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Synopsis

In the first year of the 20th Century, a young Englishman returns home from the Boer War. Disillusioned with Empire and fearful for the soul of Albion, he sets out on a pilgrimage into the West Country, determined to identify the key elements of the English character that they may be forever preserved.

In the present day, a young London entrepreneur, owner of the ‘cultural consultancy’ Authenticity™, defines his contemporaries through their consumer choices with bewildering accuracy and smells money when he discovers a hot new talent called Nobody who has recorded a hip-hop version of the classic hymn ‘Jerusalem’.

His father, meanwhile, a junior minister in a failing government, is sent to Africa to deal with the continent’s latest tin pot despot. He is as confident of success as he is ambitious of what that success will mean for his career.

Unfailingly relevant, politically astute, moving and funny, Jerusalem is a loving portrait of Englishness as it never was, isn’t now and, hopefully, never will be.

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Reviews

Critic Review:

‘Bitingly, laugh-out-loud satirical, politically sharp, absolutely on-the-money in portraying social class niches, Jerusalem is, quite simply, a must read’
Daily Mail

‘Patrick Neate’s colourful satirical writing has always stood at some über-cool crossroads between pop culture, social theory, racial politics and good old-fashioned belief in the power of storytelling.  Jerusalem…is his most accomplished… It’s a tricky thing to keep so many balls spinning but Neate finally makes it look easy’
Book of the Week, Metro

‘Think David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas…compelling’
Thelondonpaper

‘Neate brutally satirises contemporary politics and culture and examines the long shadow Britain has left in its former colonies’
Word magazine

‘[A] funny, emotional and beautifully observed tale looks at family, friendship and justice courtesy of colourful characters that sing right off the page’
Bella magazine

More

Patrick Neate on writing about music:

Writing about music is like dancing about architecture? I'm beginning to think it's a whole lot tougher; especially since I learned the windmill and the chicken shack. Nonetheless, people keep doing it - myself included - and sometimes well. Five books about music I've recently enjoyed are:

Ego Trip's Book Of Rap Lists
A book of lists about rap that includes things like ' Lyrics That Hurt People's Feelings' and '5 Records That Changed Funkmaster Flex's Life' - what's not to like?

Kill Your Friends by John Niven
It's a memoir disguised as a novel, about the music industry in the 1990s (a time when I was a music journalist). It's disgusting, shallow and very funny; which is pretty much how I remember it.

The Magic Spring' by Richard Lewis
Richard Lewis used to be my next door neighbour. This is his pilgrimage around England to find the heart of the national character in folk music; an idea as old as Cecil Sharp and, therefore, one I felt ok about borrowing for one of the characters in 'Jerusalem', my new novel.

Louis Armstrong: An Extraordinary Life by Laurence Bergreen
My favourite biography. It's breadth and scholarship are just extraordinary, and the facts of Louis's life are beyond fiction.

Culture Is Our Weapon by Patrick Neate and Damian Platt
Is it cheeky to recommend one of your own books? Well, I have lately read it again, in preparation for its American publication (at last!). It's an account of Rio's drug wars and how a charity called AfroReggae helps people use music to escape. I'm proud of it.

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