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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
Incredibly amusing, alert, witty but unpretentious at the same time, though, being part of a campus novel trilogy, someone might expect a lot of academia breathing through its pages. The plot is quite obvious, due to the title, Philip (British) and Morris (American) are supposed to exchange places as English Literature professors for 6 months. But since life always takes us by surprise, they change not only positions and it's a good opportunity for Lodge to use his own experience in order to emphasize the cultural / mental differences between America and England.
While reading, I was a bit disappointed about the final chapter. He uses the film script format, with a lot of cuts, camera close-ups and focusing, which made it a bit difficult to follow. Now I see it as a last tribute to sunny California (read Hollywood) -not sure this was Lodge's intention, though- and with a little bit of imagination it turns out to be quite hilarious. Speaking of film scripts, besides the classical narrative, he also uses the epistolary style in one of the chapters, plus newspapers clippings in another - techniques which also gave dynamism to the novel.
While reading, I was a bit disappointed about the final chapter. He uses the film script format, with a lot of cuts, camera close-ups and focusing, which made it a bit difficult to follow. Now I see it as a last tribute to sunny California (read Hollywood) -not sure this was Lodge's intention, though- and with a little bit of imagination it turns out to be quite hilarious. Speaking of film scripts, besides the classical narrative, he also uses the epistolary style in one of the chapters, plus newspapers clippings in another - techniques which also gave dynamism to the novel.
First book of the year that I finished and it was quite a disappointment. Supposedly one his best/funniest books according to reviews, although some will mention it's a bit outside his normal style.
I massively struggled reading it, not entirely sure why just couldn't get involved. And really only persevered in hopes it would get better. I also don't think it got a laugh out of me once! Some chapters were awkward to read, one being solely letters and another solely newspaper reports. And the ending in my opinion was a total let down.
I am now not sure if I would read another David Lodge, I picked up this one having enjoyed "How Low Can You Go". Maybe in time when I've forgotten a little!
I massively struggled reading it, not entirely sure why just couldn't get involved. And really only persevered in hopes it would get better. I also don't think it got a laugh out of me once! Some chapters were awkward to read, one being solely letters and another solely newspaper reports. And the ending in my opinion was a total let down.
I am now not sure if I would read another David Lodge, I picked up this one having enjoyed "How Low Can You Go". Maybe in time when I've forgotten a little!
Velmi příjemné překvapení!
Příběh si pohrává se slovíčky a s celkovou strukturou vyprávění děje velice šikovně. Celkový dojem je proto ucelený a ne roztroušený, jak to tak u knih, kdy děj vypráví vícero postav, bývá.
Satira na tehdejší (vlastně i dnešní) společnost se trefuje do černého, dost jsem se u čtení pobavila. Zároveň mě zaujalo vyprávění příběhu z různých perspektiv, ať už z pohledu jako pozorovatele přímého dění příběhu, tak jako čtenáře dopisů, které si hlavní postavy vyměňovaly, novinových článků, při kterých se děj sleduje překvapivě přehledně (a příběhu to dodává jakýsi rychlejší spád, který přišel v přesném načasování, protože bez něj bych cítila, že děj stojí - to se, naštěstí, nestalo) a nakonec, při vyvrcholení celé knihy, čteme příběh jako scénář. Důvod, proč knihu ukončit zrovna tímto stylem vyprávění, je na konci bravurně vypointovaný.
Příběh si pohrává se slovíčky a s celkovou strukturou vyprávění děje velice šikovně. Celkový dojem je proto ucelený a ne roztroušený, jak to tak u knih, kdy děj vypráví vícero postav, bývá.
Satira na tehdejší (vlastně i dnešní) společnost se trefuje do černého, dost jsem se u čtení pobavila. Zároveň mě zaujalo vyprávění příběhu z různých perspektiv, ať už z pohledu jako pozorovatele přímého dění příběhu, tak jako čtenáře dopisů, které si hlavní postavy vyměňovaly, novinových článků, při kterých se děj sleduje překvapivě přehledně (a příběhu to dodává jakýsi rychlejší spád, který přišel v přesném načasování, protože bez něj bych cítila, že děj stojí - to se, naštěstí, nestalo) a nakonec, při vyvrcholení celé knihy, čteme příběh jako scénář. Důvod, proč knihu ukončit zrovna tímto stylem vyprávění, je na konci bravurně vypointovaný.
