Corkscrew
The Highly Improbable, but Occasionally True, Tale of a Professional Wine Buyer
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from Wish List failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Corkscrew
Buy Now for $27.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Peter Stafford-Bow
About this listen
Nominated for The People's Book Prize 2018.
Felix, a tragic orphan, is expelled from school, cast out onto the British high street, and forced to make his way in the cutthroat world of wine retail. Thanks to a positive mental attitude, he is soon forging a promising career, his sensual adventures taking him to the vineyards of Italy, South Africa, Bulgaria, and Kent.
His path to the summit, however, is littered with obstacles. Petty office politics, psychotic managers, and the British Board of Wine & Liquor prove challenging enough. But when Felix negotiates the world's biggest Asti Spumante deal, he is plunged into a vicious world of Mafiosi, people smuggling, and ruthless multinationals.
Part thriller, part self-help manual, and part drinking companion, Corkscrew is a coruscating critique of neoliberal capitalism, religious intolerance, and the perils of blind tasting.
©2018 Peter Stafford-Bow (P)2018 Peter Stafford-BowCritic Reviews
"One of the funniest novels I've ever read. I honestly didn't want this book to end." (The Wine Stalker)
"Boasting casual storytelling mastery and the sharp-tongued wit of Tom Robbins, Peter Stafford-Bow presents an incredibly amusing and unpredictable tale. For wine lovers or those who simply love a great story, this is a mad ramble through the tangled world of wine, taking readers across two continents and countless adventures of one exceptional character, Felix Hart. Corkscrew is a strange cross between a thriller and a farce, but Stafford-Bow pulls it off with panache - and a self-aware smirk on his face." (John Staughton, author)
What listeners say about Corkscrew
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Asa Joseph
- 12-05-2019
A bit silly, but...
Often hear criticism of the narration on Audible, but this one was really well done - lots of characters, lots of accents, entertainingly read. The story is a little silly at times - far fetched in the detail, but a comedic play on some real life scenarios. Big retail, wine snobbery, the ‘Minstrels’ of wine - if you know about any of these things, even in passing, I think you’ll find this book really entertaining.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- Veronica
- 21-08-2018
Barely humourous. Occasionally. Just.
I read a review that said this was a laugh out loud book. It's not. At all. It improves marginally in the second half, but only because more happens, not because it's funnier.
For the first half of the book is marginally funny in parts but it's about a young man that does nothing much to endear you to him. I assume it's supposed to be taken tounge-in-cheek but it's so poorly done you just dislike him.
In the middle I fast forwarded (first time ever ?) thru two incredibly dull chapters that dealt with one single, torturously described event. If you make it that far I encourage you to do the same.
The last half of the book has more things happening...but I think the author has confused ridiculous with funny. This isn't Monty Python ridiculous. Just someone threading together very implausible events.
This book took a large measure of perseverance in order to finish it. It was time I wish I'd spent elsewhere.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!