well, kureishi is now in his 60s, but as the one—time enfant terrible of anglo—asian letters, he showsshed tomorrow, is about the sexual jealously of an ageing cuckold. now interestingly, the villain of the piece is based on a conman who went to prison after swindling kureishi out of his savings, as he's been explaining to our culture editor stephen smith. he's usually sweaty with anxiety and smelling of drink, if not pubs. this overgrown schoolboy with his balding hair, luminous scalp and cheap watch. some disaster involving his wallet, a train, a change of trousers and perhaps a woman or two has inevitably befallen him on his way to you. i dislike unsightly people when i don't pity them. they are always at a disadvantage when it comes to entitlement. if eddie were good looking, we wouldn't be having this trouble. eddie is an unprincipled soho chancer and the third corner of a love triangle in hanif kureishi's slim new novel. he is modelled on a real—life money man who cheated the author out of his savings. the first person i rang up after i found out, gone to my bank and found out my