There But For The
 First edition | |
| Author | Ali Smith |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Rachel Whiteread |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Hamish Hamilton (UK) Pantheon (US) |
Publication date | June 2011 (UK) Sep 2011 (US) |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 357 |
| ISBN | 978-0375424090 |
There But For The is a 2011 novel by Scottish author Ali Smith, first published in the UK by Hamish Hamilton and in the US by Pantheon,[1] and set in 2009 and 2010 in Greenwich, London. It was cited by both The Guardian book review and the Publishers Weekly as one of the best books of the year.[2][3] and was also longlisted for the 2012 Orange Prize for Fiction.[4]
Plot introduction
The story revolves around Miles Garth, who at a dinner party goes upstairs, locks himself in the spare bedroom and refuses to leave indefinitely. He goes on to become a minor celebrity with crowds gathering outside to try and catch a glimpse of him at the window; and merchandize being produced with his name.
The book is divided into four main narrative parts:
- There : Tells of Anna Hardie, a social worker who knew Miles some thirty years previously, but the hosts of the party find her email address on Garth's phone and they contact her in the hope that she can persuade Miles to leave. Anna recalls her contact with Miles when in 1980 as a 17-year-old she and Miles travelled together on a coach tour of Europe as winners in a short-story competition.
- But : In which Mark, a gay photo-researcher who invited Miles to the party mourns an old lover and hears his dead mother speaking to him in rhymes.
- For : Is set in the head of May Young, an elderly lady in a care home suffering from dementia, who has annual contact with Miles.
- The : Revolves around Brooke, the daughter of two of the guests of the party—and the only person to have contact with Miles since his self-inflicted imprisonment.
See also
References
- ^ http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/ali-smith/there-but-for-the.htm
- ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/nov/25/books-of-the-year Books of the year 2011
- ^ http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/best-books/2011#book/book-1
- ^ http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/cultural-capital/2012/03/smith-cynthia-british-american
External links
Reviews
- The story of a dinner guest who refuses to leave develops into a satire on the way we live now in Ali Smith's enjoyably playful new novel review by Sarah Churchwell for The Observer
- Lucy Daniel marvels at There But For The, Ali Smith’s agile, funny new novel review from The Daily Telegraph
- After Hiding, He Becomes a Celebrity review from The New York Times
- There But For The By Ali Smith review from The Independent
- Ali Smith's There But For The is a seriously playful puzzle of a novel review by Alex Clark for The Guardian
- Ali Smith is a master of stylistic daring, writes Nicholas Lezard review by Nicholas Lezard for The Guardian