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Rural Suffolk has much to offer the discerning person, but what the pretty village of Debenham prides itself on is its Rotary Club. Or it used to... Unfortunately, the small club is now in a serious decline. Its members are squabbling, in conflict over petty rivalries and moral dilemmas. Amongst this background of spirited sea of similar members is George. George is not a typical Rotarian, with his autism leading him to be blunt to the point of rudeness, perhaps too literal and unable to read body language. He has carved out a successful life for himself amidst this chaos and is generally happier than the other members. They look to him for stability.
At least until the incoming President of the Rotary Club leads a charge for 'the new'. He and his acolytes are desperate to attract younger members to move the club forward, whilst the traditionalists are equally desperate to cling to the old idiosyncratic ways. Let the battle commence.
Aside from Rotary, George is the chairman of the trustees of a small local charity of little relevance in the modern world. He becomes embroiled in a bizarre and hilarious escapade dealing with a tricky problem that attracts the attention of a national newspaper, to the embarrassment of the trustees, who move against him, and his Rotary club.
Other misfortunes and dark dealings come to a head when the Club suspends George's erstwhile friend, turned nemesis, Alec Barton. Barton goes on a drunken rampage with a shotgun and comes after George, with disastrous results. The club is now at a low ebb and faces dissolution. But is there a way back?
Zusammenfassung
The book is set in rural Suffolk in a small, failing Rotary Club. It is funny, quirky and perceptive and touches on money, class, petty rivalries, societal changes and a moral dilemma over a conflict of interest and other dubious dealings.
