Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris
Reviews St. Oswald's School for Boys is under siege by a new faculty member who has a secret history with the school and will use every trick and bit of knowledge about it-its past and layout-to create a tightly wound knot of revenge. Narrated by both the revenge-seeking instructor and veteran classics teacher Roy Straitley, this book moves skillfully between the two perspectives and between past and present in a well-crafted mystery. Harris shows a deep understanding of the politics of academia and the routine of the classroom, as well as the demands of a solid mystery.Listeners will be rewarded with surprises and twists in this well-paced tale, read by Steven Pacey. Highly recommended.-Joyce Kessel, Villa Maria Coll., Buffalo, NY Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information. At the heart of Harris's riveting new book is a major secret, and veteran British stage actor Pacey does everything in his power not to give away even the slightest hint of it to audio listeners. Pacey plays both sides of the story's central chess match for the soul of a posh British boy's school with equal energy and wit, bringing to life the sad and troubled outsider Snyde, who wants so badly to be a student at St. Oswald's, and the deeply embedded classics master Roy Straitley, who cares for the school's future more than he will admit. As the two duel on the chessboard of life for St. Oswald's reputation, Pacey growls and whimpers with so much vitality that it's hard to take sides. Even when the two change into something else-when Snyde turns into a frightening killer and Straitley's inertia and antiestablishment leanings threaten to overwhelm him- we always know who is speaking, and why. Minor characters are also vividly drawn: rival masters reek with chalk and bad habits, a boy Snyde loves becomes a natural betrayer, and parents are always credible if not admirable figures. This is verbal magic of the highest order, the kind every author deserves but doesn't always get. Simultaneous release with the Morrow hardcover (Reviews, Oct. 31). (Jan.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information. Adult/High School-Three voices are heard in this tale of a venerable English boys' school. One belongs to Roy Straitley, a veteran teacher of classics. Another is that of a teacher who has just arrived at St. Oswald's with the malicious intent of bringing it down through well-placed rumor and cunning innuendo. The third is that of a child from 14 years earlier who loves the school but does not belong to it. He even assumes an alter identity, Julian Pinchbeck, complete with uniform, in order to roam the school at will and as much as possible escape the painful reality of life with his loutish father, its porter. Then he makes a friend at St. Oswald's and at last has someone from his chosen world with whom to spend his time. But everything unravels with the death of Julian's adored friend. Now the teacher who was the child Julian returns. Harris shows what a master storyteller she is through the play and counterplay of current happenings twisting through the telling of what went on before. The story builds suspensefully and cleverly with surprises and turns to a satisfying denouement.-Judy Braham, George Mason Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Publication Details
Title:
Author(s):
Illustrator:
Binding: Paperback
Published by: Doubleday: , 2005
Edition:
ISBN: 9780385609524 | 0385609523
512 pages.
Book Condition: Good
Rear cover creased
products.product.pickup_availability.unavailable
Product information
New Zealand Delivery
Shipping Options
Shipping options are shown at checkout and will vary depending on the delivery address and weight of the books.
We endeavour to ship the following day after your order is made and to have pick up orders available the same day. We ship Monday-Friday. Any orders made on a Friday afternoon will be sent the following Monday. We are unable to deliver on Saturday and Sunday.
Pick Up is Available in NZ:
Warehouse Pick Up Hours
- Monday - Friday: 9am-5pm
- 35 Nathan Terrace, Shannon NZ
Please make sure we have confirmed your order is ready for pickup and bring your confirmation email with you.
Rates
-
New Zealand Standard Shipping - $6.00
- New Zealand Standard Rural Shipping - $10.00
- Free Nationwide Standard Shipping on all Orders $75+
Please allow up to 5 working days for your order to arrive within New Zealand before contacting us about a late delivery. We use NZ Post and the tracking details will be emailed to you as soon as they become available. There may be some courier delays that are out of our control.
International Delivery
We currently ship to Australia and a range of international locations including: Belgium, Canada, China, Switzerland, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, United States, Hong Kong SAR, Thailand, Philippines, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden & Singapore. If your country is not listed, we may not be able to ship to you, or may only offer a quoting shipping option, please contact us if you are unsure.
International orders normally arrive within 2-4 weeks of shipping. Please note that these orders need to pass through the customs office in your country before it will be released for final delivery, which can occasionally cause additional delays. Once an order leaves our warehouse, carrier shipping delays may occur due to factors outside our control. We, unfortunately, can’t control how quickly an order arrives once it has left our warehouse. Contacting the carrier is the best way to get more insight into your package’s location and estimated delivery date.
- Global Standard 1 Book Rate: $37 + $10 for every extra book up to 20kg
- Australia Standard 1 Book Rate: $14 + $4 for every extra book
Any parcels with a combined weight of over 20kg will not process automatically on the website and you will need to contact us for a quote.
Payment Options
On checkout you can either opt to pay by credit card (Visa, Mastercard or American Express), Google Pay, Apple Pay, Shop Pay & Union Pay. Paypal, Afterpay and Bank Deposit.
Transactions are processed immediately and in most cases your order will be shipped the next working day. We do not deliver weekends sorry.
If you do need to contact us about an order please do so here.
You can also check your order by logging in.
Contact Details
- Trade Name: Book Express Ltd
- Phone Number: (+64) 22 852 6879
- Email: sales@bookexpress.co.nz
- Address: 35 Nathan Terrace, Shannon, 4821, New Zealand.
- GST Number: 103320957 - We are registered for GST in New Zealand
- NZBN: 9429031911290
We have a 30-day return policy, which means you have 30 days after receiving your item to request a return.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unread.
To start a return, you can contact us at sales@bookexpress.co.nz. Please note that returns will need to be sent to the following address: 35 Nathan Terrace, Shannon, New Zealand 4821.
If your return is for a quality or incorrect item, the cost of return will be on us, and will refund your cost. If it is for a change of mind, the return will be at your cost.
You can always contact us for any return question at sales@bookexpress.co.nz.
Damages and issues
Please inspect your order upon reception and contact us immediately if the item is defective, damaged or if you receive the wrong item, so that we can evaluate the issue and make it right.
Exceptions / non-returnable items
Certain types of items cannot be returned, like perishable goods (such as food, flowers, or plants), custom products (such as special orders or personalised items), and personal care goods (such as beauty products). Although we don't currently sell anything like this. Please get in touch if you have questions or concerns about your specific item.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept returns on gift cards.
Exchanges
The fastest way to ensure you get what you want is to return the item you have, and once the return is accepted, make a separate purchase for the new item.
European Union 14 day cooling off period
Notwithstanding the above, if the merchandise is being shipped into the European Union, you have the right to cancel or return your order within 14 days, for any reason and without a justification. As above, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unused, with tags, and in its original packaging. You’ll also need the receipt or proof of purchase.
Refunds
We will notify you once we’ve received and inspected your return, and let you know if the refund was approved or not. If approved, you’ll be automatically refunded on your original payment method within 10 business days. Please remember it can take some time for your bank or credit card company to process and post the refund too.
If more than 15 business days have passed since we’ve approved your return, please contact us at sales@bookexpress.co.nz.