Whilst compiling a series of strongly opinionated articles for a German publication, an elderly writer becomes infatuated with a much younger woman whose jealous partner devises a nefarious plan to restore his cuckolded pride.

This novel has strong echoes of Phillip Roth’s Exit Ghost as socio political issues become bound into the elder protagonist’s lust that will always remain unrequited, and like Roth Coetzee chooses current events as the wallpaper.

Like David Peace’s masterpiece “GB84”, the narrative is a bit unconventional as we have three strands on each page. The first paragraph is polemic, e.g. “On Tony Blair”, or a rant about semantics; the second is the author’s account of his burgeoning relationship with his young Filipino neighbour who he enlists to type the above opinions. Finally we get to see the story from her viewpoint as she works out what she means to the old guy, whilst her current beau hatches a devilish plot against the (inwardly) randy writer.

This was my first foray into the South African’s work and I found it compelling and with a simple flow, and you can see how Apartheid would impact on anyone’s opinions, no matter how Liberal their intentions.

His views on the role of the State, in a critique of Locke and Machiavelli were a challenge especially when the issue of pragmatism over ideology are discussed, the context of our Labour Government being a very good case in point.

I spent a fruitless afternoon last week searching for the Booker Prize winners work in the Library. I wondered what the dickens was going on. Surely we aren’t that philistine in Hull. Then when I got home it was pointed out to me that his name starts with a “C”, not a “K”. Doh!

So to the amazing Vercors novel “You Shall Know Them”.

This book blew my mid to the extent anything I say about it will be banal and never do the thing justice. Suffice to report that it’s the best novel I’ve read in ages.

Here’s the basic idea; get out and get yersen a copy pronto.

Written and set in the 1950’s, an anthropologist joins an expedition to PNG and in the jungle they come across what may be the missing link between humans and our primate cousins.

He inseminates a female (turkey baster just in case you were wondering), brings the mother to be to England where she gives birth. He registers, baptises and then kills the offspring before proceeding to call the police and demand to stand trial for murder.

What follows is just a fantastic debate on the nature of what it means to be human seen from multiple points of view.