About the book
Thomas Wainewright - Regency fop, literary hanger-on, collector of art and artifacts, forger and deported felon - is considered one of the most notorious of English murderers. He is believed to have been one of the first recorded serial killers. James King takes on this spectral character in his first novel, Faking, and examines a number of serious questions. Was Wainewright a faker? It’s historical \"fact\" that he forged sketches, paintings, letters and banknotes - but, more importantly, did he fake his life? In a complex tapestry of styles and voices, King plays with the assumptions of originality and experience, of academic fashions and biography. Told through the voice of a Toronto housewife, Thomas Wainewright’s story is revealed through the voices of its main characters: the overly sensitive Tom, who wishes to address the characterizations of which he perceives himself to be victim (an essay by Wilde, a character in Dickens, a novel by Bulwer-Lytton); Tom’s cunning wife, Eliza; his sister-in-law, Helen; and his son, Griffiths. Wainewright asserts his innocence of the murders (of his uncle, his mother-in-law, and his sister-in-law) but lays claim to the more fashionable - if not prestigious - guilt of forging a number of canvases, including the Gainsborough reproduced on the cover of the Simon & Pierre edition of Faking. With a deft hand, James King weaves together the language of the Regency with the language of contemporary prose (while knocking the academic conventions) to provide the reader with a novel that is sure to entertain and, at its end, cause a moment of reflection on the nature and importance of authenticity, of leading an authentic life. The Dundurn Group is pleased to announce the release of James King’s first novel, Faking. This is the first of five literary books to be published this season under the revived literary imprint, Simon & Pierre.
Editions of Faking
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780889242852
- EBook
- ISBN 9781554885299
- PDF
- ISBN 9781459702851
Read an Excerpt
Thomas Wainewright - Regency fop, literary hanger-on, collector of art and artifacts, forger and deported felon - is considered one of the most notorious of English murderers. He is believed to have been one of the first recorded serial killers. James King takes on this spectral character in his first novel, Faking, and examines a number of serious questions. Was Wainewright a faker? It’s historical \"fact\" that he forged sketches, paintings, letters and banknotes - but, more importantly, did he fake his life? In a complex tapestry of styles and voices, King plays with the assumptions of originality and experience, of academic fashions and biography. Told through the voice of a Toronto housewife, Thomas Wainewright’s story is revealed through the voices of its main characters: the overly sensitive Tom, who wishes to address the characterizations of which he perceives himself to be victim (an essay by Wilde, a character in Dickens, a novel by Bulwer-Lytton); Tom’s cunning wife, Eliza; his sister-in-law, Helen; and his son, Griffiths. Wainewright asserts his innocence of the murders (of his uncle, his mother-in-law, and his sister-in-law) but lays claim to the more fashionable - if not prestigious - guilt of forging a number of canvases, including the Gainsborough reproduced on the cover of the Simon & Pierre edition of Faking. With a deft hand, James King weaves together the language of the Regency with the language of contemporary prose (while knocking the academic conventions) to provide the reader with a novel that is sure to entertain and, at its end, cause a moment of reflection on the nature and importance of authenticity, of leading an authentic life. The Dundurn Group is pleased to announce the release of James King’s first novel, Faking. This is the first of five literary books to be published this season under the revived literary imprint, Simon & Pierre.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Faking about?
Thomas Wainewright - Regency fop, literary hanger-on, collector of art and artifacts, forger and deported felon - is considered one of the most notorious of English murderers. He is believed to have been one of the first recorded serial killers. James King takes on this spectral character in his first novel, Faking, and examines a number of serious questions. Was Wainewright a faker? It’s historical \"fact\" that he forged sketches, paintings, letters and banknotes - but, more importantly, did he fake his life? In a complex tapestry of styles and voices, King plays with the assumptions of originality and experience, of academic fashions and biography. Told through the voice of a Toronto housewife, Thomas Wainewright’s story is revealed through the voices of its main characters: the overly sensitive Tom, who wishes to address the characterizations of which he perceives himself to be victim (an essay by Wilde, a character in Dickens, a novel by Bulwer-Lytton); Tom’s cunning wife, Eliza; his sister-in-law, Helen; and his son, Griffiths. Wainewright asserts his innocence of the murders (of his uncle, his mother-in-law, and his sister-in-law) but lays claim to the more fashionable - if not prestigious - guilt of forging a number of canvases, including the Gainsborough reproduced on the cover of the Simon & Pierre edition of Faking. With a deft hand, James King weaves together the language of the Regency with the language of contemporary prose (while knocking the academic conventions) to provide the reader with a novel that is sure to entertain and, at its end, cause a moment of reflection on the nature and importance of authenticity, of leading an authentic life. The Dundurn Group is pleased to announce the release of James King’s first novel, Faking. This is the first of five literary books to be published this season under the revived literary imprint, Simon & Pierre.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Faking?
Fiction > Fiction: literary and general non-genre
Where can I read a sample of Faking?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780889242852
How long is Faking and how many pages does it have?
Faking has 214 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Faking?
James King
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Faking is available as paperback(ISBN 9780889242852) and ebook(ISBN 9781554885299) and pdf(ISBN 9781459702851)
Where can I buy Faking online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Faking from below