Characters and places in The Irresistible Inheritance of Wilberforce

Paul Torday first captured my reading interest with a marvellous novel: Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. Salmon Fishing was a first novel – and a very funny novel at that. Salmon Fishing was made into a movie. The movie was most frustrating in its inauthenticity; the movie producer over-played the love story and downplayed on humour. Wilberforce would become the third of Torday’s works that I have enjoyed.

Wilberforce is told in a reverse chronological order in four vintages; 2006, 2004, 2003 and 2002. The story opens with the main character enjoying his destructive hobby. The remainder of the book then creates the backstory. In such instances I find it necessary to record main characters, place names and references as I read through the book. I offer that record here:

Image credit: www.goodreads.com

Main characters

Francis Wilberforce: Alcoholic, although Wilberforce himself cannot tolerate the expression “alcoholic” when used in relation to his hobby of imbibing the finest of wines. Wilberforce is a lost cause post-AA. His doctor’s prognosis is towards a steady and certain death. Raised by foster-parents of which only the foster-mother, named Mary, is alive. Wilberforce is aged 37 at the book’s opening.

Catherine Wilberforce (nee Plender): Former wife of Wilberforce. Their marriage ended tragically in her death in a motor vehicle accident. Catherine was the driver in the accident. Wilberforce incurred minor injuries in the accident.

Francis Black: A friend of Wilberforce who passed away, of cancer, leaving a substantial quantity of fine wine.

Doctor Colin Holman: Wilberforce’s doctor

Nurse Susan: A nurse employed by Doctor Holman to attend Wilberforce following an episode of over-consumption of wine.

Andy: Finance Director of software company – Wilberforce Software Solutions, now Bayleaf UK - that Wilberforce previously owned.

Ed Hartlepool: a gentleman who Wilberforce had once been very close to.

Christopher Templeton: Stockbroker to Wilberforce.

Ed Simmons, Eck Chetwode-Talbot, Annabel Gazebee – former friends of Wilberforce. Eck Chetwode-Tabot and Ed Simmons had appeared in Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. Catherine had at one point nearly married Ed Simmons. Eck is Francis Black’s godson. Eck is former army.

Places

Les Tripes de Normandie: Restaurant that Wilberforce enters at the start of the novel.

Half Moon Street flat: Wilberforce’s abode. Purchased original for both him and Catherine.

Caerlyon Hall: Formerly Francis Black’s premises. Purchased by Wilberforce from the executors of Black’s estate. Leased partly to Gateshead County Council as a Community Outreach Centre.

References

Alice inWonderland: Wilberforce records sighting Black’s sign – Francis Black: Fine Bordeaux Wines - for the first time and suggests that the sign was a similar temptation as the bottle labelled “DRINK ME” was to Alice.

Shalom,

Ozhamada

Book title: The Irresistible Inheritance of Wilberforce, A Novel in Four Vintages, 2008, paperback, 308 pages. Found at a street library in Sydney Town Hall. Dropped to street library with Nibu Cafe, Lane Cove. 

This page links from my Goodreads account.

[443 words] #book #reading #read