I am eva delectorskaya, sally gilmartin announces, and so on a warm summer afternoon in. The two parts first aired on 27 and 28 december 2012 on bbc one. Exploring the devastating consequences of duplicity and betrayal, william boyd s gripping novel captures the drama of the second world war and a remarkable portrait of a female spy. Jan 02, 2007 william boyd i the master of any genre he tackles. Ruth is clumsy albeit untrained, and the other characters in her world are rather thinly sketched. Its a tricky thing for a writer to do, but william boyds been writing for a while now, and he carries it off pretty well. Restless william boyd view through eva delectorskaya, boyd explores how far individuals are prepared to stretch their personal morality in the cause of the greater good and the farreaching effects those judgements can have, both on their own lives and the lives of their families.
William boyd s restless is a brilliant espionage audiobook and a vivid portrait of the life of a female spy. William boyd was born in accra, ghana, on 7 march 1952. Romer recruits eva and soon she is traveling to scotland to be trained as a spy and work for his underground network. Restless, bloomsbury modern classics by william boyd. William boyds restless, a tale of wartime espionage, is as acute as it is. Boyd was born on march 7, 1952 in accra, ghana in a scottish descent. William boyd has received worldwide acclaim for his novels.
Buy restless by william boyd from waterstones today. In december, 2012 the sundance channel will air the bbcproduced film restless starring charlotte rampling, michael gambon, hayley atwell, and rufus sewell, based on this novel by william boyd. Oct 03, 2006 now sally wants to find the man who recruited her for the secret service, and she needs ruths help. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. His parents died while he was in his early teens, forcing him to quit school and take such jobs as a grocery clerk, surveyor and oil field worker. Restless is an espionage novel written by william boyd, published in 2006. Full of tension and drama, and based on a remarkable chapter of angloamerican history, this is listening at its finest. He was educated at gordonstoun school, glasgow university and jesus college, oxford. William boyds restless is a brilliant espionage audiobook and a vivid portrait of the life of a female spy.
William boyd has received worldwide acclaim for his novels which have been translated into over thirty languages. Exploring the devastating consequences of duplicity and betrayal william boyd s gripping novel captures the drama of the second world war and a remarkable portrait of. William boyd became a published novelist in 1981 with the novel a good man in africa, which he followed up with a short story collection entitled on the yankee station and other stories that same year. Listen to this audiobook excerpt from william boyds novel restless, narrated by actress rosemund pike. Restless is similarly a novel about the murky world of espionage and centres around the machinations to disseminate false news stories which, it is hoped, with prompt the united states to join in the war against nazi germany. There is some truth to this work of fiction, and the reallife events make for a fascinating backdrop.
An espionage thriller, it intertwines the stories of eva, a russian emigree and erstwhile british spy. British author william boyds novel of war and espionage, restless, is set as dual voiced. Born in ghana, africa in 1952, boyd often sets his novels in faroff exotic locations in the tradition of graham greene. Restless is the story of eva delectorskaya and the consequences of her career as.
From manila to the deep american south, boyds novels traverse time and place exploring the human condition. Please see the supplementary resources provided below for other helpful content related to this book. Apr 11, 2012 listen to this audiobook excerpt from william boyd s novel restless, narrated by actress rosemund pike. I have a catholic taste in books, the main criteria are that they should be well plotted and that the research shouldnt show.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading restless. Sep 15, 2006 restless by william boyd 328pp, bloomsbury. William boyd is the author of eight novels, including a good man in africa, an ice cream war and any human heart. Boyd became hopalong cassidy, the role that led to his enduring fame.
