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Old Filth (Old Filth Trilogy) (The Old Filth Trilogy, 1) Paperback – June 1, 2006

by Jane Gardam (Author)

4.2 6,902 ratings

Book 1 of 3: Old Filth Trilogy

See all formats and editions

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First in the Old Filth trilogy. A New York Times Notable Book. “Old Filth belongs in the Dickensian pantheon of memorable characters” (The New York Times Book Review).

Sir Edward Feathers has had a brilliant career, from his early days as a lawyer in Southeast Asia, where he earned the nickname Old Filth (FILTH being an acronym for Failed In London Try Hong Kong) to his final working days as a respected judge at the English bar. Yet through it all he has carried with him the wounds of a difficult childhood. Now an eighty-year-old widower living in comfortable seclusion in Dorset, Feathers is finally free from the regimen of work and the sentimental scaffolding that has sustained him throughout his life. He slips back into the past with ever mounting frequency and intensity, and on the tide of these vivid, lyrical musings, Feathers approaches a reckoning with his own history. Not all the old filth, it seems, can be cleaned away.

Borrowing from biography and history, Jane Gardam has written an unforgettable novel reminiscent of Evan S. Connell’s books Mr. Bridge and Mrs. Bridge, and Rudyard Kipling’s Baa Baa, Black Sheep. Retracing much of the twentieth century’s torrid and momentous history, Old Filth is the first installment of an immersive and atmospheric trilogy that, taken together, tells the moving story of a long, complicated marriage.

“Old Filth is an extraordinary novel―the structure, the characters, the sweep of time.”―Ann Patchett, author of The Dutch House

“I don't know why Gardam isn't universally celebrated and beloved. Her prose is dazzling, and she writes with a kind of subdued but wicked humor that takes a moment to clamp down on you.”―Lauren Groff, author of Fates and Furies

“I think Jane Gardam is a genius and should be far more widely read. She has actually made me gasp, slap a book shut and say, ‘She can’t do that!,’ open it up and realize that she can, she has, and it works.”―Denise Mina, author of Conviction

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ORANGE PRIZE

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
The New York Times Book Review
The Washington Post
The San Francisco Chronicle
New York Magazine
The Globe & Mail
Slate

“Will bring immense pleasure to readers who treasure fiction that is intelligent, witty, sophisticated and―a quality encountered all too rarely in contemporary culture―adult.”―The Washington Post

“Gardam is an exquisite storyteller, picking up threads, laying them down, returning to them and giving them new meaning . . . Old Filth is sad, funny, beautiful and haunting.”―The Seattle Times

“A masterpiece of storytelling.”―The Dallas Morning News

“[Jane Gardam is] the best contemporary British writer you probably haven’t heard of.”―Maureen Corrigan, NPR

From the Publisher

WARNING: California’s Proposition 65

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

British novelist Gardam has twice won the Whitbread and was shortlisted for the Man Booker. This, her 15th novel, was shortlisted in Britain for the Orange Prize; it outlines 20th-century British history through the life of Sir Edward Feathers, a barrister whose acronymic nickname provides the title: "Failed in London, Try Hong Kong." At nearly 80, Feathers, retired in Dorset after many years as a respected Hong Kong judge, is a hollow man with few real friends and a cold, sexless marriage that has just ended with the death of his wife, Betty. For the first time, "Filth" (as even Betty called him) delves into the past that produced him: a "Raj orphan" raised by a series of surrogates while his father worked in Singapore, Filth served briefly in WWII (guarding the Queen) and had a lackluster stint as a London barrister before emigrating. The flashbacks contrast British privilege and the chaos that ensues when the empire (especially Filth's childhood Malaya), starts to crumble. As Filth undertakes chaotic visits to his Welsh foster home and other sites, Gardam's sharp, acerbic style counterpoints Feathers's dryness. Well-rounded secondary figures further highlight his emptiness and that of empire. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From The New Yorker

