In this extraordinary novel William Boyd presents the autobiography of JohnJames Todd whose uncanny and exhilarating life as one of the mostunappreciated genius... » 

In this extraordinary novel William Boyd presents the autobiography of JohnJames Todd whose uncanny and exhilarating life as one of the mostunappreciated geniuses of the twentieth century is equal parts Laurence SternCharles Dickens Robertson Davies and Saul Bellow and a hundred percentWilliam Boyd.From his birth in 1899 Todd was doomed. Emerging from his angstfilledchildhood he rushes into the throes of the twentieth century on the WesternFront during the Great War and quickly changes his role on the battlefieldfrom cannon fodder to cameraman. When he becomes a prisoner of war hediscovers Rousseaus Confessions and dedicates his life to bringing the memoirto the silver screen. Plagued by bad luck and blind ambition Todd becomes acelebrated London upstart a Weimar luminary and finally a disgruntleddirector of cowboy movies and the eleventh member of the Hollywood Ten.Ambitious and entertaining Boyd has invented a most irresistible hero. «