Jonathan Coe Knihy

V románu autor líčí příběh chlapců či mladých pánů z jedné školy v Birminghamu. Na pozadí jejich školních lásek, průšvihů či sportovního zápolení promítá obraz britské společnosti 70. let minulého století, kdy Británii sužovala vlna stávek, útoky IRA i problém rasismu v souvislosti s přílivem přistěhovalců. Ani mladí hrdinové se těmto problémům nevyhnou: sestra jednoho z chlapců se stane obětí bombového útoku, otce jiného brutálně zbijí při demonstraci... I za takových neutěšených poměrů je ale možnése bavit, milovat, dospívat. Coe nedokáže být vážný: zase je tu skvělá zábava, zábava laskavá, která se nepodbízí a nikoho neuráží. S lehkostí tu navazuje na nejlepší tradici britské humoristické literatury. Ale současně je román originálním pohledem na poměrně neutěšenou část ostrovní historie.

Ashdown, ponuře krásné sídlo na mořském útesu, dříve studentská ubytovna, později soukromá klinika pro pacienty s poruchami spánku. A právě zde se ve dvou časových obdobích prolínají osudy několika osob: studentů Sáry a Roberta, ředitele kliniky doktora Duddena a filmového kritika Terryho. Pobyt na opuštěném místě s bludišti chodeb a tajemným sklepením každého nějak poznamenal. Sára trpí narkolepsií, nedokáže rozlišovat mezi snem a skutečností. Robert hledá svou identitu, podobně jako Terry pátrá po ztraceném filmu Salvatora Orteseho. Poněkud vyšinutý lékař pak vede svůj osobní boj se světem… Autor mistrně mísí komično s tragičnem, patos s fraškou, napětí s uvolněním – román funguje jako puzzle: téměř nepozorovatelně graduje děj a všechny drobné souvislosti, jen zdánlivě malicherné, zapadají přesně do sebe.... celý text

Psychologický román o osamělých lidech marně hledajících lásku, přátelství a smysl života. Jeho děj je zasazen do prostředí univerzitního městečka Coventry a odehrává se od dubna do prosince 1986. Hlavním hrdinou je věčný student Robin Grant, který se neúspěšně snaží dokončit doktorandskou práci a touží se stát spisovatelem. Z této deprimující situace ho nevyvede ani návštěva bývalého spolužáka Teda, který si vzal Robinovu studentskou lásku. Bohužel ale oba poznávají, že kromě ní už nemají nic společného. Navíc se Robinovi kvůli zcela nevinné příhodě v parku značně zkomplikuje život a začne se tak ubírat až k tragickému konci. Dotek lásky je čtivý román s velice nevšední stavbou (tvoří ho čtyři kapitoly, z nichž každá je doplněna povídkou ústřední postavy) a jistě zaujme nemalý okruh čtenářů.

Through Jonathan Coe's expert retelling of Swift's famous satire about human hubris and desires, young readers are swept along as Gulliver finds himself in Lilliput and Brobdignag, on the flying island of Laputa, and in the land of the Houyhnhnms, talking horses who think precious little of human Yahoos.

Inexplicably, Michael is commissioned to write the family history of the Winshaws, an upper class Yorkshire clan whose members have a finger in every establishment pie. But as a murderous maniac stalks the family, Michael realizes that his favourite film is coming true.

B.S. Johnson was a well-known novelist whose innovations included a novel published in a box so its unbound chapters could be read in any order. But in 1973, depression caused him to take his own life at the age of 40. This biography reveals his fierce commitment to truth and honesty.

Combining sharp political satire with an engaging murder mystery, this novel offers a humorous yet critical look at contemporary issues. The story unfolds through clever dialogue and vivid characters, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking. Renowned for their wit, the author weaves a narrative that challenges societal norms while keeping readers guessing until the end. This blend of humor and intrigue promises to captivate fans of both genres.

Beginning eight years ago on the outskirts of Birmingham, where car factories have been replaced by Poundland, and London, where frenzied riots give way to Olympic fever, Middle England follows a brilliantly vivid cast of characters through a time of immense change. There are newlyweds Ian and Sophie, who disagree about the future of the country and, possibly, the future of their relationship; Doug, the political commentator who writes impassioned columns about austerity from his Chelsea townhouse, and his radical teenage daughter who will stop at nothing in her quest for social justice; Benjamin Trotter, who embarks on an apparently doomed new career in middle age, and his father Colin, whose last wish is to vote in the European referendum. And within all these lives is the story of modern England- a story of nostalgia and delusion; of bewilderment and barely-suppressed rage. Following in the footsteps of The Rotters' Club and The Closed Circle, Jonathan Coe's new novel is the novel for our strange new times.

