Though most popular for his work for and on television, Stephen Fry – the famous actor, comedian and writer – has also written several fiction and non-fiction books that deserve to be talked about and praised.
The best of Stephen Fry in a literary sense are probably his four novels, one of which won the prestigious Sidewise Award for Alternate History.
Making History
The awarded novel was published in 1996 and was titled “Making History” – in line with the plot that features several attempts by a university student to change the horrible events of the 20th century. The young Michael teams up with a friend to create a time machine which will send a newly discovered male contraceptive pill back through time, to Hitler’s father who will drink it and remain childless.
The boys’ intentions were as good as they come, but the outcome was a disaster. Michael wakes up to a new, changed world where Hitler never existed, but in his place a monstrous Rudolph Gloder led the same Nazi army and, unlike Hitler, never lost the war. The Nazi Germany is now ruling Europe, and most of the Jews had been poisoned through water. Realizing what he had done, Michael reverses the events once again, and this time it seems he did good; except for one thing… But we don’t want to spoil it for future readers.
The Liar
This is Mr. Fry’s first book. It follows three periods in the life of a pathological liar, Adrian Healy: his childhood and school years, university phase and a spying game period. Having received a top education and life’s good fortunes, Adrian finds “ordinary life” boring, so he gets mixed up in a series of adventures that involve murder, traveling through Europe and espionage… only to discover that all of it was just a game.
Hippopotamus
Stephen Fry’s third novel is probably the funniest of his books. It is written in epistolary form, and the letters are written by the main character, Edward Lennox Wallace, to his goddaughter. Having lost his job, Edward follows the advice of his goddaughter and visits a married couple in their country house who seem to be hiding a secret. It is his mission to uncover the secretive practices of the household (the hosts and their many intriguing guests), but the deeper he goes with his investigation, the stranger the events become.
The Stars’ Tennis Balls
Taking inspiration from the all-time classic “The Count of Monte Cristo,” Stephen Fry wrote an exciting modern day account of an unjust arrest of an innocent young man, his escape from a lunatic asylum and his long-coveted revenge.
All of Stephen Fry’s books are witty, humorous and imaginative, and have received positive reviews from the critics and the general audience.
He also wrote two autobiographies: “Moab is My Washpot” and “The Fry Chronicles”; people who love his writing will certainly enjoy his personal accounts as well, because that humorous note is present in all his writing, always enjoyable.
‘The Best of Stephen Fry’ was written in collaberation with AudioGo, suppliers of audio and large print books. Why not check out their range of titles online, or get buy your Stephen Fry Audiobook here!