About the Book
Ben Jewell has hit breaking point. His ten-year-old son Jonah has severe autism and Ben and his wife, Emma, are struggling to cope.
When Ben and Emma fake a separation - a strategic decision to further Jonah's case in an upcoming tribunal - Ben and Jonah move in with Georg, Ben's elderly father. In a small house in North London, three generations of men - one who can't talk; two who won't - are thrown together.
As Ben battles single fatherhood, a string of well-meaning social workers and his own demons, he learns some difficult home truths. Jonah, blissful in his innocence, becomes the prism through which all the complicated strands of personal identity, family history and misunderstanding are finally untangled.
Perfect for fans of David Nicholls, THE SHOCK OF THE FALL and THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME.
Read by David Thorpe
(p) 2016 Orion Publishing Group
About the Author :
Jem Lester was a journalist for nine years and saw the Berlin Wall fall in 1989 - and though there, he denies personal responsibility. He was also the last journalist to interview the legendary Fred Zinnemann, before the director died. He denies responsibility for that too. He taught English and Media studies at secondary schools for nine years. Jem has two children, one of whom is profoundly autistic, and for them he accepts total responsibility. He lives in London with his partner and her two children.
Jem's first novel, SHTUM, won the 2013 PFD/City University Prize for Fiction.
Follow Jem on Twitter @JemLester
Review :
Praise for the heartwarming novel of 2017:
Jem Lester writes so beautifully, it feels as if you're eavesdropping on a conversation. Shtum is a book with true heart and soul, and I loved every word
A darker, sadder version of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, but just as moving
Angry and fiercely funny . . . The ending tears the heart out; this is an unforgettable first novel
This is the literary territory of Tony Parsons and Nick Hornby, infused with the Jewish humour of Howard Jacobson and Shalom Auslander . . . an impressive novel that gives a very accurate portrayal of the struggles some families of autistic children endure, while taking the reader on an exhilarating roller coaster ride between pathos, comedy and anger
Moving and, at times, painfully sad, Lester's account is also darkly funny. It is an important reminder of the complex spectrum of human emotion, and a profound insight into an often misunderstood disorder
'SHTUM is a thought-provoking novel about the silent ties between generations, with a wonderful child character at its heart. I loved Jonah and ached for the impossible decisions his family had to face'
Highly intelligent, warm-hearted and clearly based on experience
Powerful, unapologetic and deeply moving, Jem Lester mines a hard-hitting story to discover dark humour and surprising warmth. It's a book that breaks your heart but ultimately uplifts. A simply stunning novel
A tale of family, loss, self-discovery and forgiveness. Prepare to be moved by its beauty
Warm, funny and sad
Funny yet heart-breaking, the book is likely to be enjoyed by fans of The Rosie Project and The Shock of the Fall
Jem Lester manages to capture a difficult and often heart-wrenching story of a family coping with an autistic son, writing with a fast pace and levity that somehow doesn't lessen any of the emotion of this wonderful novel. A must for your reading list
With shades of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time this former journalist's debut is informed by his own experiences with his non-verbal autistic son
A book that has you laughing one minute and is breaking your heart the next.
An emotive, button-pushing read that should come with a packet of tissues
'[Lester] tells a memorable story full of dark humour and heart twistingly sad insight, about the bond between fathers and sons'
[Lester carries] off this challenging storyline with spectacular success. There are some very sad moments, but far more that are blackly funny. Lester is superb at comic cameo, and the local authority jobsworths with whom Ben must deal are hilariously drawn. But it is Georg, Ben's severe and loving father, who is the novel's towering achievement; a complex man whose tragic past illuminates the present
Bleak, candid, funny and touching, this impressively impassioned debut novel reveals how a lack of words does not signify a lack of love
Drawing on his own experience of raising an autistic child, Jem Lester has made this a frank and warm portrait of three men bumbling through life
'At its heart are the things they need to say to each other but often keep "shtum" about - and the child who says nothing, but communicates his needs eloquently'
Shtum is a novel of compassionate understanding, and it is absorbing from start to finish.
Gritty, heart-breaking and wonderful all at once.
Prepare for an unsweetened heart-shredder of a novel, as raw as it is real.
Heart-wrenching and thought-provoking story of a family coping with an autistic child.
This touching novel tells the story of Jonah, a 10-year old boy who can't speak.
Lester's unusual book conveys a profound message about the whole spectrum of humanity... a thought-provoking and moving read.
It's the territory of Tony Parsons and Nick Hornby, infused with the Jewish humour of Howard Jacobson and Shalom Auslander. This impressive novel leads the reader through pathos, comedy and anger.
Whether you think Shtum is a novel about autism or about marriage (it's both, by the way), you will agree that it is, in the end, a love story infused with wit, charm, and a deep appreciation for the complex beauty of damaged souls.
