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For fans of David Nicholls, a brilliantly funny and touching new novel from the bestselling author of HOW TO TALK TO A WIDOWER, selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club.
Meet Silver. Forty-four, divorced and living alone. His once celebrated music career is now a faded memory and his ex-wife is about to marry another man. The only good thing in Silver’s life is his Princeton-bound teenage daughter, Casey – and she would probably say the exact opposite about him. So in Silver’s opinion, things could be going better … a lot better.
Then Casey drops a bombshell: she’s pregnant. Yes, it was her first time, and, no, she hasn’t told her mom. Silver knows things have got to change, and when he discovers he has a fatal heart condition that means he could drop dead at any minute, he decides it’s time to make a list:
1. Be a better father
2. Be a better man
3. Fall in love
4. Die
But the question is, can Silver rebuild his life, regain the respect of his family, and be there for Casey when she needs him most, or has he left it all too late?
Meet Silver. Forty-four, divorced and living alone. His once celebrated music career is now a faded memory and his ex-wife is about to marry another man. The only good thing in Silver’s life is his Princeton-bound teenage daughter, Casey – and she would probably say the exact opposite about him. So in Silver’s opinion, things could be going better … a lot better.
Then Casey drops a bombshell: she’s pregnant. Yes, it was her first time, and, no, she hasn’t told her mom. Silver knows things have got to change, and when he discovers he has a fatal heart condition that means he could drop dead at any minute, he decides it’s time to make a list:
1. Be a better father
2. Be a better man
3. Fall in love
4. Die
But the question is, can Silver rebuild his life, regain the respect of his family, and be there for Casey when she needs him most, or has he left it all too late?
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Reviews
Witty story of Silver, a lonely middle-aged ex-rockstar with a pregnant teenage daughter.
'Darkly entertaining . . . fast and fresh'
Genuinely very funny, as well as engaging and rather moving
'A poignant story about facing death and celebrating life, even when things seem well beyond repair'
Another tear-jerker that's told with great wit, this time written from a bloke's point of view. Jonathan has been a pick on the Richard and Judy Book Club before, and this is a nicely observed poignant take on learning to be a man and a father before time runs out.
Very well-observed . . . fabulously entertaining
Sad, funny, brilliant
'A tender and unexpectedly hilarious take on the messiness of family life'
'Eminently quotable, hilariously funny, and emotionally draining, this arresting tour de force will entertain well after the book is done'
Tropper is a master of the mid-life male coming-of-age story, and his latest is full of the charm and wit his readers cherish
Consistently witty, often insightful and full of strong and engaging characters
It's amazing what can happen in the hands of the casually brilliant author. . . . Read and weep with laughter