It was shortlisted for the 2003 Orange Prize, and the 2003 Whitbread Book Award for a first novel.

The book takes a mostly light-hearted look at what might happen when two vastly opposing worlds and ways of life come into contact with each other.

Following a chance meeting with a Buddhist monk in a Glasgow sandwich bar one lunchtime, painter and decorator Jimmy McKenna starts to develop an interest in Buddhism and begins to visit a meditation centre and go away for weekend retreats.

To begin with, this proves to be to their detriment, as Liz and Anne Marie cannot understand why Jimmy - who has previously been an atheist - would suddenly want to become a Buddhist.

However, as the story unfolds, a series of events allow everyone to gain some insight into the choices Jimmy has made.