The girl with infinite tact and sweetness is able to coax the boy back into the world of the living, even though we learn cancer will allow her only three more months of life. William boyd is the author of twelve novels including a good man in africa, winner of the whitbread award and the somerset maugham award. Exploring the devastating consequences of duplicity and betrayal william boyds gripping novel captures the drama of the second world war and a. Sites like sparknotes with a restless study guide or cliff notes. Restless published 2006 tells the story of a young woman who finds out that her mother used to work as a spy for british government prior to the bombing of pearl harbor. Spies fascinate the public imagination in the same way that actors do, possibly because to. Sep 04, 2006 restless by wlliam boyd is a very enjoyable wwii spy story and as youd expect from boyd, brilliantly written. Atmospheric novel about an older woman whose past career as a wwii spy has come back to haunt her. Restless by wlliam boyd is a very enjoyable wwii spy story and as youd expect from boyd, brilliantly written. British expatriates, the ups and downs of the artistic life, the chaos of war, the vicissitudes of love. William boyds ninth novel doesnt have the laughoutloud comedy of stars and bars or quiet verisimilitude of. Directed by edward hall, the film features hayley atwell, rufus sewell, michelle dockery, michael gambon and charlotte rampling.
Restless, winner of the costa novel of the year, the yorkshire. Now sally wants to find the man who recruited her for the secret service, and she needs ruths help. Boyds last novel, any human heart, dealt with the question of how a restless. In 1976, an elderly and paranoid spy recalls how she was sent to the usa before world war two as an agentprovocateur and how the betrayal that has haunted her ever since needs revenge in the present. In 1983, he was one of the 20 best of young british novelist in a promotion run by granta magazine and the book marketing council. He was the son of a day laborer, charles william boyd, and his wife, the former lida wilkens aka lyda. Buy a discounted paperback of restless online from australias leading online bookstore. It is the summer of 1976, and the only person she can trust is her daughter. Its a tricky thing for a writer to do, but william boyd s been writing for a while now, and he carries it off pretty well. It is also a compelling thriller, an intricate spy novel, and a fascinating work of historical fiction that uncovers littleknown and embarrassing realities about the true relationship between great britain and the united states in the years immediately preceding the latter. Its such a nice change to see the two main characters in a spy story being females, mother sally and daughter ruth. William boyds ninth novel doesnt have the laughoutloud comedy of stars and bars or quiet verisimilitude of an icecream war or the intense poignancy of any human heart.
Restless by william boyd overdrive rakuten overdrive. It won the costa prize for fiction the novel depicts the tale of a young woman who discovers that her mother was recruited as a spy during world war ii. William boyd born 1952 is a scottish novelist and screenwriter. Just send us an email and well put the best up on the site. William boyd has 58 books on goodreads with 163933 ratings.
William boyds eighth novel deals with many of the same interests as his earlier works. Restless tv series restless is a 2012 british tv adaptation of william boyds espionage novel restless 2006. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. It was adapted by william boyd from his own novel, which was in turn very loosely based on real even. A good man in africa 1981, winner of the whitbread award and the somerset maugham prize an ice cream war 1982, shortlisted for the 1982 booker prize and winner of the john llewellyn rhys prize, stars and bars 1984, the new confessions 1987, brazzaville beach 1990, winner of the mcvitie prize and the james tait.
Booktopia has restless, bloomsbury modern classics by william boyd. William stage boyd died in 1935, the same year william l. Spies fascinate the public imagination in the same way that actors do, possibly because to pretend to be other than what we are is one of the. Since the success of brazzaville beach, william boyd has enjoyed a reputation as a male novelist who understands women and writes believably from a female viewpoint.
The son of a day laborer, william boyd moved with his family to tulsa, oklahoma, when he was seven. When you pick up a william boyd book you know that it will be a struggle not to want to read one more chapter. Oct 08, 2006 the protagonist of william boyds new novel learns that her mother is not what she seems. His father alexander, a doctor specialising in tropical medicine, and boyds mother, who was a teacher, moved to the then gold coast in 1950 to run the health clinic at the university of ghana, legon formerly university college of the gold coast. Below is a list of william boyds books in order of when they were originally published. William boyd is the author of fifteen novels, including a good man in africa, winner of the whitbread award and the somerset maugham award. The protagonist of william boyds new novel learns that her mother is not what she seems. We flit from the presentday daughters view to the mothers exploits in the war.
