Any Human Heart

Unfortunately all is not perfect. The author decided to "be cute" by having Logan Mountstuart be personal friends of famous twentieth century characters such as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Hemingway, and Virginia Woolf. Some readers might find this to add extra spice to the story. I found it exploitative and totally unnecessary - the book is solid enough. At any rate this Forrest Gump-like diversions really dont spoil this fine book.

Bottom line: a very worthy read. William Boyd is in fine form.

We are witness to Logan from his early childhood in Montevideo, son of an English corned beef executive and his Uraguayan secretary, through his years at a Norfolk public school and Oxford, Mountstuart traces his haphazard development as a writer. Early and easy success is succeeded by a long half-century of mediocrity, disappointments and setbacks, both personal and professional, leading him to multiple failed marriages, internment, alcoholism and abject poverty.

Yes - he isnt a particulary honorable character, but this is what makes Logan so appealing. Hes a flawed human being, like the rest of us, and he makes his fair share of mistakes in life. I loved this incredible backdrop of twentieth century life that Boyd has constructed around this character, the personalities that he meets on the way - Virginia Woolf, Edward and Mrs Simpson. And I loved the fact that the story spans so many continents - Europe, America, Africa etc. A great novel, and Im looking forward to picking up more of Boyds works.

Michael