That said, I did enjoy SFINTY, even if the author did cheat with the format. And the remarkable thing is that a book about so deeply serious a … Alfred Jones is a henpecked, slightly pompous middle-aged scientist at the National Centre for Fisheries Excellence in London when he is approached by a mysterious sheikh about an outlandish plan to introduce the sport of salmon fishing into the Yemen. Although, at first glance, neither of these conceits sound particularly exciting. The … I can see what you mean. Torday was 59 when the book was published. It could have been a very short story, but in fact it made for a rather engaging novel. Two USPs in one novel can’t be bad. They ask; ‘Which world comes out with most credit, do you think?’ There is a growing strand of mysticism as the book progresses, but though the conflict between different outlooks and lifestyles is addressed, it isn’t pushed too hard – the author leaves the reader to think about it themselves. Compare book prices from over 100,000 booksellers. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is a debut comedy novel written by Paul Torday and published in 2007. The book tells of the heroic efforts to bring one man's dream to fruition. Summary; Film adaptation; See also; References; External links; Torday was 59 when the book was published. Sheikh Muhammad has a vision of importing the noble sport of salmon fishing to his native Yemen, and decides to throw some of his considerable fortune towards bringing it about. The book is about a project where the UK gets involved in a project that aims at introducing Atlantic salmon in the Arabic country Yemen, which is probably most known for its unfortunate role in terrorist enrolling and education as well as some less flattering involvement in the trade of rhinoceros horns used for handles on tribal knives. The story is based around a Yemeni sheik who loves salmon fishing, and enlists the (initially rather unwilling) help of a British fisheries expert to bring salmon to a river in the Yemen. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is a debut comedy novel written by Paul Torday and published in 2007.. The first is the bizarre subject matter (salmon fishing in the Yemen?!) In my defence, I have read some genuinely funny novels (I would recommend anything by Douglas Adams or Ben Elton). I don’t know if that’s because my sense of comedy is lacking, or a damning indictment of the quality of comedy in so-called comedy novels. I’m quite sure that if Paul Torday had wanted, he could have written it as a fully credible serious piece. Not only the plot of the book (as you can understand from the title) is odd, the way Paul Tordy tells this funny story is itself peculiar. Copyright for the cover of ‘Salmon Fishing in the Yemen’, in the absence of a credit within the book, presumably belongs to the publisher. Had this been followed faithfully it could have either made for an impossibly dry, tedious novel, or would have required a considerably higher and more sustained level of comedy than the book actually has (did I say I’ll come back to that later?). ( Log Out /  Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Salmon Fishing In The Yemen Ewan McGregor plays a fisheries expert, while Emily Blunt plays a business consultant and both are thrown into a unique job assignment that sends them from London to Yemen under the orders of a very rich and enigmatic sheik. All of this did what for me is a cardinal sin for a writer of fiction – it disturbed my willingness to suspend my disbelief. ( Log Out /  Find Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (9780753821787) by Torday, Paul. It relies on literary ‘quirkiness’ rather like A Visit From The Goon Squad by Pulitzer Prize winner Jennifer Egan. So Paul Torday's debut novel is about an impossibility. Learn why I think the film adaptation of "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" is better than the book! And I have to admit that wrapping up the story with a summary of the conclusions of a House of Commons Foreign Affairs select committee is rather cool. This is the story of Dr Alfred Jones, a fisheries scientist - for whom diary-notable events include the acquisition of a new electric toothbrush and g… It's true now, and it will have been true in 2007, when Salmon Fishing in the Yemen was … Synopsis. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen Critics Consensus Quirky and a little reserved, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is nonetheless a charming little romantic drama sold by some strong central performances. I can’t see what the problem is with telling a story straight, without gimmicks. 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