CHRISTOPHER MATTHEW
WRITER & BROADCASTER
A BUS PASS NAMED DESIRE. Illustrations by Tony Ross. Little, Brown, 2016.
'It's never too late to have a fling, for autumn is just as nice as spring...'
Christopher Matthew's latest collection of canny comic verse negotiates the perils and pitfalls of romance in later years. Love is revealed in the most unlikely places, with the most improbable people seeking it. Whether in Diss, Dorking, Clapham Junction or West Wittering, there are amorous opportunities waiting to be seized at the bridge table, on the tennis court, in the herbaceous border, on a bicycle made for two, or simply in warm companionship.
Often hilarious and always touching, these delightful and stirring tales of late- flowering love (and even a spot of mild debauchery in a retirement home) are a celebration of life for the young at heart.
And never again will you take the 49 bus without a sideways glance at the driver.
'It is high time some brave bard took up his pen in praise of senior sensuality, and Christopher Matthew has risen to the challenge. There is something endearingly familiar about the characters who populate this slim volume, amusingly illustrated by Tony Ross.' Jane Shilling. Daily Mail.
'A delightful unexpected gift which has already given me pleasure and I can clearly see is going to give me much more.' Diana Athill.
'Enchanting.' Patricia Hodge
'What a book! And what a glorious title!' John Julius Norwich
'It made me scream with laughter.' Jilly Cooper.
'A perfect blend of warmth and sharp wit, with some stunning last lines.' Oliver Pritchett
'A wise and funny book.' Deborah Moggach.
'Funny, witty and clever, and a perfect gift.' Ray Connolly
'I look forward to having a chance to read it.' Michael Frayn