A young woman named Calista meets the famed Hollywood director Billy Wilder in the sweltering summer of 1976. She knows nothing about him or his work, but this chance encounter will change her life for good. But while Calista is thrilled with her new adventure, Wilder himself - struggling to raise the money for his next feature film - is living with the realisation that his star may be on the wane. In his new novel that is, by turns, funny, tender and profoundly truthful, Jonathan Coe turns his gaze to the nature of time, fame, family and nostalgia. When the world is catapulting towards change, do you hold on for dear life or decide it's time to let go?

In Bournville, a placid suburb of Birmingham, sits a famous chocolate factory. For eleven-year-old Mary and her family in 1945, it's the centre of the world. The reason their streets smell faintly of chocolate, the place where most of their friends and neighbours have worked for decades. Mary will go on to live through seventy-five years of social change, from the Coronation and the World Cup final, to royal weddings, royal funerals, Brexit and Covid-19. She'll have children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Parts of the chocolate factory will be transformed into a theme park, as modern life and the city crowd in on their peaceful enclave. Will these changing times bring Mary's family - and their country - closer together, or leave them more adrift and divided than ever before?

Set against the backdrop of the Millenium celebrations and Britain's increasingly compromised role in America's war against terrorism', The Closed Circle lifts the lid on an era in which politics and presentation, ideology and the media have become virtually indistinguishable.

Jonathan Coe is not a prolific writer of short stories - the seven in this collection make up his entire output (as against ten published novels) - but each one is a jewel of storytelling and characterization. And each could only have come from the pen of the novelist Coe. In fact at least three of the stories here, though self-contained, are part of a larger project to depict the history of a fictional Midlands family, a project which includes the novels The Rain Before It Falls and Expo 58. Loggerheads is therefore essential reading for all fans of Coe.

This is a novel about the hundreds of tiny connections between the public and private worlds and how they affect us all. It's about the legacy of war and the end of innocence. It's about how comedy and politics are battling it out and comedy might have won. It's about how 140 characters can make fools of us all. It's about living in a city where bankers need cinemas in their basements and others need food banks down the street. It is Jonathan Coe doing what he does best - showing us how we live now. "Coe is among the handful of novelists who can tell us something about the temper of our times"

Childhood friends Rachel and Alison are about to go on a journey into the strange, surreal heart of Britain in the early years of our new century. Helplessly swept along on tides they can no more understand than control, Rachel and Alison discover a nation disillusioned by reality yet obsessed with reality TV. They encounter morally bankrupt bankers and people queuing at food banks. And at the centre of this new state of things they find an old family who will do anything to ensure that the country is run for their benefit.

Deeply moving and compelling, The Rain Before it Falls is the story of three generations of one family riven by tragedy. When Rosamond, a reluctant bearer of family secrets, dies suddenly, a mystery is left for her niece Gill to unravel. Some photograph albums and tapes point towards a blind girl named Imogen whom no one has seen in twenty years. The search for Imogen and the truth of her inheritance becomes a shocking story of mothers and daughters and of how sadness, like a musical refrain, may haunt us down the years.

As a young girl, Rosamond is sent to Shropshire to escape the Blitz. Here, in the countryside, she forms a close bond with her older cousin, Beatrix, a young woman haunted by anger and resentment. Sixty years later, just before her death, Rosamond records her memories on cassettes, addressing them to a distant cousin—a near stranger-named Imogen. As Gill, her beloved niece, listens to these tapes, a heart—stopping family saga is revealed. In this masterful portrait of three generations of woman, Jonathan Coe exposes the profound reserves of hope and loss within the lives of ordinary woman. From the Trade Paperback edition.

London, 1958: unassuming civil servant Thomas Foley is plucked from his desk job and sent on a six-month trip to Brussels. His task: to keep an eye on The Britannia, a brand new pub which will form the heart of the British presence at Expo 58 - the biggest World's Fair of the century.

