June 25, 2005 wesley stace s first novel, misfortune, started its life as a song. The book begins with a foundling in a rubbish heap a foundling. But misfortune isnt a ballad, or an elizabethan play, or a popular novel of the 19th century. I was so impressed with his latest novel, charles jessold, considered as a murderer, that i rushed to read his previous book, by george. Misfortune by wesley stace, 9780316154482, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. This unforgettable debut is a rich, outrageous dickensian novel in the comic tradition of the. Bonus content born in hastings and educated at cambridge, wesley stace is also known as the musician john wesley harding.
Jun 02, 2010 misfortune by wesley stace misfortune i am not sure how i came about this book. Reading this book was akin to watching a music hall matinee. Wesley stace is a very good author who deserves to be better known. May 27, 2005 misfortune by wesley stace 531pp, cape. Victorian dandy lord geoffroy loveall is faced with a dilemma. Join facebook to connect with wesley stace and others you may know. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Buy the book, buy the cd songs of misfortune by the love hall tryst. Misfortune by wesley stace in this enjoyable 19th century potboiler with a twist, a boy is raised as a girl, and a balladeer plays a starring role in solving the mystery of her parentage. Wesley stace s brand new album, wesley stace s john wesley harding, featuring the legendary minneapolitan sounds of the jayhawks. Buy a cheap copy of misfortune book by wesley stace. Charles jessold, considered as a murderer by wesley stace. Click to read more about misfortune by wesley stace.
He is also a university teacher and the curator of wesley stace s cabinet of wonders. Elysia smith recommends misfortune by wesley stace. Staceaka folk singer john wesley hardingmakes his fiction debut with a rollicking adventure told in classic bawdyromance style. Twirling the ends of his moustache, the young lord. A novel by wesley stace a rich, outrageous, dickensian novel in the comic tradition of the crimson petal and the white about a boy raised as a girl in the richest home in 19th century england. A dirty young man of no more than fifteen years, he stood at the door of a crooked house in an alley, out of breath, gasping for air and wondering what to do. Stace is the pseudonym of singersongwriter john wesley harding. When i was at the library i saw one of wes other books and thought about taking it. Lord geoffroy loveall is the richest man in england, reclusive, and heretofore heirless lord of the sprawling manse of love hall. Wesley stace has fashioned his second excellent novel in by george. She cared for for these, too they were books after all, and she would sooner have her own spine broken than manhandle a book but not with the same devotion, and they were placed in a neat pile on the floor. Wes discusses the new book with comedian eugene mirman.
Set in england in the late 1800s, misfortune is the story of rose loveall, a discarded orphan taken in by an eccentric lord, who proceeds to raise the child as a girldespite the fact that rose was born with a penis. That was the readerville adage last year, when wesley stace s debut novel was making the rounds. Even so, staces debut novel moves along quickly thanks to his engaging storytelling. Wesley stace is the author of the international bestseller misfortune and by george.
Misfortune book by wesley stace 5 available editions half. Recorded by tucker martine, produced by scott mccaughey, written by wesley stace and eleanor friedberger. Misfortune has 5 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace. It was also nominated for the guardian first book award, and shortlisted for both the commonwealth writers prize and the james tiptree, jr.
Stace s abundant cleverness sometimes slips into preciousness, but the narrative is full of surprises, mixing up an utterly modernand even postmodernstory of sexual awakening and selfdiscovery with a quirky but believable portrait of life, at least of a kind, in early modern england, all very well done. He has released 8 solo albums and toured as the opening act for the mighty lemon drops, michelle shocked, and bruce springsteen. Twelve brand new recordings11 originals and one coverreleased by yep roc. Thats because the author is known first and foremost as singer.
A novel by wesley stace and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Misfortune by wesley stace 2006, paperback for sale. Theres a delicious description in wesley stace s debut novel, misfortune, when the principal character returns home after a years absence. Apr 11, 2005 born in hastings and educated at cambridge, wesley stace is also known as the musician john wesley harding. Misfortune, is the 2005 debut novel by wesley stace. Wesley stace has always been the only genuinely gifted fiction writer who also happens to be a rock star, but wonderkid is. The book was one of the washington posts books of the year and chosen by as one of the ten best novels of 2005. April 2005 it wasnt enough for wesley stace to be a successful musician and a devastatingly handsome guy. This genderbending romp about a boy raised as a girl in 19thcentury englandpenned by musician john wesley harding, writing here under his real namemore than lives up to the hype it will.
