provides the reader with a huge variety of emotional responses and information relating to the khrushchev soviet era. Dwight garner, the new york times it was built on the twentiethcentury magic called the planned economy, which was going to gush forth an abundance of good things that the lands of capitalism could never match. Spuffords prose rejoices in elegant pastiche as the story of a mysterious stranger and his unexplained fortune gathers pace. It is this question that francis spufford explores in red plenty. Jul, 2017 francis spuffords red plenty pushes historical boundaries. I really enjoyed spufford s red plenty which i would have called a novel but i dont begrudge him the kudos that have come from having this considered his first novel. In his compelling new book about the soviet union, francis spufford blends fiction and history. Red plenty is peopled by both real and fictional characters.
Red plenty is a strong and eccentric book about a beautiful mass delusion. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. The original referred to the cuban missile crisis in 1963. The times londonstrange as it may seem, the gray, oppressive ussr was founded on a fairy tale. This is the central theme in spufford s novel about 18th century new york city, reprised most explicitly in the most recent american elections. He has been longlisted or shortlisted for prizes in. Francis spufford, 3 may 1984 in early spring of 1904 the blue limousine draws up beneath the baroque convent of melk. Golden hill by francis spufford unofficial book reports.
Spufford cunningly maps out a literary genre of his own. As long as the writer exports the wisp of truthfulness from reality into imagination, the latter should be free to noodle out into wild paisley filigree, and still dot each nested curl of fancy with. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. I might just have to order it from the library again. Born in 1963 and the son of esteemed historians margaret and peter spufford, francis spufford studied english literature at trinity hall, cambridge and earned a ba in 1985. Red plenty, by francis spufford the new york times. Spufford is best known for his admirable career in nonfiction, including as the writer of the punchy and pithy unapologetic, a very modern defence of christianity, and i may be some. Yet that is the format that francis spufford has selected for his book red plenty. Red plenty is a novel or perhaps more accurately a short story cycle about soviet central planning, set in a decadelong arc across the 1960s. Between the fact, fiction, sizable explanatory notes and bibliography spufford is a manifest bibliophile, red plenty is an expansive reading experience with a creative approach to russian history. His second, the child that books built, gave neil gaiman. Smith while first looking in on the room occupied by tabitha, flora, and zephyr, less than an hour after arriving in new york p. Who wouldve thought that one could write a novel about soviet central planning. Francis spufford, a former sunday times young writer of the year 1997, has edited two acclaimed literary anthologies and a collection of essays about the history of technology.
There seems to be some unnecessary confusion as to its form or genre. Inside the fifties soviet dream by francis spufford. Spanning just over a decade of soviet life jumping between characters and events, the book is intricately designed drip feeding the reader a. Facts want to roam free and have nonliteral adventures he argues. Francis spuffords red plenty pushes historical boundaries. Red plenty by francis spufford, 9780571225248, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook.
One rainy evening in november, a handsome young stranger fresh off the boat pitches up at a countinghouse door in golden hill street. In both he seems to discover some intuition of the existence of god, but the more original. Refuting critics such as richard dawkins, sam harris, and the new atheist crowd, spufford, a former atheist and fellow of the royal society of literature, argues that christianity is recognizable, drawing on the deep and deeply ordinary vocabulary of human feeling, satisfying those who believe in it by. What a wonderful world we live in where a book like francis spuffords red plenty can be published. Unapologetic, has been translated into three languages. Aug, 2017 francis spuffords first novel golden hill won the 2016 costa prize for a debut novel. It came out in the uk in 2010 and it has just been published in a new us edition. Aug 20, 2010 red plenty is peopled by both real and fictional characters. Equally compelling is the sense of the chaotic and ad lib nature of political and commercial lifea governor hanging on by his fingernails, business conducted in the currencies of the dozen other colonies, other countries, or just bartered goods. Explore books by francis spufford with our selection at.
One of the first events i went to at the edinburgh international book festival last month was a discussion at the spiegeltent with francis spufford and dilys rose chaired by lee randall. Francis spuffords unapologetic is a wonderfully pugnacious defense of christianity. His first book, i may be some time, won the writers guild award for best nonfiction book of 1996, the banff mountain book prize and a somerset maugham award. I really enjoyed spuffords red plenty which i would have called a novel but i dont begrudge him the kudos that have come from having this considered his first novel.
Francis spufford is an english author born in 1964 and primarily known for writing nonfiction. It was followed by the child that books built, backroom boys, red plenty which was translated into nine languages, and most recently, unapologetic. One rainy evening in november, a handsome young stranger fresh off the boat arrives at a countinghouse door on golden hill street. This book is about the old sunny soviet fairy tale, the notion that a planned economy would become, in mr.
