A modern phenomenon: David Nicholls, author of One Day

His novel One Day sold five million copies and touched the hearts and minds of readers across the globe. Ahead of his appearance at the West Cork Literary Festival, Richard Fitzpatrick talks to David Nicholls about the book that changed his life

The cards are up in the air for Douglas, the protagonist of David Nicholls’s novel, Us. His wife, Connie, who he is devoted to, announces casually one night that she’s thinking of leaving him after 20 years or so of marriage. She’s run out of love for him. Their 17-year-old son, Albie, is about to flee the nest for a university campus. His imminent departure fills Connie with dread. “It’s the idea of you and me in each other’s pockets forever more,” she says. “It’s like a Beckett play.”

They are committed, however, to going on a grand tour of Europe’s art museums over the coming summer before Albie hits off for university. Although Douglas is worried the trip will be like “a funeral cortege”, he recognises it is also a last chance to salvage their marriage, which sets in train a funny, poignant family romp around some of Europe’s great cities.