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What a Carve Up!

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What a Carve Up!

By: Jonathan Coe
Narrated by: Richard Goulding
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About this listen

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of What a Carve Up! by Jonathan Coe, read by Richard Goulding.

It is the 1980s, and the Winshaw family are getting richer and crueller by the year: newspaper-columnist Hilary gets thousands for telling it like it isn't; Henry's turning hospitals into car parks; Roddy's selling art in return for sex; down on the farm Dorothy's squeezing every last pound from her livestock; Thomas is making a killing on the stock exchange; and Mark is selling arms to dictators.

But once their hapless biographer, Michael Owen, starts investigating the family's trail of greed, corruption and immoral doings, the time is growing ripe for the Winshaws to receive their comeuppance....

This wickedly funny take on life under the Thatcher government was the winner of the 1995 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize.

Jonathan Coe's novels are filled with biting social commentary, moving and astute observations of life and hilarious set pieces that have made him one of the most popular writers of his generation.

©2019 Jonathan Coe (P)2019 Penguin Audio Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Political Satire Fiction Comedy Funny Thought-Provoking Witty

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Critic reviews

"A sustained feat of humour, suspense and polemic, full of twists and ironies." (Hilary Mantel, Sunday Times)

"A riveting social satire on the chattering and all-powerful upper classes." (Time Out)

"Big, hilarious, intricate, furious, moving." (Guardian)
All stars
Most relevant  
Superb. Amazing book.
Among the best narration on any talking book I’ve heard.
What a brilliant experience.

Loved it

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Loved this book. Great fun, with a real bite. Brilliantly read: the voices of the different male relatives really helped to follow a complex narrative. I would recommend watching the 1961 film beforehand; I watched it half way through the book and found having done so added to the enjoyment.

Entertaining and thought provoking

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This is one of the best books I’ve read (heard!) in ages. The writing is perfectly judged: funny, lyrical in a few places, biting, astute, human … just glorious. Jonathan Coe has written such a carefully and precisely structured novel. It slowly builds, interweaving storylines with sure and total artistry. I loved every moment of it.
The performance is - thank goodness - one of the best I’ve heard on Audible. The many voices are perfectly judged, and he certainly has a big cast of characters to present. If I could offer Richard Goulding a prize for best Audible narrator, I would.

Utterly brilliant.

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Super story, quality writing and brilliantly narrated.All the characters bring something special to the story

Great listen

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Having just finished this, I can't decide whether I love it or hate it.
Pros: Very Funny, very unique,
Cons: The ending is soooo implausible, and yet... that does fit with the theme.

Surreal, funny

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Brilliant book, great story, plausibly well written. I’ve come to Jonathan Coe very late, and have just listened to this in 2023, about 28 years after publication. Still absolutely relevant to the state of the nation.

Fantastic storytelling, perfectly read

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I listened to this recording in September 2025. I enjoyed it thoroughly and found it interesting that it was written in 95 as we were coming towards the end of our last unfortunate collision with a long time Conservative governance. The themes of this excellent book could equally apply to the last 14 years of squalid Government, running down the public realm and filling snouts from troughs whilst the populace suffer in mostly grim silence. Highly recommended, a deliciously interwoven story of corrupt power. It helped that I knew very well all the great film references.

Nothing ever changes

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This has been one of my favourite reads for a long time. Carry on, meets Cluedo, meets Macbeth. Beautifully and cleverly interwoven narratives, the funniest attempt at a sex scene ever and a better whodunnit that Agatha Christie would approve of.
Narration is perfect, with faultless timing and some brilliant characterisation. This will continue to be my favourite as this audiobook did not disappoint.

My favourite book

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A brilliant story, one of Coe's best, narrated just as it should be. This is a five star purchase. The story is brilliant. Definitely worth a credit.

Brilliant

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I really enjoyed this book. The narration was faultless, and the story was also memorable. Thank you Johnathan Coe. Keep up the good work!111

Absorbing

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