{"title":"Books by Paul Murray","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9780141009957","title":"Skippy Dies","description":"\u003cb\u003eLonglisted for the Booker Prize 2010\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A triumph. Brimful of wit and narrative energy' \u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Novels rarely come as funny and as moving as this. One of the finest comic novels written anywhere' \u003ci\u003eIrish Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRuprecht Van Doren is an overweight genius whose hobbies include very difficult maths and the Search of Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence. Daniel 'Skippy' Juster is his roommate. In the grand old Dublin institution that is Seabrook College for Boys, nobody pays either of them much attention. But when Skippy falls for Lori, the frisbee-playing siren from the girls' school next door, suddenly all kinds of people take an interest - including Carl, part-time drug-dealer and official school psychopath. . .\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA tragic comedy of epic sweep and dimension, \u003ci\u003eSkippy Dies\u003c\/i\u003e scours the corners of the human heart and wrings every drop of pathos, humour and hopelessness out of life, love, Robert Graves, mermaids, M-theory, and everything in between.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'An unforgettably exuberant saga set in an Irish boys' school. The insulting repartee is Shakespearean, the minor characters hilarious, and Murray captures the fleeting joys and lasting sorrows of adolescence perfectly' \u003ci\u003eDaily Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'The sprawling brilliance of Paul Murray's darkly comic second novel works on many different levels... When you finish the last page, you may be tempted to start all over again' \u003ci\u003eMetro\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43399953809586,"sku":"9780141009957","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780141009957.jpg?v=1786011253"},{"product_id":"9780241984406","title":"The Bee Sting","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTHE MULTI AWARD-WINNING NOVEL FROM ONE OF OUR GREATEST LIVING COMEDIC WRITERS\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A tragicomic triumph. You won't read a sadder, truer, funnier novel this year' \u003ci\u003eGuardian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Barnes family are in trouble.\u003cbr\u003eUntil recently they ran the biggest business in town, now they’re teetering on the brink of bankruptcy – and that’s just the start of their problems. Dickie and Imelda’s marriage is hanging by a thread; straight-A student Cass is careening off the rails; PJ is hopelessly in debt to the school bully.\u003cbr\u003eMeanwhile the ghosts of old mistakes are rising out of the past to meet them, but everyone’s too wrapped up in the present to see the danger looming . . .\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Generous, immersive, sharp-witted and devastating; the sort of novel that becomes a friend for life' \u003ci\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘Paul Murray [is] the undisputed reigning champion of epic Irish tragicomedy’ \u003ci\u003eSpectator\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e‘An instant classic’ \u003ci\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘[An] astute, remorselessly funny novel’ \u003ci\u003eDaily Mirror\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e‘A wagyu steak of a novel . . . A classic in the mode of The Corrections’ \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWINNER OF THE NERO BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION 2023\u003cbr\u003eWINNER OF THE SKY ARTS AWARD FOR LITERATURE 2024\u003cbr\u003eWINNER OF AN POST IRISH BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2023\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44203432181938,"sku":"9780241984406","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780241984406_cc89a853-168c-45d7-9ec3-a924bfb9f67f.jpg?v=1786012114"},{"product_id":"9780241953860","title":"The Mark and the Void","description":"\u003cb\u003eWinner of the Everyman Wodehouse Prize 2016\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA comic masterpiece about love, art, greed and the banking crisis, by the Booker Prize-shortlisted author of \u003ci\u003eThe Bee Sting\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e‘Hugely entertainingly [and] read-the-whole-page-again funny . . . The best novel I have reviewed this side of the Atlantic’ \u003ci\u003eObserver\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMeet Claude: an investment-bank drone longing for something more meaningful. Marooned in soggy Dublin, he yearns for art, philosophy, and a steady girlfriend. You could call him a modern-day everyman – or just another lonely banker.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNow meet Paul: struggling novelist, strip-club enthusiast, pioneer of not-entirely-legal internet start-ups. Paul is willing to stoop to any level in pursuit of the riches he knows he deserves. You could call him a troubled genius – or a shameless crook.