The Sparsholt affair

From the internationally acclaimed winner of the Man Booker Prize comes a masterly novel that spans seven transformative decades in England, exploring the complex relationships of a remarkable family. In 1940, David Sparsholt arrives at Oxford to study engineering, aiming to join the Royal Air Force. Charismatic and athletic, he remains unaware of his impact on others, particularly Evert Dax, the lonely son of a celebrated novelist destined to become a writer. Amid the chaos of World War II and the Blitz, Oxford serves as a backdrop for fleeting beauty and secret liaisons, where a friendship between David and Evert develops, leading to unexpected consequences. This novel delves into the legacy of David Sparsholt across three generations, revealing how his life influences friends and family. Through vividly rendered episodes—such as a Sparsholt holiday in Cornwall, eccentric gatherings at the Dax home, and the adventures of David's son Johnny in 1970s London—the narrative captures shifts in taste, morality, and private life. As it evokes the increasing openness of gay life, the story becomes a meditation on human transience, poignantly expressing the longing for permanence and continuity.