This mordantly funny novel examines the life of Sir Edward Feathers, a desiccated barrister known to colleagues and friends as Old Filth (the nickname stands for "Failed in London Try Hong Kong"). After a lucrative career in Asia, Filth settles into retirement in Dorset. With anatomical precision, Gardam reveals that, contrary to appearances, Sir Edward's life is seething with incident: a "raj orphan," whose mother died when he was born and whose father took no notice of him, he was shipped from Malaysia to Wales (cheaper than England) and entrusted to a foster mother who was cruel to him. What happened in the years before he settled into school, and was casually adopted by his best friend's kindly English country family, haunts, corrodes, and quickens Filth's heart; Gardam's prose is so economical that no moment she describes is either gratuitous or wasted.
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Anglophile readers wondering who their next favorite British writer will be need look no further than Gardam, who, despite having won numerous literary awards and been short-listed for the Booker Prize, is not nearly as well known in the U.S. as she deserves. The title of this, her twelfth novel, seems to promise that satiric bite British authors do so well, but although there's plenty of sharp humor here, the book has many other moods. Sir Edward Feathers--called Filth (even by his wife, Betty) for "Failed in London Try Hong Kong"--is now retired and living in Dorset after a distinguished career as a barrister in the Far East. Betty's sudden death sends him on both a real and an imagined journey to rediscover his past as a "Raj orphan" born in Malaya but shipped back home early and brought to manhood at the hands of a variety of surrogate parents and guides, some good, some bad. For everything else Gardam's richly layered story and acute observation provide, this is finally a portrait of old age, offered with unflinching realism but also deep compassion. Mary Ellen Quinn
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2005 ORANGE PRIZE

Praise for Old Filth

"Excellent and compulsively readable...Old Filth belongs in the Dickensian pantheon of memorable characters."
—The New York Times Book Review

"[Old Filth] will bring immense pleasure to readers who treasure fiction that is intelligent, witty, sophisticated and—a quality encountered all too rarely in contemporary culture—adult."
—The Washington Post

"Gardam is an exquisite storyteller, picking up threads, laying them down, returning to them and giving them new meaning...Old Filth is sad, funny, beautiful and haunting."
—The Seattle Times

"A masterpiece of storytelling."
—The Dallas Morning News

"Jane Gardam's beautiful, vivid, defiantly funny novel is a must."
—The Times

Praise for Jane Gardam

"[Gardam] is a brilliant writer. Her prose sparkles with wit, compassion and humor."
—The Washington Post

"[Gardam] is the best kind of literary escape: serious, mesmerizing, and deeply satisfying."
—Los Angeles Review of Books

"It's hard...not to be charmed by a writer with Gardam's substantial gifts."
—The New York Times Book Review

"Gardam's prose is so economical that no moment she describes is either gratuitous or wasted."
—The New Yorker

"Gardam is a unique and wonderful writer."
—The Huffington Post

About the Author

Jane Gardam has been twice awarded the Whitbread Prize and was also a Booker prize finalist. She is winner of the David Higham Prize, the Royal Society for Literature’s Winifred Holtby Prize, the Katherine Mansfield Prize, and the Silver Pen Award from PEN. Her novels include God on the Rocks, shortlisted for the Booker Prize; Old Filth, finalist for the Orange Prize; The Man in the Wooden Hat, finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; and Last Friends, finalist for the Folio Award. She lives in the south of England near the sea.

In 1999 Jane Gardam was awarded the Heywood Hill Literary Prize in recognition of a distinguished literary career.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1933372133
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Europa Editions; First Edition (June 1, 2006)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 289 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781933372136
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1933372136
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.26 x 0.89 x 8.22 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #383,275 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,827 in Historical British & Irish Literature
- #3,709 in Contemporary Literature & Fiction
- #21,074 in Literary Fiction (Books)

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4.2 6,902 ratings

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Jane Gardam has been awarded the Heywood Hill Literary Prize for a lifetime's contribution to the enjoyment of literature; has twice won a Whitbread Award and has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize. She was awarded an OBE in January 2009.

