The Body

A Novel

De: Hanif Kureishi

Narrado por: Nicholas Guy Smith

"After a bit you realize there's only one invaluable commodity. Not gold or love, but time."

How far are we willing to go to stay young? Hanif Kureishi -- acclaimed author of The Buddha of Suburbia and Intimacy -- explores the possibilities in this provocative story of an older man whose brain is surgically placed in a younger man's body by a network of underground doctors.

Adam is offered the chance to trade in his sagging flesh for a much younger and more pleasing model. He tells his wife and son that he is going on an extended vacation. He immediately embarks on an odyssey of hedonism, but soon finds himself regretting what he left behind and feeling guilt over the responsibilities he has ignored. Sinister forces pursue him, wanting possession of "his" body, and he soon finds himself with nowhere to turn.

"A fluent, socially observant writer whose sentences move with intelligence and wit" (The New York Times Book Review), Kureishi presents us with both a fantastically vivid tale and hard-hitting questions about our own relationships with our minds and bodies -- and with time that is running out.

Could have been so much better

I returned The Body before reviewing it. Or finishing it. I listened to Nicholas Guy Smith read 'A Gentleman in Moscow' and wanted to hear more of his voice so I gave this one a try. Great premise (an old fart temporarily inhabits a beautiful, attractive, younger man's body), great reader, but the main character never figures out what to do with himself, so he ends up meandering around Europe having sex. A lot. I was listening while shopping at Sam's Club. Funny how I can look at my groceries and associate each item with his escapades. Romaine lettuce - a beautiful model. White cheddar popcorn - Lots of men. AAA batteries - menopausal women. I can't really skip ahead with an audiobook so back it went.