AUGUST Book of the Month - THE IMPROBABILITY OF LOVE: Join author HANNAH ROTHSCHILD for bookclub webchat on Monday 12 September, 8.30 - 9.30pm

[RachelMumsnet]

The Improbability of Love was shortlisted for the Bailey's Prize and described by Lynn Barber as "a fast-paced imbroglio of skullduggery, dirty dealing, even murder" that "finishes with a sort of James Bond flourish".

We think Hannah Rothschild's brilliant satire about love, crime and the glitzy London art scene is perfectly placed as our August book of the month. Apply for a free copy now, devour over the summer and join us on 12th September to chat about the novel and put your questions to Hannah who will be joining us between 8.30 and 9.30pm.

Find out more about the book and apply for a free copy. We'll post on this discussion thread when the 50 have been selected next week.

@HannahRothschild

[quote RachelMumsnet] We're delighted to welcome our bookclub guest this evening HANNAH ROTHSCHILD, author of the THE IMPROBABILITY OF LOVE, which was shortlisted for the Bailey's Prize for fiction and named winner of the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse prize for Comic Fiction. As well as award winning author, Hannah is a filmmaker, company director and serves on boards of various trusts and museums, including The National Gallery and The Tate, both of which appear at various times in the novel.

Thank you so much for giving us your time tonight Hannah and big congratulations on such a dazzling novel which was, for me, a perfect summer read; gripping, enlightening and genuinely funny.

We've got a few standard questions from Mumsnet HQ:

Which childhood book most inspired you?

I liked many- including those which were 'banned' like Enid Blyton and dick Francis

What was the last book you gave someone as a gift?
I gave my mum the Gustav Sonata by Rose Tremain

What was the best book you read over the summer?
Rohinton Mistry's 'A fine Balance'

And finally - can you describe the room where you wrote The Improbability of Love?

i am in it now- two large windows which are obscured by a giant willow tree outside.

Over to you Hannah....

@FoxInABox

I thought it was very brave and unique going with the painting as a narrator. I love the idea of giving a voice to something with such a story to tell, and such history- I wondered if this was part of the inspiration for giving the painting a voice? Also, how much did you draw on characters you have met in the art world yourself? Where the characters very stereotypical of many you have met?

thank you FoxInABox- so glad you liked the paintings voice. I def wanted the picture to tell its story- so many pictures have fascinating histories, have hung in great palaces, been owned by interesting people that i wanted to explore this idea.

the characters were directly inspired by people i know in the art world but with one exception not based on anyone in particular[/quote]

@wallers5

A beautifully researched cleverly written, fun and absorbing take on the International Art market, created by one of the world's greatest art and antique buying families. Very satisfying.

thanks wallers5 very pleased you liked it, Hannah

@JaneBand118

Hi Hannah- great that you were shortlisted for the Baileys Prize for fiction. How big a difference did this make to the interest in the book? Do you think it's important to have a women's prize for fiction?

JaneBand118 Thank you. I was very very pleased to be nominated. Winning makes a huge difference ( I didnt) but being nominated not so much. What really made the difference was being Waterstone's Book of the Month. That was also a great accolade and shifted a lot of copies!

@sjonlegs

I don't know where the 'webchat' is but if Hannah is reading this I just want to say what a wonderful read. I was thrilled, enlightened, empathetic and got great enjoyment from this book. I have to say it was 'unputdownable!'

Thank you- that is lovely to hear

@starlight36

What a wonderful novel - a real page-turner. My question for Hannah is do you think that your background as a film director and script writer influences your writing style? I'm asking this as the chapters where the picture was the narrator appeared had a cinematic feel to me and I felt that the novel would work well on either the small or big screen.

so glad you liked it. the book has been optioned by the same company that made Spotlight and The Revenant. I hope it will therefore come to a big or a small screen soon!

Can you let us know what's coming up next Hannah? Are you working on a new novel?

@FernieB

You're a busy person - how did you find time to write? Are you one of those writers who's up with the lark and written a few chapters before breakfast?

goodness no. I tend to write in fits and starts. i wish i was the kind of person you could set an egg timer to!

@RachelMumsnet

Can you let us know what's coming up next Hannah? Are you working on a new novel?

I am writing a new novel but its going very very slowly!

One thing I especially enjoyed about the book was the descriptions of the food - do you enjoy to cook (when you have time!) ?

@Rainer

I'm half way through the book and I am enjoying it. I find the main character a little less defined than some of the others but perhaps she will stand out more further on. I also find the picture narrative a bit hard to take, probably as much that the character isn't hugely likeable.

Characters shouldn't have to be likeable though, and I suspect it is more to do with where I am in the book more than anything else. I am enjoying the read. It arrived too late for me hols unfortunately so it takes a lot for me to read at home so it's strong testament that I've stuck with it!

I hope that you continue to stick with it and enjoy it

So pleased the books been optioned. It's so visual, it'll definitely work well. I shall look forward to watching it somewhere in the future.

@JaneBand118

One thing I especially enjoyed about the book was the descriptions of the food - do you enjoy to cook (when you have time!) ?

I adore eating but am not a particularly good cook. I did cook all the recipes in the book with varying degrees of success.

@FernieB

So pleased the books been optioned. It's so visual, it'll definitely work well. I shall look forward to watching it somewhere in the future.

thank you

Oh and also - if so, have you ever attempted any historical meals like Annie? I'm quite inspired to now!

I loved the book and wondered what inspired you to write it from the point of view of the painting? Which I found really interesting.

scrolling back through the answers, i see that not all mine have been published. so sorry if i have missed some out- not through want of trying or typing- just technologically challenged!

@vikegirl222

I loved the book and wondered what inspired you to write it from the point of view of the painting? Which I found really interesting.

so glad you loved the book. the idea of a talking painting came from being a child and wishing that the paintings could tell me about themselves and what they had seen

Thanks for answering - wow that's amazing! What turned out the best?

@JaneBand118

Oh and also - if so, have you ever attempted any historical meals like Annie? I'm quite inspired to now!

it is really good fun cooking historical meals. I have a book called something like 100 meals from history. it is a lot of fun seeing how tastes and ingredients changed although some things (thankfully) are no longer available. EG Swans and doormice

@JaneBand118

Thanks for answering - wow that's amazing! What turned out the best?

you cant go far wrong with an omelette!

Wow - I'm so impressed you cooked the recipes in the book. I really loved the food scenes - reminded me of the Peter Greenaway film, The Cook The Thief...

@RachelMumsnet

Wow - I'm so impressed you cooked the recipes in the book. I really loved the food scenes - reminded me of the Peter Greenaway film, The Cook The Thief...

loved that film too

That pretty much brings us to the end of the webchat. Thank you so much Hannah for taking time out of your busy schedule to join us tonight and for your thoughtful and interesting answers to our questions. It was such a brilliant summer read and we really hope to see it on the screen sometime. Please do join us again when your next novel is out. Thanks to everyone for joining us tonight.

thanks everyone for your questions. a thoroughly stimulating talk online. Now off to take the dogs out and think about that next novel......

finished reading this great book at the weekend, as a range of believable characters I am not that arty myself but I do know what I like, art is a real kettle of fish sometime I wonder if people get talked in liking a piece of art just because others rave over it or is it ones on gut feeling about a piece