Maxwell Sim seems to have hit rock bottom. Estranged from his father, newly divorced, unable to communicate with his only daughter, he realizes that while he may have seventy-four friends on Facebook, there is nobody in the world with whom he can actually share his problems. Then a business proposition comes his way - a strange exercise in corporate PR that will require him to spend a week driving from London to a remote retail outlet on the Shetland Isles. Setting out with an open mind, good intentions and a friendly voice on his SatNav for company, Maxwell finds that this journey soon takes a more serious turn, and carries him not only to the furthest point of the United Kingdom, but into some of the deepest and darkest corners of his own past. In his sparkling and hugely enjoyable new book Jonathan Coe reinvents the picaresque novel for our time.

In this hilarious black comedy, William grapples with a multitude of issues. First, there's his band, The Alaska Factory, which is so bad that he's contemplating joining another group called The Unfortunates. Then there's his high-maintenance girlfriend, Madeline, whose idea of romance is limited to an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical and a quick peck on the cheek, leading William to question their compatibility. To complicate matters further, he witnesses a bizarre murder—the guiding force behind The Unfortunates is found bludgeoned to death at his feet, and he becomes a prime suspect with few others around. The narrative captures the essence of being young, poor, confused, and in love, all while delivering sharp, witty humor. Critics praise the book for its fresh, contemporary flavor and Coe's keen observational skills, highlighting his ability to blend biting political satire with astute life observations. Jonathan Coe's novels are known for their literary flair and engaging storytelling, making him one of the most popular writers of his generation. Other notable works include The Accidental Woman, The Closed Circle, and The House of Sleep, among others, all available in Penguin paperback.

Los Angeles, Sommer 1976: Durch einen verrückten Zufall lernt die junge Athenerin Calista einen witzigen Herrn mit österreichischem Akzent kennen, ohne zu ahnen, dass es sich um das Kino-Genie Billy Wilder handelt, Schöpfer unsterblicher Filme wie »Manche mögen’s heiß«. Die Begegnung wird ihr Leben verändern. Als Dolmetscherin begleitet sie den Regisseur und seine glamouröse Filmcrew auf die verschlafene griechische Insel Madouri, wo er seinen vorletzten Film »Fedora« dreht, dann weiter nach München und Paris. Während es für sie eine traumwandlerische Reise ist, sieht sich der jüdische Exilant Wilder mit seiner eigenen Lebensgeschichte konfrontiert.

À l’heure où Donald Trump quitte la Maison Blanche et que les États-Unis entrent dans une nouvelle ère, America tire sa révérence avec un dernier numéro agrémenté pour l’occasion d’un poster inédit et d’une vingtaine de pages supplémentaires. Dans ce 16ème opus, retrouvez d’abord un grand entretien avec l’écrivain irlando-américain Colum McCann qui nous avait fait l’honneur de participer au premier numéro. Persuadé du rôle déterminant de la littérature, l’auteur livre ses inquiétudes nouvelles mais aussi ses espoirs face à l’inconnue de ces années post-Trump. Alors que Joe Biden vient d’être élu 46ème président, America s’interroge sur l’avenir de l’Amérique à travers des portraits de figures démocrates, un reportage sur le devenir du trumpisme ou encore un essai sur les GAFA, les autres maitres du pays. Autre temps forts de ce numéro, un conte fantastique inédit de la star de la BD Emil Ferris inspiré de la trouble période du confinement, une nouvelle de l’immense écrivain Ernest Hemingway, encore jamais publiée en France, ainsi que le parti pris de l’auteure Rachel Kushner qui imagine la conclusion minable de la relation entre le fils de Donald Trump et sa petite amie, métaphore du désamour du pays pour la défaite en hommage au film « Shame ».