Richard smith is a youth of about fourandtwenty dressed in plain green, wearing his own hair in short rustbrown curls, smiling in a fashion that crinkled the freckles across his nose. Smith, amiable, charming, yet strangely determined to keep suspicion shimmering. Something about it reminds me of jonathan strange and mr. From this admittedly personal and prejudiced perspective, red plenty is a disconcerting book. Red plenty is about that moment in history, and how it came and went away. Sep 20, 2017 golden hill by francis spufford september 20, 2017 october 1, 2017 0warbler0 leave a comment in 1740s new york, a young man named richard smith walks off a ship from london with a bill for an enormous sum of money that baffles and astound the citys countinghouses a forerunner of banks. Table of contents title page dedication the cast part i introduction 1 the prodigy, 1938 2 mr chairman, 1959 3 little plastic beakers, 1959 4 white dust, 1953 part ii introduction. Aug 02, 2012 what a wonderful world we live in where a book like francis spuffords red plenty can be published. The book begins with khrushchevs promise that communism would. Strange as it may seem, the grey, oppressive ussr was. A highly personaland unconventionaldefense of belief in christian doctrine. Red plenty is about that moment in history, and how it came, and how it went away. Golden hill by francis spufford new york in the 18th century is brought brilliantly to life in francis spuffords debut novel. But once upon a time the story of red plenty had been serious.
Francis spufford vividly recreates an 18thcentury new york in golden hill. Francis spufford s red plenty is published by faber on 16 august. Oct 15, 20 besides, writes spufford red plenty, 2012, etc. It was a scary place to be, and spufford shows us that. Red plenty is a beautifully crafted words of fiction, but a meticulously documented one that tells the story of the quest for economic growth in the midtwentieth century soviet union. Sep 18, 2010 a short interview in which francis spufford, author of the child that books built and backroom boys, discusses his latest book, red plenty. A feast of francis an hour with francis spufford by joyciescotland march 15, 2018 book event blog posts have a formula. Spufford was born to professor margaret spufford and professor peter spufford. Red plenty, 2010 longlisted for the orwell prize, and translated into dutch, spanish, estonian, polish, german, russian and italian, with versions in french and turkish following. Jun 16, 2016 spufford is best known for his admirable career in nonfiction, including as the writer o faber. Spufford and rose are the respective authors of golden hill and unspeakable, two of the most widely acclaimed historical novels of recent months. Francis spufford s unapologetic is a wonderfully pugnacious defense of christianity.
Angry people are unpredictable, not only in their violence but in their nonviolent moments. And on the cusp of 50, i do find a successful first novelist at 52 to be just the perfect cherry on the sundae that is this atmospheric, plotty, delicious treat. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Not as history, nor yet exactly as a novel, but in a series of loosely linked chapters, each a. New york, a small town on the tip of manhattan island, 1746. As someone with an interest in economics and specifically in the problems of economic calculation in a socialist economy, i enjoyed this book immensely and. Francis spufford s red plenty follows a cast of characters around the soviet union of the 1950s and 60s as communist theory lost its promise.
It was built on the twentiethcentury magic called the planned economy, which. Feb 15, 2012 the idea that underpins red plenty is an economic one. Spuffords language isnt exactly aquinian or augustinian, but it gets to the pointto several points, in fact. Inside the fifties soviet dream faber and faber 2010 isbn 9781555976040 red plenty is a novel or perhaps more accurately a short story cycle about soviet central planning, set in a decadelong arc across the 1960s. Spufford s method is to create fictional characters and fabricate incidents closely. Red plenty by francis spufford faber and faber, 2010. Well, not defense of doctrine, exactly, but defense the root meaning of apologia of christian emotions and their grownup dignity. His first book, i may be some time, won the writers guild award for best nonfiction book of 1996, the banff mountain book prize, and a somerset maugham award. The child that books built by francis spufford and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Red plenty isbn 9781555976040 pdf epub francis spufford. Golden hill by francis spufford september 20, 2017 october 1, 2017 0warbler0 leave a comment in 1740s new york, a young man named richard smith walks off a ship from london with a bill for an enormous sum of money that baffles and astound the citys countinghouses a.
Golden hill by francis spufford 20 posts add message report. Quite deliberately, francis spufford chooses to cross recent history and fiction to make his points. This is the website for francis spuffords new book. Francis spufford dances rings around the buzzwords of. Refuting critics such as richard dawkins, sam harris, and the new atheist crowd, spufford, a former atheist and fellow of the royal society of literature, argues that christianity is recognizable, drawing on the deep and deeply ordinary vocabulary of human. In the titular essay of true stories spufford outlines and interrogates his approach to blending fact with fiction.
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