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Baddiel has written three novels, this is his last one. The first time I found out about his existence was in the BBC-show ‘Fantasy football’ he presented. He has had some small roles in some other comedies as well, though I didn’t find out until much later.

His debut novel was good, I enjoyed reading it. The follow up had some good links to the events of those days (lady Di dying), this third novel can be described a historical novel. It certainly is his masterpiece. In four parts we get to know Isaac Fabian, a Jewish refugee really well. First in Königsberg, the city where he grew up, later in the UK, where he had fled just before WW2.

He ends up on the isle of Man, where all foreigners where held interned while Britain fought a war. Regardless the fact that he is a Jew, like most of the other internees, the possibility that there are German spies in GB was enough for the government to keep them captured and later even deported to Canada or Australia.

The brilliant thing about this book is that Baddiel succeeds in writing a story that drags you into it and forces you to continue reading, while in the meantime the historical context is not just correct, but also shreds a light on a page in history I at least had never heard of. As so often, in a situation of war, it is impossible to divide everything in good and bad, things are often grey, not black or white.

The main characters, Isaac, June, Lulu and Lotte are very realistic and made me very curious to find out what would happen next. Especially June shows a lot of guts, doing what she does.

The story certainly has some (many?) biographical elements. The surname from Isaac is one that runs in his family. This book could be inspired/based on the story from his grandfather coming to Britain. Then again, it could be just something he heard, and then used as a setting for a novel. Regardless, this is definitely the best book Baddiel has written, it should be read by everyone.

Number: 06-044
Title: The secret purposes
Author: David Baddiel
Language: English (UK)
Year: 2004
# Pages: 408 (8054)
Category: Fiction
ISBN: 0-316-72576-5