Author | Ali Smith |
---|---|
Cover artist | Rachel Whiteread |
Language | English |
Publisher | Hamish Hamilton (UK) Pantheon (US) |
Publication date | June 2011 (UK) Sep 2011 (US) |
Publication place | United Kingdom |
Media type | |
Pages | 357 |
ISBN | 978-0375424090 |
There But For The is a 2011 novel by Scottish author Ali Smith, first published in the UK by Hamish Hamilton and in the US by Pantheon,[1] and set in 2009 and 2010 in Greenwich, London. It was cited by both The Guardian book review and the Publishers Weekly as one of the best books of the year.[2][3] and was also longlisted for the 2012 Orange Prize for Fiction.[4]
The story revolves around Miles Garth, an 'ethical consultant' who attends an ‘annual alternative dinner party’ at an upper-middle class household in Greenwich. After the main course Miles goes upstairs, locks himself in the spare bedroom and refuses to leave indefinitely. Eventually becoming a minor celebrity when crowds gather outside the window, Miles highlights the effects of a consumerist and celebrity-based culture as various attempts are made to capitalise on his presence within the room. The name 'Miles' is replaced by 'Milo' as Garth is henceforth positioned as some form of new spiritual leader for the 'disenfranchised'.
The book is divided into four main narrative parts:
Upon release, There But For The was generally well-received among the British press. On The Omnivore, in an aggregation of British critic reviews, the book received a score of 3.5 out of 5. [5] Culture Critic gave it an aggregated critic score of 94 percent based on British press reviews. [6]