Michael Frayn - Headlong: A Novel

Pros: humour, detailed descriptions of art and history
Cons: can be long-winded at times

Farcial plays, plays about physics and World War II, and now a novel about Flemish 16th Century art, is there no limit to the subjects Michael Frayn will tackle?

I became familiar with Michael Frayn through his hysterical play, "Noises Off"....

Pros: An intellectually demanding comic novel that is sprightly, wittily written, but with a dark core.
Cons: The background of 16th century Dutch painting and contemporary events might be daunting.

The pastoral beauties of the English countryside are punctuated by farmers and landowners, who, having areas of useless land, have room temporarily to deposit unwanted, broken, and obsolete farm equipment as well as terminally broken down cars before ...

Pros: accessibly intellectual, great plot, subtle wit
Cons: none

Martin Clay, a hapless but intense professor of philosophy, his baby daughter, Tilda, and his wife Kate, an art historian, arrive in early spring at their English country cottage, ready to spend three months in bucolia while each works on his/her pet...

Pros: Laugh out loud British farce
Cons: You have to like British farce

Our book club (five teachers) selected Headlong on the basis of its Booker Prize nomination and three of us enjoyed it while two found it dead boring. What makes it work for those of us who liked it?

First it is an interesting,albeit...

Pros: Intellectual mystery-farce, nicely written
Cons: None

           "Headlong," by Michael Frayn, is a humorous farce, mystery, art history treatise, satire of academe, and morality play all rolled into one.

         Martin Clay, a citified London academic is on sabbatical in the...