Charles Arrowby has determined to spend the rest of his days in hermit-like contemplation.He buys a mysteriously damp house on the coast, far from the heady world of the theatre where he made his name, and there he swims in the sea, eats revolting meals and writes his memoirs. But then he meets his childhood sweetheart Hartley, and memories of her lovely, younger self crowd in along with more recent lovers and friends to disrupt his self-imposed exile. So instead of learning to be good , Charles proceeds to demonstrate how very bad he can be. It isn t all brainy fantasising in Murdochland; there s wild swimming, appalling sandwiches, death, madness and sex Guardian Dazzlingly entertaining and inventive The Times WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY DAISY JOHNSON**WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE**