The White Umbrella

A short novel that’s a treat for animal lovers - an Englishman rescues a mistreated donkey in Pakistan and now both have to travel overland across half the world, home to suburban London. En route, they encounter drug smugglers, carpet salesmen, and hosts of every variety until they finally hitch a lift from Hector, an aristocratic Brit who drives a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, in which the two eccentric Englishmen successfully smuggle the donkey across the English channel. Brian Sewell’s short novel has all the characteristics of the best British prose: the wry understatement, the love of travel and adventure, the unremitting affection for animals of all kinds. If you love animals, you’ll love joining this journey!