by David Lodge
Rating: 5.00 (1 ratings)
First published 1985
Philip Swallow finds himself swept into a whirlwind of international academic conferences that transform his quiet scholarly life. The mild-mannered professor joins fellow academic Morris Zapp and young Irish scholar Persse McGarrigle as they hopscotch between exotic destinations around the globe. What begins as routine professional travel becomes something far more intoxicating. Lecture halls give way to tropical beaches and cosmopolitan cities. The beautiful and enigmatic Angelica captures hearts and complicates lives as she moves through this academic jet set. Swallow discovers that the world of international scholarship offers more than just intellectual exchange. Romance blooms in unexpected places while careers and reputations hang in the balance. The stuffy confines of university life seem impossibly distant as these scholars navigate love, ambition, and desire across continents. Lodge creates a comedy where academic pursuits become secondary to the very human needs for connection and passion that drive his characters from conference to conference.
Genres: fiction, contemporary, comedy, academic
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Tropical Beaches, Cosmopolitan Cities
Period: Contemporary
339 pages · Paperback · Penguin Publishing Group