First edition. Thick 8vo. Pp. 494, [4 (blank)]. Publisher's black cloth boards, lettered and ruled in gilt to spine; maroon endpapers. Illustrated dustwrapper (priced £15.99 on front flap).
Inscribed by Author to title page.
A New York Times Book Review 10 Best Books of 1995 Selection. Third in the author's trilogy of London novels, preceded by Money (1984) and London Fields (1989). AÂ pitch-black comedy about a failed novelist plotting sweet revenge on his erstwhile friend and fellow scribe, whose literary and commercial success sticks in his craw.
Amis received unprecedented flak by his peers and press over his rumoured £500k advance for this book, in the wake of him dropping his decades-long literary agent, Pat Kavanagh, in favour of Andrew Wylie (AKA 'The Jackal'). The resulting rift with her since-widowed husband and former close friend, author Julian Barnes, has yet to heal. "A funny, vicious portrait of literary London." –Evening Standard