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Customers find the book engaging and well-written with a rich narrative. They praise the brilliant writing and deft use of language. The characters are compelling and enjoyable. The humor and wit are appreciated, as is the sensitivity and compassion for the story. Readers describe the story as relatable and beautiful.

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Readability Writing quality Character development Humor Story quality Heartbreaking story Historical accuracy Style

311 customers mention "Readability"297 positive14 negative

Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They appreciate the rich narrative and themes throughout. The writing is spare yet memorable, with poetic and memorable passages. The story is thought-provoking and at times sad, but overall a good read.

"...Together,the books are the best exploration and most accurate insights I know of on how real relationships--especially long marriages--truly work...." Read more

"...his life as somewhat unimginative, and though he was graceful and handsome, assured and friendly, they seem remember him chiefly as a modest man who..." Read more

"...with incredible virtuosity, even making them work to the betterment of the story’s whole...." Read more

"I didn’t find the book funny. Well written story of a boy who grows up to be a rather vapid, emotionally detached lawyer...." Read more

161 customers mention "Writing quality"144 positive17 negative

Customers appreciate the writing quality. They find the book readable, with a deft use of language and a fluid, concise style. The prose is lavishly rendered, with distinctive typesetting on quality paper. Readers praise the author's flawless dialogue and subtle brand of satire.

"...Eddie Feathers ("Old Filth") is reserved, well bred, well spoken, well dressed and one of the more remarkable survivors in literature...." Read more

"...It is impossible not to love Filth, but the writing is a prize too...." Read more

"...Gardam’s ability to develop her characters is spot on. Her dialogue is flawless. She offers humor and pathos generously but precisely...." Read more

"...paperback edition is a real joy: flexible yet solid, with distinguished typesetting on quality paper with lots of space." Read more

113 customers mention "Character development"100 positive13 negative

Customers enjoy the well-developed characters and settings in the book. They find the descriptions enjoyable and evocative of life in England's imperial days. The main character is portrayed as fascinating and given equal weight.

"...well bred, well spoken, well dressed and one of the more remarkable survivors in literature. His youth would be a horror story in other hands...." Read more

"...Possessing great character and heft. They aren't easy to find anymore." Read more

"...Gardam’s ability to develop her characters is spot on. Her dialogue is flawless. She offers humor and pathos generously but precisely...." Read more

"...Both main characters are given equal weight, along with the secondary ones, most of whom are drawn as well as Betty and Edward...." Read more

63 customers mention "Humor"58 positive5 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor and wit. They appreciate the British sense of humor, satire, and compassion. The story is told with sensitivity and a light touch. Readers praise the beautifully crafted, almost conversational prose with elegant turns of phrase.

"...Her dialogue is flawless. She offers humor and pathos generously but precisely...." Read more

"...She writes in a classical style, full of detail and whimsy and wit. Her life experience is palpable...." Read more

"...While there is much satire to enjoy, the story has a pervasive air of melancholy...." Read more

"Old Filth......what a wonderful title.....is a funny, thoughtful and at times sad story about a retired judge...." Read more

46 customers mention "Story quality"34 positive12 negative

Customers enjoy the engaging story. They find the plot relatable and the characters believable. The book draws them in with its compelling themes of childhood, memories, and desire.

"...Her craftsmanship builds character, story, plausibility and setting into a gently told, incredibly moving whole...." Read more

"...While the main character is an old man, the incidents of his childhood are revealed...." Read more

"...It made the reading of these books very very engaging and satisfying. I highly recommend this book." Read more

"...Gardam's writing style - the drawback being that the life stories are rather fragmented and at times I felt as though I must have skipped a chapter...." Read more

43 customers mention "Heartbreaking story"36 positive7 negative

Customers find the story touching and well-written. They appreciate the humor, sadness, and poignancy of the tale. The gentle, limpid style contrasts nicely with the story of suffering, courage, longing, and some satire. Readers describe the book as a bittersweet love story that is sympathetic and compassionate.

