COMP CLOSED | Book Giveaway | The Last Letter of Godfrey Cheathem

As Vladimir Nabokov expert Professor Brian Bode writes in his foreword to Godfrey Cheathem’s last letter:

“… I was able to play a prominent role in bringing his remarkable novel Chasing the Fading Light to worldwide attention. As was shown in my biography of Godfrey Cheathem (a New York Times #1 bestseller for 28 weeks), this was despite my doubts that a New Zealander — or, more particularly, this son of New Zealand — could have penned what is now recognised as not only a supreme Antipodean novel, but also as the novel that may yet prove to be one of the greatest of this new Oceanic century”.

Traumatised by his failure to match the creative successes of his precocious younger siblings – early over-achievers in theatre, music and fine arts – Godfrey Cheathem never expects that his baffling experimental pottery will one day lead him to the unlikely heights of international book publishing. There he meets a mysterious artist, a pivotal encounter on a journey of self-discovery that points up some of the many absurdities of New Zealand life and culture, and culminates in Godfrey’s comic yet anguished unravelling at a grand reunion at the Cheathem tūrangawaewae, the farm that has been in his wider family for generations.

Godfrey Cheathem died not long after completing his last letter in his cell in Paparua prison, never living to see the publication of his great novel. Cheathem’s letter is written to his sister, and tries to explain the events that led to his imprisonment.

Endorsements:

‘A comic novel – and, unusually in New Zealand, a very funny one – with serious themes underlying it. It is terrific, impressively inventive. I love the structure, and especially that it is so clever without being clever-dick.’ Stephen Stratford, editor of novels by Vincent O’Sullivan, Danyl McLauchlan, Paddy Richardson, Paul Thomas and others.

‘Traversing universal themes with insight and originality, it is frequently hilarious. Proper, laugh-out-loud hilarious. Engaging, artful, and moving in a way that surprised me.’ Ian Walthew, author of the critically acclaimed A Place In My Country, and The Complex Chemistry of Loss.

Author Note: ‘Around 2005 I started work on a memoir. Partly inspired by the slew of books written by high-flying businesspeople whose careers had hit a speed bump, I thought it would be fun to write about a career that was a disaster almost from start to finish. I shopped How to Succeed in Publishing around a few agents and publishers then shelved it for a few years, before noting that one of the publishing trends of the late 1990s, the “misery memoir”, still persisted. Starting with a little of the material from my earlier work, I set about writing the story of a character who was a terrible disappointment to his family of over-achieving creative artists, and experienced a different kind of misery to those of, say, Angela’s Ashes, but a “suffering every bit as valid as that fired in the kiln of poverty and despair, and every bit as painful”. I wanted the story to be comic, but also to explore serious themes, including belonging, authenticity and the concept of tūrangawaewae. Years later what emerged eventually became The Last Letter of Godfrey Cheathem.’

About the author:

Luke Elworthy was born in India and comes from a family of publishers and farmers. Growing up in Wellington, he was educated at Church of England boarding school Christ’s College, in Christchurch, and spent much of his school holidays at controversial Auckland cult, Centrepoint. He has worked in marketing, publicity and editorial roles with book publishers in New Zealand, Australia, the UK and the Netherlands, and he has an MA in Creative Writing from the International Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University in Wellington. He lives with his family just outside Blenheim. In 2022, with four other trustees, Luke established the Godfrey Cheathem Arts Residency for visiting artists and writers.

Terms and conditions

1. 1. You must be a GrownUps member and receive our newsletter to be eligible to win.
   2. Competition closes on the 2nd August 2022, winners will be notified via email by 4th August 2022.
   3. As a competition winner, you must confirm you have received our email notifying you of the win within three days. If we have not heard from you in three days the prize will be redrawn, and your prize will be forfeit.
   4. Winners are drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
   5. GrownUps employees and family are not eligible to enter.
   6. By entering the giveaway, you approve for GrownUps to use your name on social media as winner of the competition.
   7. One entry per person.
   8. Prize is non transferrable.
   9. You must reside in New Zealand – the prize will only be posted within New Zealand.
   10. You must be over 50 years of age to enter, check your details are correct in your membership dashboard.