J.G. Farrell's first "standard" Booker winner is the second part in his "Empire" trilogy, this time jumping back to the Indian Rebellion of 1857 for a by turns hilarious and meditative look at a pivotal (if not decisive) moment in British Colonial history, told via a graphic evocation of a four month siege of a British garrison by the uprising sepoys.

The eponymous "G" shags his way around early 20th century Europe, while largely ignoring various major events happening around him.

A road trip through "Africa" featuring two fairly awful Brits, a colonial official and his colleague's wife. The backdrop is a violent coup by the president to unseat the King, the latter the preference of the colonists.

It's 1919 and Major Brendan Archer, soon after returning from the Trenches, heads over to Ireland to meet a woman he seems to be engaged to, despite not being entirely sure whether he is or not.

A previously successful fortysomething Jewish barrister is committed after an amphetamine addiction causes him to see silverfish everywhere.