Mr. Mee

Elderly Scottish bookworm Mr Mee searches the Internet for the legendary Rosier's Encyclopaedia which supposedly outlines an 18th-century quantum theory. Instead he enters a strange new world of cyber-hoaxers and online pornography. Meanwhile university lecturer Dr Petrie, an expert on Jean-Jacques Rousseau, recounts his infatuation with one of his own students. And in the third strand of this unique comedy of ideas, Rousseau's Laurel-and-Hardy-like neighbours Ferrand and Minard hold the key to Rosier's Encyclopaedia, Rousseau's madness, and Mr Mee himself.Combining history and fantasy, philosophy and farce, Crumey's novel is an intellectual page-turner that keeps the reader laughing and guessing to the end. 'This book is fabulous stuff: erudite but not patronising, elegantly and simply written, jumping ambitiously across centuries but with a good dash of down-to-earth lust for entertainment.