Expo 58

Paperback Published on: 26/06/2014
Price: £10.99
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Bookseller Reviews

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Expo 58
A Brilliant Comedy
I really enjoyed Jonathan Coe's latest novel, a clever and funny story of a middle class Civil servant's blundering attempts at international espionage dur... READ MORE
Jen Wootton at Covent Garden
Expo 58
Coe at his best!
This latest novel from Jonathan Coe is one of my favourites from him, OK - I still have What a Carve Up at the top of the list. Set, unsurprisingly in 1958... READ MORE
June Davies at Northallerton

Synopsis

Expo 58 by Jonathan Coe - Spies, girls and an Englishman abroad. Trust no one.

London, 1958: unassuming civil servant Thomas Foley is plucked from his desk job and sent on a six-month trip to Brussels. His task: to keep an eye on The Britannia, a brand new pub which will form the heart of the British presence at Expo 58 - the biggest World's Fair of the century.

As soon as he arrives, Thomas is equally bewitched by the surreal, gigantic Atomium, which stands at the heart of this brave new world, and by Anneke, a lovely Flemish hostess. But Thomas's new-found sense of freedom comes at a price: two British spies are following him.

For fans of Jonathan Coe's classic comic bestsellers What a Carve Up! and The Rotters' Club, this hilarious new novel, which is set in the Mad Men period of the mid 50s, will also be loved by readers of Nick Hornby, William Boyd and Ian McEwan.

'Clever and funny, enthralling and moving. Wonderful!' Daily Mail

'Rich and splendidly comic' Independent
Written with his signature wit, Jonathan Coe's unmissable new novel, The Proof of My Innocence, is available to order now!

Publisher information

  • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
  • ISBN: 9780241966907
  • Number of pages: 288
  • Dimensions: 196 x 129 x 19 mm
  • Weight: 206g
  • Languages: English

Customer Reviews

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Expo 58
already one of my favourite books!!
I absolutely loved this book. Having never read anything by Jonathon Coe before, and knowing nothing about Expo 58, I began reading with no idea what to ex... READ MORE
Sazza
Expo 58
Good read
The setting of the Brussels World Fair of 1958, the first major international trade expo to take place after World War II is an intriguing one. It provides... READ MORE
Immy
Expo 58
A great read
This book is about the 1958 World Trade Fair held in Brussels, and Thomas Foley, who finds himself running the Britannia Pub in the British Pavilion. An un... READ MORE
Jennifer Guertin
Expo 58
Entertaining Nostalgic Farce
Expo 58 is a delightfully entertaining novel which takes us to an era of glamour, European unity and hope, overshadowed by the threat of the cold war. This... READ MORE
Russian Literature Lover
Expo 58
Funny, sad, superb. Genuine page turner, must read
I approached this book with some trepidation as I was scared of being disappointed. 'What A Carve Up' and 'The Rotters' Club' are so good, and Jonathan Coe... READ MORE
Shane Lowe
Expo 58
Light hearted Cold war spy story
I received this as a review copy, and have not come across the author before. I tend to be wary of books described as "comic", fearing a tendency to be be... READ MORE
RosieReader
Expo 58
A real surprise.
So this book is based fictitiously around the 1958 World Trade Fair held in Brussels and focuses on Thomas Foley a man who works for the COI in London and ... READ MORE
Maryleg23
Expo 58
Fascinating and surprising read
As a new reader to Jonathan Coe, I didn't know what to expect from Expo 58. What I found was a funny, gentle view of an English gentleman abroad thrown int... READ MORE
MerryWife
Expo 58
Absolutely brilliant! Jonathan Coe's best book yet
I loved Jonathan Coe's Expo 58. It manages to mix humour and pathos perfectly as it tells the story of Mr Foley, a lowly civil servant, caught up in intern... READ MORE
Evie K
Expo 58
Happy memories of Expo 58
Expo 58 was waiting for me to review on my recent return from holiday. What an unexpected and great pleasure this book provided, as it brought back many ha... READ MORE
Paul Hewins
Expo 58
An easy read
I haven't read anything by Jonathan Coe before, but found this book very easy to get in to. It is set in 1950s London and Belgium with spies and a touch of... READ MORE
Abigail M
Expo 58
a jaunty tale
I had not heard of this author before when asked to review this book but I will now add him to my list of writers whose other works I need to find. A bit ... READ MORE
quizqueen