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The Singapore Grip

NOW A MAJOR ITV DRAMA
By J.G. Farrell
Series: W&N Essentials
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Check link for latest rating. ( 2,369 ratings, 320 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Singapore Grip by J.G. Farrell is a satirical novel set in the tumultuous period of World War II, focusing on the British colonial era in Singapore. The story follows the Blackett family, who run a long-standing business amidst impending Japanese invasion, while exploring themes of imperialism, power, and survival. With a blend of wit and historical detail, the novel captures the complexities and absurdities of British colonial life during this era.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by historical fiction set during World War II, as it vividly portrays the lives of British colonials and their struggles in Singapore before its fall. It provides a blend of humour, satire, and thought-provoking insights about empire and power, making it an engaging read for those interested in history with a satirical twist.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Soon to be adapted for an ITV television series by the Oscar-winning playwright behind Atonement and Dangerous Liaisons, Christopher Hampton.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A classic novel by a Booker Prize-winning author.

Soon to be an ITV television series starring David Morrisey, Luke Treadaway, Charles Dance and Jane Horrocks.

The Singapore Grip is set in Singapore just before the Japanese invasion in the Second World War, where the Blackett family's prosperous world of tennis parties, cocktails and deferential servants seems unchanging. However, it is poised on the edge of the abyss. This is the eve of the Fall of Singapore and, as we know, of much else besides.

Not only the Blacketts, their friends and enemies, but many individuals are caught up in the events. Singapore at this historical watershed has never been so faithfully and passionately recreated.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Singapore Grip by J.G. Farrell is highly praised for its brilliant style and places the author among the masters of the modern novel. Critics regard it as a piece of outstanding and imaginative storytelling that is both informative and engaging. The book is noted for its blend of humour and tragedy, making it an immersive experience for readers. It is celebrated for its wit, absurdity, and ability to capture the essence of Singapore.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781474610254

Publisher: Orion Publishing Co

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 27 August 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 48.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 480g

Pages: 688

Collections

Fiction General Fiction J.G. Farrell Literary Fiction Series: W&N Essentials

About the Author

J.G. Farrell was born in Liverpool in 1935 and spent a good deal of his life abroad, including periods in France and North America, and then settled in London where he wrote most of his novels.

Among his novels, TROUBLES won the Faber Memorial Prize in 1970 and the Lost Man Booker prize in 2010 and THE SIEGE OF KRISHNAPUR won the Booker Prize in 1973.

In April 1979 he went to live in County Cork where only four months later he was drowned in a fishing accident.

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  • The Singapore Grip
    'For a while he watched the butterflies which still swooped and fluttered in this little glade, impervious to the bombs that had fallen round about.' 1939: Walter Blackett, ruthless rubber merchant, is head of British Singapore's oldest and most powerful firm. And his family's prosperous world of tennis parties, cocktails, and deferential servants seems unchanging. No one suspects it -...
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    WINNER OF THE 1973 BOOKER PRIZE 'We look on past ages with condescension, as a mere preparation for us... but what if we are a mere after-glow of them?' The Siege of Krishnapur is set in Krishnapur, 1857: India is on the brink of a violent and bloody mutiny. In this remote town on the vast North Indian plain, life...
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