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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
This is a great and funny book.
I love how William Boot's family is presented as a mad bunch of individuals and the depiction of the countryside as a whole is brilliant.
Also, I love the Imperial Airways poster that is on the front of the Penguin Modern Classics edition.
Characters are portrayed greatly and in a funny way.
Overall an awesome and fun book which I cannot think of any flaws for it.
I love how William Boot's family is presented as a mad bunch of individuals and the depiction of the countryside as a whole is brilliant.
Also, I love the Imperial Airways poster that is on the front of the Penguin Modern Classics edition.
Characters are portrayed greatly and in a funny way.
Overall an awesome and fun book which I cannot think of any flaws for it.
I didn't expect to give the 4 stars, but it is very funny. Times have not changed, and tabloid news is tabloid news still. Hilarious imagery. Caveat that the racist language really turned me off in the beginning and I read it with a lot of "it is of it's place" thoughts. As I read it, I began to think that was Waugh's point, highlighting the condescending and unaware points of view of the British reporters. It is amazing to me when an author can be so observant, funny,and still provide characters such inner life. It has a real Cold Comfort Farm vibe, contempt and affection for the characters.
Clever, but I found the Three's Company-esque mix up that sets up the whole plot off putting.
The themes of this novel are rife with racism, sexism and a 'British knows best' attitude. It was unclear to me how much of this was deliberate.
It kind of disgusted me and I think that was deliberate. It also made me think The Daily Beast should be shut down and so should the peerage, which probably wasn't deliberate.
It's a little comforting to know that the journalism industry was always elitist and broken and that good stories have always been buried under terrible headlines and worse bylines.
It kind of disgusted me and I think that was deliberate. It also made me think The Daily Beast should be shut down and so should the peerage, which probably wasn't deliberate.
It's a little comforting to know that the journalism industry was always elitist and broken and that good stories have always been buried under terrible headlines and worse bylines.
Read it because it’s always highly recommended. Well written, amusing, but not much in it tbqh
It's right wing as hell, but I have to admit it's funny. And the humour kind of cancels out Waugh's crude hierarchical views, because he ends up satirizing everyone.
I want to start using 'up to a point' instead of saying no, like Salter. 'Hong Kong still belongs to us?' 'Definitely, sir.' 'The capital of Japan is Yokohama?' 'Up to a point, sir.'
Supplementary material in my copy included Waugh's correspondence from his time working as a foreign correspondent for the Daily Mail in Ethiopia.
“I think it’s the Patriots and the Traitors.”
“Yes, but which is which?”
“Oh, I don’t know that. That’s Policy, you see. It’s nothing to do with me. You should have asked Lord Copper.”
“I gather it’s between the Reds and the Blacks.”
“Yes, but it’s not quite as easy as that. You see they are all Negroes. And the fascists won’t be called black because of their racial pride, so they are called White after the White Russians. And the Bolshevists want to be called black because of their racial pride. So when you say black you mean red, and when you mean red you say white and when the party who call themselves blacks say traitors they mean what we call blacks, but what we mean when we say traitors I really couldn’t tell you. But from your point of view it will be quite simple. Lord Copper only wants Patriot victories and both sides call themselves patriots and of course both sides will claim all the victories. But of course it’s really a war between Russia and Germany and Italy and Japan who are all against one another on the patriotic side. I hope I make myself plain?”
“Up to a point,” said William, falling easily into the habit.
“I have told you you are not to say that… My husband has been away for six weeks. When he left he said he would return in a month or at the most six weeks. It is six weeks this morning. I am very worried what may have become of him… I have been with him for two years now.”
“Kätchen there’s something I must ask you. Don’t be angry. It’s very important to me. Is he really your husband?”
“But of course he is. It is just that he has gone away for his work.”
“I mean, were you married to him properly in church?”
“No, not in church.”
“At a government office then?”
“No. You see it was not possible because of his other wife in Germany.”
“He has another wife then?”
“Yes, in Germany, but he hates her. I am his real wife.”
“Does Frau Dressler know about the other wife?”
“Yes, that is why she treats me so impolitely. The German Consul told her after my husband had gone away. There was a question of my papers. They would not register me at the German Consulate.”
“But you are German?”
“My husband is German so I am German, but there is a difficulty with my papers. My father is Russian and I was born in Buda-Pest.”
“Is your mother German?”
“Polish.”
“Where is your father now?”
“I think he went to South America to look for my mother after she went away. But why do you ask me so many questions when I am unhappy? You are worse than Frau Dressler. It is not your tablecloth. You do not have to pay if it is dirty.”
She left William alone at the breakfast table.
NOTHING MUCH HAS HAPPENED EXCEPT TO THE PRESIDENT WHO HAS BEEN IMPRISONED IN HIS OWN PALACE BY REVOLUTIONARY JUNTA HEADED BY SUPERIOR BLACK CALLED BENITO AND RUSSIAN JEW WHO BANNISTER SAYS IS UP TO NO GOOD THEY SAY HE IS DRUNK WHEN HIS CHILDREN TRY TO SEE HIM BUT GOVERNESS SAYS MOST UNUSUAL LOVELY SPRING WEATHER BUBONIC PLAGUE RAGING.
