Neil writes in with this question:
I’m trying to remember the name of a new book I’ve recently read about and I can’t quite put my finger on it. I think the general concept was that it was about a guy who was in an accident and when he wakes up, he has no memory of his life or who he is. Once the company that caused his accident pays him damages, he hires a bunch of actors to essentially play his family and friends. I think it’s a British book. Does this sound familiar? Would love to remember the name.
As luck would have it, the book you describe was reviewed here at The Millions by Andrew back in February. It’s Remainder by Tom McCarthy. Of the book’s high concept hook, Andrew wrote:
You’d think all of this would be implausible, but the rendering is so painstakingly detailed that every time you think, “but what about…?”, you find that McCarthy is one step ahead of you. He’s already worked out the logical leaps. And once you wrap your mind around the notion that money can buy any service, somehow the improbable becomes possible.
For more on Remainder, check out its page at The Complete Review, chock full of links to commentary on the book.
Thanks for writing, Neil!