«Il y a combien de temps que j’ai joué ces accords? Combien de temps qu’elle est apparue dans le bar, elle, qu’elle s’est approchée du piano, pendant que j’improvisais dans la pénombre de la salle, bien apres que les buveurs les plus endurcis étaient rentrés chez eux, leurs verres finis? Je ne sais pas, j’en perds le souvenir. Je me rappelle seulement que nous avons bavardé, échangé des banalités quelques minutes, pendant que mes doigts erraient sur le clavier, machinalement ; au fil des itinéraires habituels, des harmonies faciles et familieres, auxquelles je me laisse prendre, ces temps-ci, comme a autant de mauvaises habitudes.» Quatre pieces courtes pour rire et rever, quatre variations sur nos vies incertaines, ou rien n’est jamais achevé – pas meme le malentendu. Au clavier, Jonathan Coe avec sa petite musique qui nous piege pour mieux nous enchanter

Rosamond vient de mourir, mais sa voix résonne encore, dans une confession enregistrée, adressée à la mystérieuse Imogen. S'appuyant sur vingt photos soigneusement choisies, elle laisse libre cours à ses souvenirs et raconte, des années quarante à aujourd'hui, l'histoire de trois générations de femmes, liées par le désir, l'enfance perdue et quelques lieux magiques. Et de son récit douloureux et intense naît une question, lancinante : y a-t-il une logique qui préside à ces existences ? Tout Jonathan Coe est là : la virtuosité de la construction, le don d'inscrire l'intime dans l'Histoire, l'obsession des coïncidences et des échos qui font osciller nos vies entre hasard et destin. Et s'il délaisse cette fois le masque de la comédie, il nous offre du même coup son roman le plus grave, le plus poignant, le plus abouti.

In seinem neuen Roman zeichnet Bestseller-Autor Jonathan Coe ein faszinierendes Porträt der Hollywood-Legende Billy Wilder. Los Angeles, Sommer 1976: Durch einen verrückten Zufall lernt die junge Athenerin Calista einen witzigen Herrn mit österreichischem Akzent kennen, ohne zu ahnen, dass es das Kino-Genie Billy Wilder ist, Schöpfer von unsterblichen Filmen wie Manche mögen’s heiß. Die Begegnung wird ihr Leben verändern. Als Dolmetscherin begleitet sie den Regisseur und seine glamouröse Filmcrew auf die verschlafene griechische Insel Madouri, wo er seinen vorletzten Film Fedora dreht, dann weiter nach München und Paris. Während es für sie eine traumwandlerische Reise ist, sieht sich der jüdische Exilant Wilder mit seiner Geschichte konfrontiert. Mit grandiosem Witz und feiner Ironie zeichnet Coe ein schillerndes Bild des Meisters der Komödie.

Maxwell Sim est un loser de quarante-huit ans. Voué à l’échec dès sa naissance (qui ne fut pas désirée), poursuivi par l’échec à l’âge adulte (sa femme le quitte, sa fille rit doucement de lui), il s’accepte tel qu’il est et trouve même certaine satisfaction à son état. Mais voilà qu’une proposition inattendue lui fait traverser l’Angleterre au volant d’une Toyota hybride, nantie d’un GPS à la voix bouleversante dont, à force de solitude, il va tomber amoureux. Son équipée de commis-voyageur, représentant en brosses à dents dernier cri, le ramène parmi les paysages et les visages de son enfance, notamment auprès de son père sur lequel il fait d’étranges découvertes : le roman est aussi un jeu de piste relancé par la réapparition de lettres, journaux, manuscrits qui introduisent autant d’éléments nouveaux à verser au dossier du passé. Et toujours Max pense à la femme chinoise et à sa fille, aperçues dans un restaurant en Australie, dont l’entente et le bonheur d’être ensemble l’ont tant fasciné. Va-t-il les retrouver? Et pour quelle nouvelle aventure? Brouillant joyeusement les cartes de la vérité et de l’imposture, Coe l’illusionniste se réserve le dernier mot de l’histoire, qui ne manquera pas de nous surprendre. Plus d’une génération va se reconnaître dans ce roman qui nous enchante avec un humour tout britannique, bien préférable au désespoir.

La zia Rosamond è morta nella sua casa nello Shropshire, dopo la scomparsa della sua compagna Ruth. Aveva settantatré anni e, mentre ascoltava un disco e registrava delle cassette, è deceduta. Accanto a lei, album di fotografie e un flacone vuoto di Diazepam sollevano sospetti su un possibile suicidio. Il testamento rivela che il patrimonio è diviso in tre parti: due nipoti, Gill e David, e una terza parte a Imogen, una figura misteriosa per Gill, che ricorda di averla vista solo una volta nel 1983, quando era una dolce bambina cieca. La ricerca di Imogen si rivela complicata, e l'unico modo per scoprire di più è ascoltare le cassette registrate da Rosamond. In esse, la voce della zia racconta la storia della sua famiglia e le drammatiche vicende legate alla scomparsa di Imogen. Attraverso queste registrazioni, Gill e il lettore esplorano i legami tra tre generazioni di donne, mentre Jonathan Coe si addentra per la prima volta in un universo esclusivamente femminile, intrecciando destini e segreti che hanno segnato la vita di queste donne.