[3.5 stars]
A clever novel, full of irony and culture of the sixties. I didn't like the characters of Philip or Morris, I liked Mrs Zapp though, you can't beat a blunt badass female character.
A clever novel, full of irony and culture of the sixties. I didn't like the characters of Philip or Morris, I liked Mrs Zapp though, you can't beat a blunt badass female character.
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
a neat, tongue-in-cheek novel about academic life, the clash of cultures and the ridiculous chaos that naturally ensues. it's funny at times but never reaches the cathartic heights of storytelling I read and live for.
One of the advantages of a reading group is that you are forced (really much too harsh a word) to read books you’ve always meant to and that many people have recommended but that you’ve just never gotten around to. Such was the case with David Lodge’s Changing Places.
What a delight. This is one of the funniest books I have read in a long time. It chronicles the events in the lives of two professors, Philip Swallow, of Rummidge College in England, and Morris Zapp, professor of English at Euphoric State University, the Jane Austen expert whose ambition it is to write the definitive work in multiple volumes summarizing all that has been and could be said or written about Jane Austen. They are participating in an exchange program. Morris discovers, after wondering what the odds are that he could be the only male on a planeload of women flying to England, that it is a special charter flight for pregnant women on their way to England for abortions. He then has the misfortune to wander into a striptease club (and to discover he is the only one there) where the artiste is Mary Makepeace, his seatmate from the plane who decided not to go through
with the abortion. Of course, she recognizes him and it’s all downhill from there.
Phillip, meanwhile, grants special permission to a student to enter his class late, only to have the student lead the entire class out on strike — it takes place during the sixties — “no offense intended.”
Lodge makes constant spirited fun of all the academic stereotypes. One of many favorite scenes takes place in Zapp’s lodging house, where the young daughter of his landlord has gotten ahold of Zapp’s Playboy. Zapp, of course, would like it back, but Shea, his landlord, retorts he has destroyed the magazine. The skeptical Zapp “didn’t believe him. Inside thirty minutes he would be holed up somewhere, jerking himself off and drooling over the Playboy pix. Not the girls, of course, but the full-colour ads for whiskey and hi-fi equipment. . . .”
What a delight. This is one of the funniest books I have read in a long time. It chronicles the events in the lives of two professors, Philip Swallow, of Rummidge College in England, and Morris Zapp, professor of English at Euphoric State University, the Jane Austen expert whose ambition it is to write the definitive work in multiple volumes summarizing all that has been and could be said or written about Jane Austen. They are participating in an exchange program. Morris discovers, after wondering what the odds are that he could be the only male on a planeload of women flying to England, that it is a special charter flight for pregnant women on their way to England for abortions. He then has the misfortune to wander into a striptease club (and to discover he is the only one there) where the artiste is Mary Makepeace, his seatmate from the plane who decided not to go through
with the abortion. Of course, she recognizes him and it’s all downhill from there.
Phillip, meanwhile, grants special permission to a student to enter his class late, only to have the student lead the entire class out on strike — it takes place during the sixties — “no offense intended.”
Lodge makes constant spirited fun of all the academic stereotypes. One of many favorite scenes takes place in Zapp’s lodging house, where the young daughter of his landlord has gotten ahold of Zapp’s Playboy. Zapp, of course, would like it back, but Shea, his landlord, retorts he has destroyed the magazine. The skeptical Zapp “didn’t believe him. Inside thirty minutes he would be holed up somewhere, jerking himself off and drooling over the Playboy pix. Not the girls, of course, but the full-colour ads for whiskey and hi-fi equipment. . . .”
Original, poignant, funny.
A good and quick read, and does not take itself too seriously.
A good and quick read, and does not take itself too seriously.