"...While there is much satire to enjoy, the story has a pervasive air of melancholy...." Read more

"...It is actually amusing, yet sad, light hearted yet deep. I look forward to reading the next in the series." Read more

"...a wonderful title.....is a funny, thoughtful and at times sad story about a retired judge...." Read more

"...The author makes you feel the plight of the Raj orphans, the rules of the boarding school and academic system, and the lush heat and attraction of..." Read more

35 customers mention "Historical accuracy"35 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's historical accuracy. They find the descriptions of times, places, and practices interesting. The book speaks of an era past with charming and touching references. Readers appreciate the author's references to times and places that have passed us by. The timeline is vast, and the characters are well-drawn. The book is full of surprises and pleasantly written to look back upon a complex life.

"...Together,the books are the best exploration and most accurate insights I know of on how real relationships--especially long marriages--truly work...." Read more

"...Next time you meet a charmimg, intelligent older person who seems to embody all that is seemingly prosaic, a person of some obvious merit, who..." Read more

"...but the author allows us to get to know him in prose that is as precise and polished as Old Filth himself...." Read more

"...If you're looking for excitement, mystery, suspense, chills and thrills, plot twists that will knock your socks off, look elsewhere...." Read more

16 customers mention "Style"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's style engaging and unique. They describe the characters as quirky and idiosyncratic, with an appealing old man. The narrative is rich with themes and settings, including exotic Asian locations. Readers appreciate the sly characterizations and deft plotting.

"...Plot? Well, it is a rich narrative, and there is theme throughout, I think, that we are shaped in life by something we are forced to carry with us,..." Read more

"...He can be a source of great irritation to others but also very endearing, which is why the Gardner and Mrs. er... welcome him home at one point..." Read more

"Beautifully written in a unique style that is alone Jane Gardam's...." Read more

"...not one of them feels contrived; they are as quirky and idiosyncratic as any living human -- at testament to Gardam's attention to detail...." Read more

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A. Anderson
This is a subtle book and a wonderful one of two you must read
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2011
Verified Purchase

The book opens with the reader eavesdropping on a couple of young barristers commenting on the distant, handsome, elderly figure of "Old Filth," the rich lawyer cum judge who presided in Hong Kong before it returned to the Chinese. The barristers say that Old Filth had a quiet life, excepting that he made a pile of money, and is although distinguished, otherwise unremarkable.

I have rarely loved a book so much and so quickly as this one. Eddie Feathers ("Old Filth") is reserved, well bred, well spoken, well dressed and one of the more remarkable survivors in literature. His youth would be a horror story in other hands. He is British from the day (post WWII, just as the Empire is failing) when to be a gentleman was to appear to be without passion, and to appear not to care about such ephemera as happiness. To be understated means that there is a statement to be made. Uunderstatement is in every sentence of his remarkable work, evidenced by the control Jane Gardam has of every sentence. Her craftsmanship builds character, story, plausibility and setting into a gently told, incredibly moving whole. Characters appear that deserve their own books, especially Mr. Ross and Sir,and perhaps Isobel. Every character breathes on his or her own and still tells us more of Eddie. How many authors can manage their populations with such skill, ease and fascination?

But to see Eddie Feathers you must also meet his wife. Her story is in The Man in The Wooden Hat. "Old Filth" is a complete work and stands alone very well. But Gardam goes back and, through Betty's eyes, expands on what you know. Together,the books are the best exploration and most accurate insights I know of on how real relationships--especially long marriages--truly work. Their lives are entirely together, and separate. When I finished The Man in the Wooden Hat, I had to sit down and marvel. "Old Filth" was not originally intended to be "Part I of II" which makes the accomplishment of finishing a story that seemed perfectly complete even more astounding and incredibly satisfying. There is no point in telling you the plot because the plot is the vehicle for much more. Like Eddie and Betty Feathers, there is a lot more than meets the eye.

If you love good,no, superb writing, read these books. If you enjoy the realization that there was more there than the immediate story made you consider, read these books. If you think that the 'marriage of true minds' leads to happiness ever after, you probably need this book to find a new definition of 'happiness'. This is an amazing writer who deserves a wide and appreciative audience.

