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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
I stumbled onto this due to a mention of Amis in Christopher Hitchens' autobiography, where he makes the point that Kingsley was an exceptional person in his youth (when this was written).
It is published as a classic, and I suppose it is. To read it today you certainly would want to know something of its heritage, as it doesn't age gracefully without it. Billed as exceptionally funny, most of it is only amusing. I did, however find myself putting the book aside during the lecture scene towards the end - it was a bit Fawlty Towers / Mr. Bean, and there is only so much of that I can take at once - I had mixed reactions of exasperation, cringe and laugh-out-loud appreciation of the scene.
From a historical perspective, a glimpse of England in the 50s, it was also much appreciated, although as a parady you need to take the situations with a large grain of salt, or as the eponymous James would undoubtedly want us to do, a pint or six.
This makes me want to go out and read some of his later work - I understand 'The Green Man' is more representative of the name that he made for himself.
It is published as a classic, and I suppose it is. To read it today you certainly would want to know something of its heritage, as it doesn't age gracefully without it. Billed as exceptionally funny, most of it is only amusing. I did, however find myself putting the book aside during the lecture scene towards the end - it was a bit Fawlty Towers / Mr. Bean, and there is only so much of that I can take at once - I had mixed reactions of exasperation, cringe and laugh-out-loud appreciation of the scene.
From a historical perspective, a glimpse of England in the 50s, it was also much appreciated, although as a parady you need to take the situations with a large grain of salt, or as the eponymous James would undoubtedly want us to do, a pint or six.
This makes me want to go out and read some of his later work - I understand 'The Green Man' is more representative of the name that he made for himself.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was my first time reading a campus novel (satirical novels originating from the mid-twentieth century that made fun of academics), and I surprisingly did not enjoy it that much. Now this is not to say that I won't give another one a shot later in life, but I found Amis's writing style and plot in this work to be dreadfully boring and not humorous or poking-funny enough. There were a couple brief moments where I found pleasure in his prose, but I just couldn't keep myself engaged nor attach to the characters. I'm more accustomed to mid-twentieth century American literature, so my sample size for mid-twentieth century English literature is much smaller, but this work certainly did not resemble trends popular at the time in the United States. Therefore, I would only recommend this book to you if you really enjoyed campus novels or if you relished mid-twentieth century English literature.
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wouldn’t exactly call it a laugh riot, and part of its attitude and petty spleen make it unsurprising that its author morphed from ruddy iconoclast to ruddy reactionary, but I liked it better than the last K. Amis book I read. The insights into medieval shipbuilding techniques were rather wanting.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sharply observed, wickedly funny satire of postwar academia, following hapless junior lecturer Jim Dixon as he stumbles through university politics, disastrous romances, and a hangover for the ages. Kingsley Amis’s debut novel balances farce with genuine insight, lampooning intellectual pretension without losing sympathy for its flawed hero. A touch dated in spots, but the comic timing and skewering wit remain top-notch. A cornerstone of modern British comic fiction.
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sometimes you just have to laugh at life. A book that warms up and gets funnier as it goes on.