The Truth
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
Is the truth really what we make it?
From the inimitable Michael Palin, a warm and intelligent novel about good intentions and human frailty.
'A feel-good story leaving the reader on a real high' OBSERVER
Keith Mabbut has been offered the opportunity of a lifetime - to pen the biography of the elusive Hamish Melville, a highly influential activist and humanitarian. Feeling that his life has reached a crossroad, he seizes the chance to write something meaningful.
His search to find out the real story behind the legend takes Mabbut to the lush landscapes and environmental hotspots of India. The more he discovers about Melville, the more he admires him - and the more he connects with an idealist who wanted to make a difference. But is his quarry really who he claims to be? As Keith discovers, the truth can be whatever we make it...
'THE TRUTH is the perfect example of [Palin's] literary brilliance' STYLIST
'An ingeniously plotted book, beautifully written and hugely enjoyable' DAILY TELEGRAPH
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Monty Python member Michael Palin (Hemingway's Chair) impresses with an enjoyable second novel. Keith Mabbut, an aging writer of talent but only modest success, is offered a lucrative contract to write the biography of the famous, but elusive indigenous rights activist Hamish Melville, an opportunity that would require him to put on hold his passion project of a trilogy of fantasy novels. After seeking advice from nearly everyone in his life, Mabbut travels to India in pursuit of an interview subject who does not want to be found. So begins a multi-continental adventure full of corporate intrigue, moral quandaries, and entertaining characters. Palin is a thoughtful, descriptive stylist, particularly in the South Asian chapters, and charmingly portrays Mabbut's middle-aged haplessness in the face of culture shock and unexpected mortal danger. As portended by the title, many characters prove to be different than they first seem, but these reversals are earned and lead to a satisfying climax.