This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising. Read on to listen to three original songs inspired by the book. Wesley stace born 22 october 1965 is a folkpop singersongwriter and author who has used the stage name john wesley harding. He has released fifteen albums under the name john wesley harding, and he lives in philadelphia. Misfortune is a musically rousing treat, hitting dickensonian notes with stace s wistful prose. Misfortune by wesley stace book cover, description, publication history. British singersongwriter john wesley harding is a master at cramming verbose stories into fun threeminute pop songs. Gothic novels, wesley stace, fiction, england, abbey tyson. Stace aka folk singer john wesley hardingmakes his fiction debut with a rollicking adventure told in. Misfortune by wesley stace and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Misfortune by wesley stace signed book advance reading copy. A dirty young man of no more than fifteen years, he stood at. Misfortune by wesley stace 2006, paperback for sale online.
While wesley stace is not quite americanhes british, but hes lived here for fifteen yearshis amazingly accomplished debut novel is precisely the kind of rebellious anachronism that wallace augured. In its premise, plot, pacing, style, and enormous cast of characters, misfortune operates. Both in song and in print, stace is a master of wordplaynearly every page of misfortune seems to contain some sly wink at the attentive readera second read seems almost imperative to absorb all or most of the novels nuancesthe first time around youre busy just enjoying the ride. Set in the early years of the ninetenth century and an england at once as believable as sarah waters and as grotesque as mervyn peakes, misfortune is a gothic novel for our times a huge, rich, funny, exciting work of fiction that is destined to become a classic. It might have been a recommendation for another book, or simply finding the cover. Misfortune is to middlesex as carter beats the devil is to the amazing adventures of kavalier and clay. In the latest installment of our recommended reads series elysia smith, recent english department graduate, recommends misfortune by wesley stace. His novel, misfortune, was published by little, brown in 2004. Misfortune by wesley stace signed book advance reading copy on a moonlit night on the outskirts of london, lord geoffroy loveall findsthe answer to his prayers. Musical influences are on display in his genderbending debut novel, misfortune, a historical tale set in 19thcentury england about an abandoned boy raised as a girl. Educated at cambridge, wesley stace also known as john wesley harding cut short his ph. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. British novelist wesley stace doesnt have the benefit of a bouncy beat, so it takes him 544 pages to tell his story in misfortune.
Elysia smith recommends misfortune by wesley stace ball. The official music page for singersongwriter wesley stace. A novel by wesley stace a rich, outrageous, dickensian novel in the comic tradition of the crimson petal and the white about a boy raised as. Misfortune 9780316830348 by wesley stace and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Wesley stace, author of misfortune, on librarything. June 25, 2005 wesley staces first novel, misfortune, started its life as a song. Aug 15, 2019 a misfortune download by e wesley stace this is one of the best contemporary novels that i have read in a long time, and i would recommend it to anyone it certainly possesses that 19th century classic novel feel, with the woven complications and the aristocratic concerns however, this book is just strange enough to keep itself from falling into a classic remake this isn t a parody this. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Even so, stace s debut novel moves along quickly thanks to his engaging storytelling. Considering that stace leads something of a double life himself, it makes sense for his fiction debut to be built upon secret identities, parallels and opposites and the things that bind them together. For a first novel, stace has crafted a tale that is as breezy as a summers day, yet thick with the. Misfortune 9780224072762 by stace, wesley and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Jun 06, 2005 misfortune by wesley stace in this enjoyable 19th century potboiler with a twist, a boy is raised as a girl, and a balladeer plays a starring role in solving the mystery of her parentage. One of the most auspicious debuts of recent years, wesley staces misfortune follows the rise, fall, and triumphant return of rose old, a foundling rescued from a.
Wonderkid wesley stace has always been the only genuinely gifted fiction writer who also happens to be a rock star, but wonderkid is the book he was born to write. One of the most auspicious debuts of recent years, wesley stace s misfortune follows the rise, fall, and triumphant return of rose old, a foundling rescued from a. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. One day in 1820 lord geoffroy loveall, the fey, neurotic heir to the richest estate in britain, traverses the capital on a pointless errand from. In this second novel about different generations of british entertainers, family secrets loom large, as they did in stace s debut misfortune 2005. The book creates a world probably littleknown to most americans, the english music hall of the 1920s and 1930s, a special vaudevillian milieu in which ventriloquism could thrive as a major fine art and broad entertainment. Misfortune book by wesley stace 5 available editions. Wesley stace is the author of the international bestseller misfortune, by george, and charles jessold, considered as a murderer. The victorian novel revolves around a crossdressing heirheiress. And if you prefer your novels brazen, poignant and hilarious, as i do, you were born to read it. Wesley staces brand new album, wesley staces john wesley harding, featuring the legendary minneapolitan sounds of the jayhawks. In the latest installment of our recommended reads series elysia smith, recent english department graduate, recommends misfortune by wesley stace as a literature enthusiast, i am constantly on the prowl for books that not only challenge me but also manage to walk that line between easyread and complex yet enthralling.