Synopsis (credit: back cover)

Lev is on his way from Eastern Europe to Britain, seeking work.

Behind him loom the figures of his dead wife, his beloved young daughter and his outrageous friend, Rudi, who — dreaming of the wealthy West — lives largely for his battered Chevrolet.

Ahead of Lev lies the strangeness of the British: their hostile streets, their clannish pubs, their obsession with celebrity. London holds out the alluring possibility of friendship, sex, money and a new career and, if Lev is lucky, a new sense of belonging ...

Winner: Orange Prize for Fiction 2008.
Shortlist: Costa Novel 2007.

(Received from someone for BookCrossing purposes.)

The book starts off with a quote from The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck: How can we live, without our lives?

It encapsulates the theme of this book: how do people survive when dislodged from their natural habitat: the people and the places that make up the fabric of their being? The author manages to convey something of the extent and relentlessness of the struggle and the longing, without negating the power of resilience and the presence of sometimes unexpected goodwill from others.

An endearing read, and very funny at times.

To be left at the guesthouse.

If you are new to BookCrossing and found this book, welcome! Enjoy the site, the book, and the BookCrossing community.

BookCrossing has not taken off in a big way in South Africa yet, but there are a number of dedicated BookCrossers across the country who are actively involved to grow the concept. A discussion group for BookCrossers in the wider Cape Town area, BCct, was set up to make it easier to arrange meetups or to spread local news. If you are a BookCrosser from this part of the world or planning a visit, pease feel free to join. Visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcct for more information.

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