Excerpt from The Bad Book Affair by Ian Sansom, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

“It wasn’t me got us started on the subject of yer hartship,” said Ted.

“Anyway,” said Israel.

They pulled off the main road.

“Ye all ready for the morning, then?” said Ted.

“Oh yes,” said Israel, who wasn’t ready at all. He’d spent the best part of two weeks in bed reading David Foster Wallace, and he’d lost all track of time, place, sense, meaning, or himself. “What day is it? Where are we going?”

“It’s Friday. All day. Morning in the lay-by. And then we’re off to the school.”

“Oh god. No.”

“No language, thank ye.”

“Oh Jesus,” said Israel.

“Shut up,” said Ted, leaning over and slapping Israel across the back of his head. “I’ll not tell ye again.”

Israel and Ted were back in business.

Excerpted from The Bad Book Affair by Ian Sansom. Copyright © 2010 by Ian Sansom. Excerpted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.