Josh is the star of Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know, a biographical play about Lord Byron and Stephen is his understudy. But a failed marriage, a stalled career, a judgmental ex wife, a distant daughter, a horrid little studio apartment in the far reaches of the London suburbs all these pathetic elements seem to pale in the chiseled face of his newest tormentor: the Twelfth Sexiest Man in the World, Josh Harper. McQueen no relation, unfortunately seems to have a knack for bad luck. It is an unforgettable story of love, class, ?nding one s place in the world, and the all important difference between knowledge and wisdom. Reminiscent of such classic coming of age works as The Graduate and Goodbye, Columbus, A Question of Attraction marks the literary debut of David Nicholls, one of England s most highly praised television writers. Life seems perfect and triumph inevitable but as his world opens up, Brian learns that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. And, what s more, he s fallen head over heels for one of his teammates, the beautiful, brainy, and intimidatingly posh Alice Harbinson.

He’s made the school team, and they ve completed the qualifying rounds and are limbering up for their ?rst televised match. Brian also has a dark secret a long held, burning ambition stoked by his late father to appear on the wildly popular TV quiz show University Challenge and now, ?nally, it seems the dream is about to become reality. The usual freshman anxiety over ?tting in is compounded by the gap between his own humble origins and the privileged backgrounds of his better off classmates. Brian Jackson, a working class kid on full scholarship, has started his ?rst term at university. Starter for Ten / A Question for Attraction

David nicholls novel