Any human heart, winner of the prix jean monnet and adapted into a baftawinning channel 4 drama. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Eva delectorskaya is a beautiful 28yearold russian emigree living in paris. Yet boyd fits the puzzle together neatly in the end. William boyds ninth novel doesnt have the laughoutloud comedy of stars and bars or quiet verisimilitude of an icecream war or the intense.
Boyd was born in accra, ghana, to scottish parents, both from fife, and has two younger sisters. William boyd, american motionpicture and television actor who was best known for his portrayal of hopalong cassidy in a series of western films. James bond author william boyd on restless, and the spy who thrilled him. Full of tension and drama, and based on a remarkable chapter of angloamerican history, this is. Also includes sites with a short overview, synopsis, book report, or summary of william boyd s restless. The restless miniseries stars hayley atwell as eva delectorskaya, rufus sewell as lucas romer, michelle dockery as ruth gilmartin and charlotte rampling as an older eva. James bond author william boyd on restless, and the spy.
William boyd is the author of fourteen novels including a good man in africa, winner of the whitbread award and the somerset maugham award. William boyds most popular book is any human heart. William boyd is the author of fifteen novels, including a good man in africa, winner of the whitbread literary award and the somerset maugham award. An icecream war, winner of the john llewellyn rhys prize and shortlisted for the booker prize. William boyds restless, a tale of wartime espionage, is as acute as it is ambitious, says helen dunmore. Although born in ohio, he grew up from the age of 7 in oklahoma and attended school only until he was. Twentyeight year old eva delectorskaya is at the funeral of her beloved younger brother.
Since the success of brazzaville beach, william boyd has enjoyed a reputation as a male novelist who understands women and writes. Published while he was a lecturer in english at st hildas college, oxford, his first novel a good man in africa 1981 won the whitbread first novel award and a somerset maugham award. Gus van sants restless is an uncommonly touching romance about a young man and woman who essentially worship at the shrines of their own deaths. Blinkhorns 27 mortimer street london wbl co reg no. Restless summary and analysis like sparknotes free.
Following his fathers death, he moved to california and worked as an orange picker, surveyor, tool dresser and auto salesman. William boyd s latest novel, restless, is an exceptional and wholly brilliant literary work on the theme of deception. James bond author william boyd on restless, and the spy who. A good man in africa 1981, winner of the whitbread award and the somerset maugham prize an ice cream war 1982, shortlisted for the 1982 booker prize and winner of the john llewellyn rhys prize, stars and bars 1984. He has successfully written many novels that are quite popular all over the world. William boyd restless book club questions by esofstepre. British author william boyd s novel of war and espionage, restless, is set as dual voiced. Given that women hold up rather more than half the sky as novelbuyers, the reputation has undoubtedly proved useful.
William boyds latest novel, restless, is an exceptional and wholly brilliant literary work on the theme of deception. As beautifully written as youd expect, william boyds venture into the world of the spy thriller is classy but oddly distant and formal. A stranger, lucas romer is a patrician looking englishman with a secretive air and a persuasive manner. Boyd was born in hendrysburg, ohio, and reared in cambridge, ohio and tulsa, oklahoma, living in tulsa from 1909 to 19. Restless by william boyd is now a twopart movie starring charlotte rampling, michael gambon, and rufus sewell, airing on the bbc in the uk and on the sundance channel in the u. But at the time in 1931, boyd was virtually broke and without a job, and for a few years he was credited in films as bill boyd to prevent being mistaken for the other william boyd. His father alexander, a doctor specialising in tropical medicine, and boyd s mother, who was a teacher, moved to the then gold coast in 1950 to run the health clinic at the university of ghana, legon formerly university college of the gold coast. Boyd skillfully manipulates language as easily as eva does.
111 1028 867 348 343 1571 925 146 816 1501 1217 830 144 118 325 1225 455 1628 1663 1586 1336 987 497 1258 315 504 634 1090 185 1172 1013 1202 945