9 marzo 2009, Aberdeenshire, Scozia: commesso viaggiatore viene trovato nudo e in coma etilico nella sua auto, nel bel mezzo di una bufera di neve. Nel bagagliaio due scatoloni pieni di spazzolini da denti ecologici. Cos’è accaduto? Com’è arrivato fin lì? Torniamo indietro di poche settimane. Maxwell ha quarantotto anni e sta attraversando un periodo difficile, sembra aver toccato il fondo: appena separato, in cattivi rapporti con il padre, incapace di comunicare con la sua unica figlia, capisce che nonostante i suoi settanta amici su Facebook non ha nessuno al mondo con cui condividere i suoi problemi. Non avendo più niente da perdere, decide di accettare una curiosa opportunità di lavoro: un viaggio da Londra alle isole Shetland per pubblicizzare un’innovativa marca di spazzolini ecocompatibili. Si mette in macchina con mente aperta, le migliori intenzioni e la voce amica del navigatore come compagnia. Ben presto si accorge che il viaggio prende una direzione più seria, che lo porta nei luoghi più remoti delle isole britanniche, ma soprattutto nei più profondi e bui recessi del suo passato.

Per Maria non c'è nulla di certo. La sua vita è una sequenza di episodi accidentali. L'amicizia di chi la circonda non la smuove, e non la smuovono neppure le reiterate offerte di matrimonio da parte di Ronny, innamorato devoto. Le piace vivere dentro i confini che certamente sente come il suo mondo ma che altrettanto sicuramente sa non essere prodotto di una sua precisa volontà. Si laurea, si sposa, ha un figlio e continua a non capire come di quegli eventi si possa dire la mia vita. Esiste un grimaldello capace di far saltare l'apparente freddezza esistenziale di Maria? O tutto è destinato a finire com'è cominciato, vale a dire per caso? Donna per caso è il primo romanzo di Jonathan Coe

In seinem neuen Roman zeichnet Bestseller-Autor Jonathan Coe ein faszinierendes Porträt der Hollywood-Legende Billy Wilder. Los Angeles, Sommer 1976: Durch einen verrückten Zufall lernt die junge Athenerin Calista einen witzigen Herrn mit österreichischem Akzent kennen, ohne zu ahnen, dass es das Kino-Genie Billy Wilder ist, Schöpfer von unsterblichen Filmen wie Manche mögen's heiß. Die Begegnung wird ihr Leben verändern. Als Dolmetscherin begleitet sie den Regisseur und seine glamouröse Filmcrew auf die verschlafene griechische Insel Madouri, wo er seinen vorletzten Film Fedora dreht, dann weiter nach München und Paris. Während es für sie eine traumwandlerische Reise ist, sieht sich der jüdische Exilant Wilder mit seiner Geschichte konfrontiert. Mit grandiosem Witz und feiner Ironie zeichnet Coe ein schillerndes Bild des Meisters der Komödie.

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Bildbiographie, die die komplexe Persönlichkeit des Schauspielers (1899-1957) nachhaltig erhellt

Generation Z, rechte Denkfabriken und ein Mordfall. Finstere politische Machenschaften rütteln das langweilige Leben der jungen Phyl auf: Der Journalist Christopher will einen politischen Zirkel entlarven, der in Cambridge gegründet wurde, um die britische Regierung in eine rechtsextreme Richtung zu drängen. Seine Recherchen führen ihn zu einem Kongress in einem alten Herrenhaus. Dort nehmen die Ereignisse eine unheilvolle Wendung und ein Mord passiert. Liegt das Verbrechen in der aktuellen Politik oder in einem alten literarischen Rätsel begründet? Coes neuer Roman ist schön böse, witzig und messerscharf, spielt mit Genres und zeigt, dass der Schlüssel zum Verständnis der Gegenwart oft in den dunkelsten Ecken der Vergangenheit zu finden ist. Ein raffiniertes literarisches Spiel und glänzende Unterhaltung.