C

Tom McCarthy is a writer and conceptual artist. He was born in 1969 and lives in London. His book “C” has been shortlisted for the 2010 Man Booker Prize.

C is a 1960s-style anti-novel that is built upon the early years of radio transmission. It is a historical fantasy, sometimes witty and sometimes mysterious and quirky. The central figure, Serge Carrefax, is born in 1898 on an estate named Versoie in southern England. His father, an eccentric inventor, oversees a school for deaf children; his mother, who is deaf and was once the father's pupil, manufactures silk. Serge and his older sister, Sophie, grow up surrounded by transmitters and insects; Serge gets the wireless bug, while Sophie develops an interest in natural history. Sophie begins to channel cryptic messages. With the First World War looming, things begin to change dramatically for Serge. McCarthy himself has described this novel in previous interviews as dealing with technology and mourning.