Playing with words, perceptions

Matthew Kneale studied modern history at Oxford before teaching English in Japan, where he started writing. His novels include "Whore Banquets" (Somerset Maugham Award) and the superb "English Passengers" (Whitbread Prize). Kneale's new novel, "When We Were Romans" (Nan A. Talese/Doubleday, $23.95 ), is narrated by 9-year-old Lawrence, whose mother hastily transplants the family from Scotland to Rome because, she ... (Full article: 742 words)

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