Bettie's Books

bookshelves: radio-4x, winter-20132014, published-2006, north-americas, california, amusing, flufferoonies, fradio, doo-lally

Description: Richard Novak is a modern-day Everyman, a middle-aged divorcé trading stocks out of his home. He has done such a good job getting his life under control that he needs no one- except his trainer, nutritionist, and housekeeper. He is functionally dead and doesn't even notice until two incidents-an attack of intense pain that lands him in the emergency room, and the discovery of an expanding sinkhole outside his house-conspire to hurl him back into the world. On his way home from the hospital, Richard forms the first of many new relationships: He meets Anhil, the doughnut shop owner, an immigrant who dreams big. He finds a weeping housewife in the produce section of the supermarket, helps save a horse that has fallen into the sinkhole, daringly rescues a woman from the trunk of her kidnapper's car, and, after the sinkhole claims his house and he has to relocate to a Malibu rental, he befriends a reluctant counterculture icon. In the end, Richard is also brought back in closer touch with his family-his aging parents, his brilliant brother, the beloved ex-wife whom he still desires, and finally, before the story's breathtaking finale, with his estranged son Ben.



BBC description: Penny Leicester's adaptation of the novel by AM Homes. Richard Novak has spent most of life getting rich in LA and avoiding people. Things are about to change.

Narrator ...... Darcy Halsey
Richard ...... Tony Pasqualini
Anhil ...... Mueen Jahan Ahmad
Ex wife ...... Adriana Sevan

With JB Blanc, Logan Fahey, Lisa Pelikan

Directed by Tim Dee.

Episode 1: 'Consider everything useful information.' Richard Novak is in pain. What does it mean?

2: Leaking legs, crying women and a doughnut man who wants to drive Richard's car. What does it mean? Starring Tony Pasqualini.

3: Richard's life is changing. He is still making millions but he has become an accidental hero as well, befriending a crying woman and rescuing a horse. Is he happier?

4: A hobo rummaging through bins, more doughnuts and a kidnapped woman in the boot of a car. What does it mean?

5: Richard's life has changed, but so has the city - it is on fire and seems to be falling into the Pacific Ocean. And Richard's son arrives to see him after years apart.