Filth, in his heyday, was an international lawyer with a
practice in the Far East. Now, only the oldest QCs and Silks can
remember that his nickname stood for Failed In London Try Hong
Kong. Long ago, Old Filth was a Raj orphan - one of the many young
children sent ''Home'' from the East to be fostered and educated in
England. Jane Gardam''s new novel tells his story, from his birth in
what was then Malaya to the extremities of his old age. Brilliantly
constructed - going backwards and forwards in time, yet constantly
working towards the secret at its core - OLD FILTH is funny and
heart-breaking, witty and peopled with characters who astonish,
dismay and delight the reader. Jane Gardam is as sensitive to the
''jungle'' within children as she is to the eccentricities of the
old. A touch of magic combines with compassion, humour and delicacy
to make OLD FILTH a genuine masterpiece.
關於作者:
Jane Gardam has been awarded the Heywood Hill Literary Prize
for a lifetime''s contribution to the enjoyment of literature; has
twice won a Whitbread Award and has been shortlisted for the Booker
Prize. She was awarded an OBE in January 2009.