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Sir Edward Feathers, aka "Old Filth", is a legend in his own time. Everyone who is Anyone in England's legal system knows of him. The reader, however, is left in ignorance of what he did to have earned such a reputation, except that he himself coined the acronym FILTH which stands for Failed in London, Try Hong Kong.
Instead, this is a superb character study. Gardam precedes her novel with the quote from an inscription and a dedication, both of which have great bearing on what is to follow.
Instead, this is a superb character study. Gardam precedes her novel with the quote from an inscription and a dedication, both of which have great bearing on what is to follow.
Lawye...more
"Old Filth" is a touching character study of a famous retired judge, Sir Edward Feathers. Filth is an acronym for "Failed in London, Try Hong Kong." The story is told mostly in flashbacks to his earlier life.
Eddie's mother died shortly after his birth in Malaya, and his father was a British government official who had been shell-shocked in World War I. He was cared for by a loving native girl until he was four years old. Then he joined the Raj orphans being sent back to Great Britain for foster ...more
Eddie's mother died shortly after his birth in Malaya, and his father was a British government official who had been shell-shocked in World War I. He was cared for by a loving native girl until he was four years old. Then he joined the Raj orphans being sent back to Great Britain for foster ...more
Eddie Feathers, a raj orphan, has reached a delightful and curmudgeonly old age. We travel with him as he comes to terms with his past and tries to cope with the present. Along the way we experience British history post WWI on. I am not sure I came to like him but for a child who lost much he was able to open his heart to some.
This was a good book -- I rather wish I hadn't chosen the audiobook version, as the stream-of-consciousness narration may have been easier to grasp if I had taken more time with it. My complete review is at http://colreads.blogspot.com/2011/02/...
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