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHere are two men with something missing from their lives. they might just be able to help each other out of a big hole. Or their friendship might be the most disastrous thing to hit Dublin since the banking crash. As Paul’s get-rich-quick schemes blow up in his face, and the global economy goes missing in action, will Claude be able to save the day, get the girl, and finally become the hero of his own story?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e‘Brilliant, intricately entertaining . . . This novel’s arrival deserves a trumpeting fanfare’ \u003ci\u003eSunday Independent\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘A comic classic from one of the most gifted novelists of his generation. Funny, angry and unputdownable’ \u003ci\u003eDaily Express\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56231427572085,"sku":"9780241953860","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780241953860_fc1f43fb-ddd0-4a71-b3fe-2ecc863583a6.jpg?v=1786012346"},{"product_id":"9780241955895","title":"An Evening of Long Goodbyes","description":"Another unmissable comic outing from the Booker Prize-shortlisted author of \u003ci\u003eThe Bee Sting\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShortlisted for the Whitbread First Novel Award and the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Hilarious, rich and satisfying' \u003ci\u003eTimes Literary Supplement\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Arguably the funniest debut in years, \u003ci\u003eAn Evening of Long Goodbyes\u003c\/i\u003e ranks with Zadie Smith's \u003ci\u003eWhite Teeth \u003c\/i\u003eas a stunning document of an English-speaking metropolis in flux' \u003ci\u003eLA Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is the story of Charles Hythloday and the heroic squandering of a family inheritance. Featuring drinking, greyhound racing, vanishing furniture, more drinking, old movies, assorted Dublin lowlife, eviction and the perils of community theatre, Paul Murray’s first novel is a tour de force of comedic writing wrapped in an honest-to-goodness tale of a man – and a family – living in denial.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Comedy of the highest calibre and a good, fast-paced yarn. An excellent read' \u003ci\u003eSunday Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56232071135605,"sku":"9780241955895","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780241955895_43d0813b-3a3b-40f8-8978-c73e801ec757.jpg?v=1786012411"},{"product_id":"9781804692691","title":"Zimbabwe","description":"The new fifth edition of Bradt's Zimbabwe remains the only detailed, standalone guide from a major publisher to cover one of the premier safari and cultural destinations in southern Africa. Best known for the Victoria Falls, which leaves visitors awed by the world's largest curtain of falling water, Zimbabwe offers manifold other experiences for the intrepid traveller - from evocative wildlife to fascinating arts, jaw-dropping landscapes to astonishing World Heritage sites. Soak up the laid-back atmosphere of the capital, Harare, with its bustling arts scene and trendy restaurants, or head to the mighty Zambezi River for fast-flowing adventure. Visit national parks that offer a variety of wildlife encounters: enjoy canoe-based game-viewing at Mana Pools (where African painted dog is a highlight) or remote camping beside rare nyala antelope in the wilderness of Gonarezhou. Capitalise on the exciting revival of Matusadona, which boasts one of Africa's highest densities of leopard, or combine watching white and black rhinos with admiring the world's greatest concentration of ancient hunter-gatherer rock art, at Matobo Hills. History buffs will marvel at Zimbabwe's plethora of historical and cultural sites, most famously the World Heritage-listed, stone-built, ancient cities of Great Zimbabwe and Khami, the latter once controlling a lucrative international trading empire. Birdwatchers, meanwhile, will delight in a trove of avian encounters, notably in Bunga's lush forests, one of Zimbabwe's best-kept secrets.With increased business confidence in Zimbabwe, scores of new hotels and lodges have opened, the country's national parks have been rejuvenated, its two main airports upgraded and major roads improved. Accommodation options comprise everything from luxury safari camps to budget stays for travellers who arrive overland, plus suggested pit stops to break up journeys. Written by a former resident of Zimbabwe, thoroughly updated by two seasoned adventurers, and with a foreword by explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Bradt's Zimbabwe remains an ideal companion for everyone from wildlife enthusiasts to adventure seekers and hikers, whether travelling independently or on an organised tour. New for this edition are a 64-page, full-colour wildlife guide, plus expanded coverage of Zambezi National Park, Matobo Hills and the surroundings of Harare and Bulawayo.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56306979570037,"sku":"9781804692691","price":21.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781804692691.jpg?v=1786028146"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-paul-murray.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}