Kwaku

Having begun life as Guyanan village idiot, Kwaku Cholmondeley quickly learned that he was perfect for the part: "A quick look round at his fellow men convinced him that there was much protection in idiocy, and that intelligence was like the plimpla palm, bearer of good fruit but afflicted with thorns". But Kwaku still retains his childhood dreams of a glorious destiny and decides to set off on a search for the ideal wife, the perfect job and the easy life. Roy Heath's brilliantly conceived and hugely enjoyable story follows his trials and tribulations as Kwaku, part conman and part holy fool, fanatically hustles and schemes his way to happiness, rising up and then being brought low by his joyously unbuttoned lip.