Middle England (Winner Of The Costa Novel Award)

WINNER OF THE COSTA NOVEL AWARD 2019 'The book everyone is talking about' The Times 'A comedy for our times' Guardian The country is changing and, up and down the land, cracks are appearing - within families and between generations. In the Midlands Benjamin Trotter tries to help his aged father navigate a Britain that seems to have forgotten he exists, while in London his friend Doug doesn't understand why his teenage daughter is eternally enraged. Meanwhile, newlyweds Sophie and Ian can find nothing to agree on except the fact that their marriage is on the rocks . . . 'Coe's back with a bang. Middle England is the novel about Brexit we need' Daily Telegraph 'A pertinent, entertaining study of a nation in crisis' Financial Times, Books of the Year 'Very funny. Coe - a writer of uncommon decency - reminds us that the way out of this mess is through moderation, through compromise, through that age-old English ability to laugh at ourselves' Observer Review: Brilliantly funny . . . a compelling state of the nation novel, full of light and shade, which vividly charts modern Britain's tragicomic slide * Economist * Expansive and often very funny . . . Coe - a writer of uncommon decency - reminds us that the way out of this mess is through moderation, through compromise, through that age-old English ability to laugh at ourselves * Observer * A pertinent, entertaining study of a nation in crisis -- 'Books of the Year' * Financial Times * His affectionately witty attitude to our human foibles is always uplifting . . . Superb * The Times * In Middle England, Coe shows an understanding of this country that goes beyond what most cabinet ministers can muster . . . he subtly builds a picture that exposes the cracks in society . . . he is a master of satire but pokes fun subtly, without ever being cruel, biting or blatant . . . his light, funny writing makes you feel better * Evening Standard * Tackling his characters' opposing points of view, he draws a portrait of a recognisable Britain baffled by its loss of industry and jobs, and of everyday people shocked by a rise of acceptable racism and xenophobia. It's also very, very funny * Stylist * Millions of words have been and will be written on Brexit but few will get to the heart of why it is happening as incisively as Middle England -- John Boyne * Irish Times * This is a picture of England that comes from a place of compassion and understanding * inews * Coe is as funny and tender as ever, restoring some humanity to the tumultuous societal backdrop * Grazia * Middle England combines top-class soap opera storytelling with melancholy insight into what it means to be English * Metro * Middle England takes all that is memorable and moving about Coe's body of work and throws it at the present emergency -- Alex Clark * TLS * Sparkled with all the acuity of his best novels . . . Uproarious and always on-the-money -- Books of the Year * Evening Standard * Very funny . . . Exceptionally good . . . Delightful -- BBC Radio 4 * Saturday Review * Brilliant -- Nicola Sturgeon Middle England is a full-blooded state of the nation novel, and it brings us bang up-to-date * Sunday Times * Coe is an extraordinarily deft plotter . . . he tackles big ambitious themes, in this case the effect of politics on people's lives, and political opinions on personal relations * Mail on Sunday * The beauty of Jonathan Coe's new novel, Middle England, is the way it tracks the seemingly unconnected moments that brought Britain to its knees - and with devastating delicacy, too -- Eva Wiseman * Observer * The great chronicler of Englishness * Independent * A copper bottomed masterpiece -- Barney Norris Coe's comic critique of a divided country dazzles . . . properly laugh-out-loud funny . . . it is also incisive and brilliant about our divided country and the deep chasms revealed by the vote to leave. Do not miss * The Bookseller * The first great Brexit novel -- Sathnam Sanghera This book is sublimely good. State of the (Brexit) nation novel to end them all, but also funny, tender, generous, so human and intelligent about age and love as well as politics -- India Knight Jonathan Coe's Middle England is brilliantly insightful on the times we are living in -- Mishal Husain, Books of the Year * Big Issue * Let me add to the chorus of praise for Jonathan Coe's new book Middle England. Easily my favourite of his since What a Carve Up! Which did for Thatcherism what Middle England does for Brexit -- John Crace An astute, enlightened and enlightening journey into the heart of our current national identity crisis. Both moving and funny. As we'd expect from Coe -- Ben Elton From post-industrial Birmingham to the London riots and the current political gridlock, it takes in family, literature and love in a comedy for our times * Guardian * Coe can make you smile, sigh, laugh; he has abundant sympathy for his characters * Scotsman * This book is sublimely good. State of the (Brexit) nation novel to end them all, but also funny, tender, generous, so human and intelligent about age and love as well as politics -- India Knight Author Biography: Jonathan Coe is the author of thirteen novels, all published by Penguin, which include the highly acclaimed bestsellers What a Carve Up!, The House of Sleep, The Rotters' Club, Number 11 and Middle England, which won the Costa Novel of the Year Award and the Prix du Livre Europeen. He is also the author of a biography of B.S Johnson, Like a Fiery Elephant, and The Broken Mirror, a children's book.