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A. colbert
Lawyers were children once
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2011
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What a marvelously entertaining book! Next time you meet a charmimg, intelligent older person who seems to embody all that is seemingly prosaic, a person of some obvious merit, who having accumulated some wealth and station, but at first glance seems stuffy and unimpassioned, keep your mouth shut, and pay close attention. There are often such wonderful stories of character forged at an early age by the cruelest of circumstances. Old Filth seems to all the world a man who earned his reputation for being a good lawyer, a well respected judge, without breaking a sweat, as though he had more than a fair hand of luck.His peers reflect upon his life as somewhat unimginative, and though he was graceful and handsome, assured and friendly, they seem remember him chiefly as a modest man who never put a foot wrong. And yet, like all lawyers, he was a child once, and what a teeming childhood!

I have never read Gardam's work before, but this feels like it is the product of a first rate observer who uses more than a bit of care in her styling and phrasing. It feels like she has spent a good deal of time researching her chronicle of events, and knew her subject intimately.Her descriptions of the Raj empire in Malay were lovely, her rendering of the scarred and often hardened children who were Raj orphans was handled without sentimentality, but with great tenderness nonetheless. The story itself is a page turner. It is impossible not to love Filth, but the writing is a prize too. The structure of the book, and the richness of the prose are so like the jade stones his wife, Betty, had a knack for finding in the Hong Kong markets after the war: Rare. Possessing great character and heft. They aren't easy to find anymore.

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davec
Probably the best novel I've read all year
Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2014
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“Old Filth” is the nickname of Sir Edward Feathers, Jane Gardam’s memorable protagonist, for reasons having nothing to do with his hygiene, habits, or reputation. Sir Edward is a “Raj orphan,”one of many English children who came of age during the closing days of the British Empire. Born to English families living in any of the far-flung colonies (in Sir Edward’s case, Malaysia) they were eventually exiled to foster homes or boarding schools in England. This would seem to make for a potentially traumatic, affection-starved childhood, and indeed it was for poor Sir Edward. His early years constitute a Dickensian series of dislocations, exploitations, and deprivations. And yet, circumstance enables him to emerge from these inauspicious beginnings with an Oxford education, a stable marriage, wealth, and a distinguished judicial career based mainly in Hong Kong. As the novel opens, we find Sir Edward at the threshold of old age. He is coming through a series of jolting transitions: retirement, resettlement in England, and the sudden death of his wife. Physical frailty and blunting of his mental acuity have begun to appear. Above all, Sir Edward is beset by loneliness. Events geopolitical and personal have left him with few surviving friends or relatives. He has difficulty establishing new connections, no doubt a result of his disrupted childhood. How will he proceed from here? Will he settle into quiet isolation, speaking only when he wishes to grouse about the shortcomings of those around around him and the devolution of society in general? Will he manage to adapt in a more fulfilling way? Or, to put it differently, can a Raj orphan break the shackles of his past and find happiness?

Gardam unfolds this story by alternating between present narrative and flashbacks. She executes these shifts with incredible virtuosity, even making them work to the betterment of the story’s whole. In some spots, the sequencing enhances the ironic nature of specific events. In others, the shifting elucidates the temporal and locational disorientation to which the aged Sir Edward is occasionally prone. Gardam’s ability to develop her characters is spot on. Her dialogue is flawless. She offers humor and pathos generously but precisely.

I must admit to disliking the current craze toward books appearing in series; sequels and trilogies tend to make me skeptical. However, I was delighted to find that Old Filth is only one of three books that Jane Gardam featuring her brilliant creation, Sir Edward Feathers. I won’t reveal how the nickname “Old Filth” came about, but if you read the book, you’ll find out at the very beginning. Old Filth may be the best novel I’ve read all year. Can’t wait to read the next two.

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Maria Antonia Settembri
India Inghilterra Scozia e le storie di vite
Reviewed in Italy on November 24, 2024
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Una trilogia affascinante

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Alfaz del Pi
An interesting read.
Reviewed in Spain on February 1, 2018
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I really enjoyed this book. You got to know the characters well and you wanted to know how their lives entwined and what events shaped their early lives.

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Snapdragon
Brilliant
Reviewed in Australia on February 24, 2018
Verified Purchase
In this book Jane Gardam tells the story of Eddie/Teddy, later Sir Edward Feathers, otherwise known as Old Filth (Failed in London, try Hong Kong). He didn’t really fail at the Bar in London, but he did end up a Judge in HK. To many, he experienced a serene upwards trajectory to success without anything particularly dramatic happening to him. But with a series of lightly and deftly wrought flashbacks, Gardam shows us that quite the reverse is true.

For starters, Teddy was an “orphan of the Raj”, one of those British children born overseas and shipped home to England to be fostered and schooled. They often didn’t see their parents for years, and became quite distant from their families. It was often a harsh and lonely life. Teddy and two girl cousins end up in the malicious care of a Welsh woman. Fortunately, his early boarding school experience was good, and he is befriended by an interesting family who almost regard him as their own. He gets into Oxford but WWII intervenes. His father wants him to evacuate to Singapore, but after a nightmare journey by ship to Sri Lanka and back (because Singapore has by then fallen), Teddy becomes extremely ill. Upon recovery, he gets to guard Queen Mary, no less. After the war, he gets his law degree and stifles in a dead end chambers before his big break: the chance to practice in the East. This is a VERY brief summary.

The book actually begins with a retired Old Filth cast adrift by the sudden death of Betty, his wife, in Dorset. They never had children. Impetuously, he decides to connect with those two girl cousins, who are both dotty in their way. He also hears from another woman who played a significant part in his past - the cousin of his school friend Peter. Asserting some independence at the age of eighty plus, he re-visits the towns of his war youth. Not without some health issues.

Suffice to say that far from being the somewhat cold person others see him as, Teddy has had a wrenching emotional life, but with a stiff British upper lip, has always done his duty. Gardam writes with effortless layers of delicacy and acumen. The writing is never strained. She lets us flow into understanding of this complicated and sometimes quite devastating life with ease and warmth. Truly masterful.

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Amazon Customer
Great read, our book club went on to read ...
Reviewed in Canada on December 18, 2015
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Great read, our book club went on to read two other with this character in it and we are not into series reads.
Well written lots of plots that play out well. Characters stayed with you long after.

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Fritz Fahrner
Berührende Schilderung des Altwerdens - leicht lesbares English
Reviewed in Germany on August 27, 2016
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Ein ehemaliger Kolonialbeamter (Jurist, Richter) kehrt aus Fernost zurück nach Great Brittan, um sich dort zur Ruhe zu setzten. Seine Frau stirbt, und weil er mit ihrem Verlust nicht so recht fertig wird, ergeht er sich in Erinnerungen an seine Jugendzeit. Das führt zu gelegentlich recht unverhofften Zeit Sprüngen in der Erzählung. Ich glaube allerdings, dass dieser Roman nur einem älteren Menschen wirklich verständlich wird. Mich persönlich, ich bin immerhin 77 Jahre alt, hat dieser Roman sehr berührt und in mir längst vergessene Jugenderinnerungen wieder belebt.

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Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a subtle book and a wonderful one of two you must read

4.0 out of 5 stars Lawyers were children once

5.0 out of 5 stars Probably the best novel I've read all year

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars India Inghilterra Scozia e le storie di vite

5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting read.

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, our book club went on to read ...

5.0 out of 5 stars Berührende Schilderung des Altwerdens - leicht lesbares English

This is a subtle book and a wonderful one of two you must read

Lawyers were children once

Probably the best novel I've read all year

India Inghilterra Scozia e le storie di vite

An interesting read.

Brilliant

Great read, our book club went on to read ...

Berührende Schilderung des Altwerdens - leicht lesbares English