Intimacy gives us the thoughts and memories of a middle-aged writer on the night before he walks out on his wife and two young sons, in favour of a younger woman. A very modern man, without political convictions or religious beliefs, he vaguely hopes to find fulfilment in sexual love. No-one is spared Kureishi's cold, penetrating gaze or lacerating pen. "She thinks she's feminist, but she's just bad- tempered," he says of his abandoned wife. A male friend advises him, "Marriage is a battle, a terrible journey, a season in hell and a reason for living."

RELEASE NOTES:

RABCK to Mr Mustard. 2nd Class March 9th

Arrived today (13/03). Thanks very much for the RABCK Sterile. I read 'Buddha of Suburbia' a while back and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I'm looking forward to this.

A painfully honest account of a middle aged, middle class male on the verge of leaving his partner and their children. The narrator omits none of his painfully confused thoughts and feelings as he endeavours to justify his decision to leave in his own mind. He recalls his own childhood with parents that did not get along, talks about how much he will miss his children, and muses on the lack of any real feeling between him and his partner. Meanwhile, his recently divorced friend meets new women regularly, goes out whenever he pleases, and eats fish and chips every night in his untidy flat.

This book is a truly uncomfortable read, largely because of the uncompromising honesty with which it has been written. That said, it is beautifully done and a fine account of a modern man's disatisfaction in spite of seeming to have it all.

On its way to fellow bookcrosser monamiller, as part of a trade which sees Irvine Welsh's 'Glue' heading in my direction. Enjoy the book!

Thats a fast postie you got there Mr. Mustard
Thanks for the trade-Hope you enjoy Glue

found this quite hard to get into at the start, main character hard to like or empathise with but bear with it