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The Hopeless Life of Charlie Summers
- Narrated by: Simon J. Williamson
- Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
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The Hopeless Life of Charlie Summers
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Summary
Hector Chetwode-Talbot, Eck to his friends, has left the army and is slightly at a loss as to what to do next, when he is approached by an old army pal, Bilbo Mountwilliam. Bilbo runs an investment fund company and business is booming. Bilbo persuades Eck to join the company as a 'greeter' for moneyed clients. All Eck has to do is supply the contacts with entertainment and large G&Ts and then the fund managers will do the rest.
Soon Eck is able to buy himself a luxury sports car and decadent flat. It is on a golfing trip to France that Eck first meets Charlie Summers, a fly-by-night entrepreneur whose latest scheme is to import Japanese dog food into the UK. Soon Charlie lands on Eck's doorstep with his suitcase, intent on staying and relaunching his dog food business in the area. But with the financial crash looming, Eck begins to ask himself if they are so very different....
Read by Simon J. Williamson. Simon's roles on stage include Charlie Bell in Fred Karno's Army (Bristol Old Vic), Sagredo in Brecht's Life of Galileo (Young Vic) and Donalbain in Macbeth (Leicester Haymarket/The People Show). Series television includes The Bill, Casualty, London's Burning and Waiting for God. In film he played Max Rebo in Return of the Jedi, Ursol in Jim Henson's Dark Crystal, and was a puppeteer in three Muppet movies. Audiobook work includes the Brother Cadfael series, Adam Hall's Quiller Balalaika and James Fox's White Mischief.
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What listeners say about The Hopeless Life of Charlie Summers
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ricci
- 01-08-15
Absorbing & Charming
I chose this book because I enjoyed watching the film "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen". This book has all the same good points: well drawn characters, gentle jeopardy & a bit of moral observation. The protagonist does a terrible thing, but I really felt for him, which I like. It's very of its time & place: 2007 UK: which I also think is a plus, but you'd better read it quick before the events of those times become too distant a memory.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- AReader
- 06-02-14
Bittersweet or tragicomic
Another excellent book by Paul Torday containing some of the characters from other books of his. Like most of his books perhaps, it is about disappointment but with some tragicomedy along the way.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Latelunch
- 19-05-15
A Sad but Satisfying Story
An enjoyable listen although I did find the narrator somewhat soporific and found I had to listen to certain chapters more than twice as I kept falling asleep!
The story was well-plotted and slightly more earthy than Torday's usual genteel fare. Worth buying but not a MUST buy.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Mr Chops
- 20-09-15
Duller than Gordon Brown
There is little in life more boring than banking and the processes and personalities associated with it.
Everyone in my car voted to give up and try another book after the second chapter. It may be that it gets better but none of us were sufficiently interested in the characters to invest any more time to find out. Very disappointing as I really enjoyed The Girl on The Landing.
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