A state-of-the-nation satire; what’s the new reality in the UK? Jonathan Coe gives you some answers
The British Council presents the Brit’Lit season, a wide selection of well established and emerging British authors who will share their thoughts and methods with you over 2017.
As a preview to the Brit’Lit Season, which will be launched in March 2017, we are happy to invite you, in collaboration with Anagrama, to meet Jonathan Coe January 11 at the British Council to talk about his book Number 11 published in 2016 and to be translated into Spanish by Anagrama in January.
Number 11 reflects the new reality in the UK and is a sequel of Jonathan Coe's book What a carve up.
The densely populated novel follows the life of Rachel through whom we are introduced with a range of characters who reveal a picture of present day Britain. The five sections of the book present a slightly grotesque cast who participate in reality shows, investigate murders and go to prison each revealing a different facet of society.
It is in part a perplexing chronicle of England's present direction - the dismantling of public health, the tax evasion of the very rich, illegal emigration and partly a fierce and hilarious satire of economic elites, and also sometimes an old-fashioned detective story and a fantastic story with monsters. The result: an addictive novel and the most recent example of the author's unique talent to build comic tragedies with great depth while dealing with the mad reality of the contemporary world.
Come join us on the 11th January at 7:30pm at the British Council in a conversation with Kiko Amat and Jonathan Coe.