I want to start using 'up to a point' instead of saying no, like Salter. 'Hong Kong still belongs to us?' 'Definitely, sir.' 'The capital of Japan is Yokohama?' 'Up to a point, sir.'
Supplementary material in my copy included Waugh's correspondence from his time working as a foreign correspondent for the Daily Mail in Ethiopia.
Spoiler
Can you tell me who is fighting who in Ishmaelia?”“I think it’s the Patriots and the Traitors.”
“Yes, but which is which?”
“Oh, I don’t know that. That’s Policy, you see. It’s nothing to do with me. You should have asked Lord Copper.”
“I gather it’s between the Reds and the Blacks.”
“Yes, but it’s not quite as easy as that. You see they are all Negroes. And the fascists won’t be called black because of their racial pride, so they are called White after the White Russians. And the Bolshevists want to be called black because of their racial pride. So when you say black you mean red, and when you mean red you say white and when the party who call themselves blacks say traitors they mean what we call blacks, but what we mean when we say traitors I really couldn’t tell you. But from your point of view it will be quite simple. Lord Copper only wants Patriot victories and both sides call themselves patriots and of course both sides will claim all the victories. But of course it’s really a war between Russia and Germany and Italy and Japan who are all against one another on the patriotic side. I hope I make myself plain?”
“Up to a point,” said William, falling easily into the habit.
Spoiler
The Foreign Contacts Adviser of the Beast telephoned the emporium where William was to get his kit and warned them of his arrival; accordingly it was General Cruttwell, F.R.G.S., himself who was waiting at the top of the lift shaft. An imposing man: Cruttwell Glacier in Spitzbergen, Cruttwell Falls in Venezuela, Mount Cruttwell in the Pamirs, Cruttwell’s Leap in Cumberland, marked his travels; Cruttwell’s Folly, a waterless and indefensible camp near Salonika, was notorious to all who served with him in the war.Spoiler
“Because I love you.”“I have told you you are not to say that… My husband has been away for six weeks. When he left he said he would return in a month or at the most six weeks. It is six weeks this morning. I am very worried what may have become of him… I have been with him for two years now.”
“Kätchen there’s something I must ask you. Don’t be angry. It’s very important to me. Is he really your husband?”
“But of course he is. It is just that he has gone away for his work.”
“I mean, were you married to him properly in church?”
“No, not in church.”
“At a government office then?”
“No. You see it was not possible because of his other wife in Germany.”
“He has another wife then?”
“Yes, in Germany, but he hates her. I am his real wife.”
“Does Frau Dressler know about the other wife?”
“Yes, that is why she treats me so impolitely. The German Consul told her after my husband had gone away. There was a question of my papers. They would not register me at the German Consulate.”
“But you are German?”
“My husband is German so I am German, but there is a difficulty with my papers. My father is Russian and I was born in Buda-Pest.”
“Is your mother German?”
“Polish.”
“Where is your father now?”
“I think he went to South America to look for my mother after she went away. But why do you ask me so many questions when I am unhappy? You are worse than Frau Dressler. It is not your tablecloth. You do not have to pay if it is dirty.”
She left William alone at the breakfast table.
Spoiler
PRESS COLLECT BEAST LONDON he wrote.NOTHING MUCH HAS HAPPENED EXCEPT TO THE PRESIDENT WHO HAS BEEN IMPRISONED IN HIS OWN PALACE BY REVOLUTIONARY JUNTA HEADED BY SUPERIOR BLACK CALLED BENITO AND RUSSIAN JEW WHO BANNISTER SAYS IS UP TO NO GOOD THEY SAY HE IS DRUNK WHEN HIS CHILDREN TRY TO SEE HIM BUT GOVERNESS SAYS MOST UNUSUAL LOVELY SPRING WEATHER BUBONIC PLAGUE RAGING.
Spoiler
You should ask me whether I have any message for the British public. I have. It is this: Might must find a way. Not ‘Force’ remember; other nations use ‘force’; we Britons alone use ‘Might.’ Only one thing can set things right—sudden and extreme violence, or better still, the effective threat of it. I am committed to very considerable sums in this little gamble and, alas, our countrymen are painfully tolerant nowadays of the losses of their financial superiors. One sighs for the days of Pam or Dizzy. I possess a little influence in political quarters but it will strain it severely to provoke a war on my account. Some semblance of popular support, such as your paper can give, would be very valuable… But I dislike embarrassing my affairs with international issues. I should greatly prefer it, if the thing could be settled neatly and finally, here and now.
emotional
funny
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Hahahahahahahahahahahahah.... lol funny! :P
Yes, it was pretty funny and fun.
Yes, it was pretty funny and fun.
Very funny in places but overall not as enjoyable as Vile Bodies. Just seemed at points to vere into OTT on the farcical elements. What is interesting is how relevant today it still is as a satire.
I love Waugh, I do. I love his biting wit, the quick jokes, and the faint traces of ridiculousness that run through his books, none of which were lacking in Scoop. This was a scathing excursion by a farcical country bumpkin through both journalism and world politics.