Harry and Ida Swop Teeth
Released April 28th 2003
Isbn: 0953327574
Paperback (B format)
Pages: 176
Price: £7.99
publisher: Independent Music Press (IMP)
Publisher’s note:
The Darkly humourous second novel from maverick musician Stephen ‘Babybird’ Jones, author of the critically acclaimed debut, The Bad Book.Seventeen years ago in Little America, two babies were born Siamese: Harry and Ida Brick. They were joined at the head but later surgically seperated. Unfortunately, Harry retained less brain than Ida, so now they need money they haven’t got, to pay for an operation to save his life.
Short of options, Harry and Ida go to the local medical school to give themselves up for guinea pigs. They drive-in and drive-out, getting paid twenty dollars for each time they are injected with new ‘Society Drugs’. These cocktail of genes and DNA are coalesced from the saliva of schizophrenics, offenders, vandals and pregnent teenagers; each visit to the medical school sees different combinations and doses impregnated into Harry and Ida’s bloodstream in exchange for cash-in-hand.
Feeling like a couple of young gods who are not about to slow down and start living like mortals, Harry and Ida go missing…
With all that bad blood swirling round inside this couple of juvenile tornados, a strange and incredible journey begin to unfold.
Pre-published Synopsis
The darkly humorous second novel from maverick musician Stephen Babybird Jones, author of the critically acclaimed debut, The Bad Book. Sixteen years ago from the day you are reading this, two babies were born Siamese.
Joined at the head but successfully separated, and now they are old enough, they like to think they have retained a little piece of each others brain. A bit of Ida in Henry and a bit of Henry in Ida. Sixteen years old today and short of money. Henry and Ida Brick go to the medical school and give themselves up for guinea pigs. The drive-in-drive-out lab rats, get paid twenty dollars for injections of new Society Drugs cocktails of genes and DNA taken from the saliva of schizophrenics, offenders, vandals, and pregnant teenagers all delivered indifferent combinations and doses for cash in hand. Feeling like a couple of young gods who are certainly not about to start living like mortals, they go missing and with all the bad blood swirling round inside this duo of delinquent tornados, a strange and incredible journey begins to unfold.
A dark and devious plot intertwined with chilling comic genius and freakishly potent imagery guarantees a unique and compelling read from this highly respected lyricist and wordsmith. A dark and devious plot intertwined with chilling comic genius and freakishly potent imagery guarantees a unique and compelling read from maverick musician Stephen ‘Babybird’ Jones, author of the acclaimed debut, The Bad Book.
IMP Fiction Synopsis
Seventeen years ago in Little America, two babies were born Siamese: Harry and Ida Brick. They were joined at the head but later surgically separated. Unfortunately, Harry retained less brain than Ida, so now they need money they haven’t got, to pay for an operation to save his life. Short of options, Harry and Ida go to the local medical school and give themselves up for guinea pigs. They drive-in and drive-out, getting paid twenty dollars for each time they are injected with new ŒSociety Drugs’. These cocktails of genes and DNA are coalesced from the saliva of schizophrenics, offenders, vandals, and pregnant teenagers; each visit to the medical school sees different combinations and doses impregnated into Hary and Ida’s bloodstream in exchange for cash-in-hand. Feeling like a couple of young gods who are certainly not about to slow down and start living like mortals, Harry and Ida go missing and with all the bad blood swirling round inside this duo of juvenile tornados, a strange and incredible journey begins to unfold.
Harry And Ida Swop Teeth is a collision of William Burroughs and Will Self, with a splash of Anthony Burgess for good measure. A fine combination, an even better novel.
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