Kingsley Amis
1954
Around 250 pages
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Kingsley and Martin are our only father-son duo on this List. Apparently ole Kingsley wasn't a fan of his son's works, but having a cold, emotionally withdrawn English father can only improve your writing, so maybe Martin was okay with it. Let's pit Amis against Amis and determine who is the A-plus, and who is the Anus.
Jim Dixon is a medieval history professor in England who has to impress the head of his department in order to secure a permanent position. These attempts are somewhat hampered by Dixon's alcoholism and his romance with the head professor's son's girlfriend. He is also being blackmailed into staying in a relationship by Margaret Peel, who is the embodiment of the emotionally unstable shrew that men are fond of putting on page. I'm not saying these women don't exist, I'm just saying we see them a lot.
This is a comic novel, kind of a mean one, which makes sense. