24 for 3
Encyclopedia
24 for 3 is a 2007 novella
by Jennie Walker (a pen name
of English poet Charles Boyle
); it won the 2008 McKitterick Prize
. (awarded to authors over 40 for their first novel) and was selected by Karl Miller
of the Times Literary Supplement as one of his books of the year in 2008.
match against India, which forms the backdrop to the story; each of the chapters set on one day of the five-day match; from Friday through to Tuesday.
saying that he 'loved it'. It was published under the title The Rules of Play in the US by Soho Press
in 2010.
awards ceremony in June 2008 that most people realised that the author was in fact a man: 'Many initially assumed Boyle must be Walker's agent when he walked up to accept the £4,000 McMitterick Prize'.
. Her husband draws elaborate diagrams of field positions
, in contrast her lover prefers mystery. As the woman becomes more intrigued by the game she draws parallels between the characters in her life and the strategies of the game...
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
by Jennie Walker (a pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
of English poet Charles Boyle
Charles Boyle (poet)
Charles Boyle is a British poet. He has also published a novella, 24 for 3, under the pseudonym Jennie Walker....
); it won the 2008 McKitterick Prize
McKitterick Prize
The McKitterick Prize is a United Kingdom literary prize. It is administered by the Society of Authors. It was endowed by Tom McKitterick, who had been an editor of The Political Quarterly but had also written a novel which was never published. The prize is awarded annually for a first novel by...
. (awarded to authors over 40 for their first novel) and was selected by Karl Miller
Karl Miller
Karl Fergus Connor Miller FRSL is a British literary editor, critic and writer.He was educated at the Royal High School of Edinburgh and Downing College, Cambridge, where he studied English. He became literary editor of The Spectator and the New Statesman...
of the Times Literary Supplement as one of his books of the year in 2008.
Title and setting
The title comes from England's second innings score at the start of the final day of a Test cricketTest cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
match against India, which forms the backdrop to the story; each of the chapters set on one day of the five-day match; from Friday through to Tuesday.
Publishing history
The author, frustrated at his inability to find a publisher set up his own publishing house CB Editions to get it in to print, using the proceeds of an uncle's will to fund it. After receiving positive reviews the book then gained the backing of Bloomsbury Publishing who published it with a quote on the cover from Mick JaggerMick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
saying that he 'loved it'. It was published under the title The Rules of Play in the US by Soho Press
Soho Press
Soho Press is a New York City-based publisher. Founded by Laura Hruska in 1986, the company's primary focus is literary fiction and international crime series, with the occasional memoir...
in 2010.
Author identity
It was only at the Society of AuthorsSociety of Authors
The Society of Authors is a trade union for professional writers that was founded in 1884 to protect the rights of writers and fight to retain those rights .It has counted amongst its members and presidents numerous notable writers and poets including Tennyson The Society of Authors (UK) is a...
awards ceremony in June 2008 that most people realised that the author was in fact a man: 'Many initially assumed Boyle must be Walker's agent when he walked up to accept the £4,000 McMitterick Prize'.
Plot introduction
A woman whose life is split between her lover (a loss adjuster) and husband worries about the whereabouts of her teenage son and wonders about the rules of cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
. Her husband draws elaborate diagrams of field positions
Fielding (cricket)
Fielding in the sport of cricket is the action of fielders in collecting the ball after it is struck by the batsman, in such a way as to either limit the number of runs that the batsman scores or get the batsman out by catching the ball in flight or running the batsman out.Cricket fielding position...
, in contrast her lover prefers mystery. As the woman becomes more intrigued by the game she draws parallels between the characters in her life and the strategies of the game...
Reception
- Nicholas LezardNicholas LezardNicholas Lezard is an English journalist and literary critic.Lezard has a weekly column, 'Nicholas Lezard's choice', reviewing paperback books for the Guardian. He also writes for the Independent, and writes the 'Down and Out in London' column for the New Statesman.-External links:* at journalisted...
writing in The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
closed with 'This is a little marvel of a novella. It's funny, clever, illuminating, deeply kind-hearted, and doesn't outstay its welcome'. The author regarded this early review as 'a breakthrough'. - Lionel ShriverLionel Shriver-Early life and education:Lionel Shriver was born Margaret Ann Shriver on May 18, 1957 in Gastonia, North Carolina, to a deeply religious family . At age 15, she changed her name from Margaret Ann to Lionel because she did not like the name she had been given, and as a tomboy felt that a...
in The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
also praises it saying 24 for 3 is written with a beguiling simplicity, and the small wisdoms it offers up are readily accessible to readers who have never been able to make head or tail of cricket. Its clarity and musing tone perfectly suit a rainy afternoon'.
External links
- Good length delivery, review from The SpectatorThe SpectatorThe Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
- online excerpt