This harrowing story of a man lost in his times, bewildered and anguished by both war and love, is a masterful portrayal of the human psyche at odds with itself.
Hugo Charteris Books
Hugo Charteris was a Scottish novelist whose works often delve into the complexities of human relationships and societal expectations. His writing is characterized by keen observations of human nature and a sharp insight into character psychology. Charteris masterfully weaves tension and wit to explore themes of love, betrayal, and the search for identity. His novels stand as valuable contributions to literature, offering readers engaging and thought-provoking narratives.
Pictures on the Wall
- 264 pages
- 10 hours of reading
Picnic at Porokorro
- 262 pages
- 10 hours of reading
The Tide Is Right
- 145 pages
- 6 hours of reading
This remarkable novel, suppressed in 1957 and published by Dalkey Archive for the first time, is concerned with a day in the life of a stagnant, aristocratic Scottish family in the 1950s. As the family prepares for its annual Christmas dance, old rivalries and tensions flare as John Harling arrives to visit his sister Mary, who has married Duncan Mackean, next in line to inherit the estate left by Colin Mackean, dead two years now, but very much alive in the memory of the current family, presided over by Alan Mackean and his wife Augustine ("Tin"). By the end of this nerve-racking day, John tells his sister that "this life, which you lead here, is incestuous" and that her husband Duncan "is in love with things he should have left--long ago. Soil, place, family, the past--roots... One must have courage to travel light today." That night, Duncan and Alan go out shooting; only one returns alive.
