18 May 2013

Vintage Stuff By Tom Sharpe

Vintage Stuff  


By Tom Sharpe

Print Length: 336 pages
Publisher: Cornerstone Digital

Review of the book by Cashmere
I must confess that when I picked up this book I had no clue who the author was.

The picture of a man with a monocle and a lad with a revolver in typical British dress is what caught my attention. Being a big fan of PG Wodehouse I was hoping that it would be some what similar in vintage.
As I began the first chapter I could almost feel Wodehouse coming alive, but that had changed by the time I reached the second one. It was British humour, but it was not Wodehouse.

The book chronicles the adventures of a Public School Master and his recently graduated student through France. The romantic notions of the Master have played right into the hands of one of his rival Masters at the school.

This man plants a series of irresistible clues to make the adventure seem intriguing and the cause very worthwhile. After all how often do you get a letter from a Countess with her own crest asking you to come and rescue her?

What the Master needs is a sidekick, whom he discovers in the strong, but not very intelligent student. A guy who is an expert with a gun, and follows orders to the tee, that he is also the despair of his father is also mentioned. The mother naturally dotes on her son.

There are other characters such as the ex Major, who is also a Master at the school, the Headmaster, and the Matron. Not to mention the French and British Secret Police.

All in all a light and entertaining read.