Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

　　為什麼用官方調查報告的形式寫成的小說，會讓人感到有趣？其中到底有何魅力，可以讓人讀得時而大笑、時而熱淚盈眶？又為何能讓人目不轉睛、不看完就無法放下呢？

　　一切荒唐都從葉門大公的古怪夢想開始 ……

　　在充滿分裂與對立的葉門，大公為了讓和平降臨，人民幸福，他決心要引進英國傳統的釣鮭活動，讓自己的同胞也能享受釣鮭之樂，體會這項紳士運動後面的高貴與平和。

　　這個荒謬的計畫，不幸變成英國漁業專家鍾斯博士無法擺脫的噩夢，他必須到葉門荒漠繁殖鮭魚，以便讓友邦人民享受這種奇妙運動。他必須違背自己的專業認知，挑戰這個不可能的任務，原因是『英明』的首相府，看中了這個被各界嘲笑的計畫背後龐大的政治利益。

　　集合荒謬與信念，世故與純真，科學、官僚、宗教信仰與政治算計， 這個計畫將會演變成什麼樣的人性考驗呢？

　　媲美CSI精彩的鑑識推理過程，超越桃色風雲搖擺狗的諷刺批判

　　作者保羅‧托迪以一份官方調查報告鋪陳情節，三十三份不同文件（有研究報告、日記、報紙、情書、未出版的自傳、電視腳本、攔截自恐怖組織的電郵等）的摘錄，巧妙拼貼出整個故事。筆法詼諧幽默，妙趣橫生，卻蘊含深厚的人性關懷與省思。

　　This is the story of Dr Alfred Jones, a fisheries scientist - for whom diary-notable events include the acquisition of a new electric toothbrush and getting his article on caddis fly larvae published in 'Trout and Salmon' - who finds himself reluctantly involved in a project to bring salmon fishing to the Highlands of the Yemen - a project that will change his life, and the course of British political history forever. With a wickedly wonderful cast of characters - including a visionary Sheikh, a weasely spin doctor, Fred's devilish wife and a few thousand transplanted salmon - SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN is a novel about hypocrisy and bureaucracy, dreams and deniability, and the transforming power of faith and love.

　　本書中譯版《到葉門釣鮭魚》由貓頭鷹出版。

作者簡介

保羅．托迪（Paul Torday）

　　1946年生，牛津大學潘布洛克學院畢業，主修英國文學。畢業後經營家族企業，雖是文學的逃兵，卻是成功的生意人。六十歲即將退休，卻重新點燃寫作熱情，處女作造成洛陽紙貴，成為英國文壇最老新秀。目前定居英國諾森伯蘭一座古堡內，專心當起職業作家。

　　Paul Torday was born in 1946 and read English Literature at Pembroke College, Oxford. He is married with two sons by a previous marriage and has two stepsons. He has spent most of his life in industry, but in the last three years has found the time to write. For the last fifteen years he has also been a keen salmon fisherman, and as he lives close to the River North Tyne, he has been able to indulge in this enthusiasm. He lives in Northumberland and has often visited the Middle East.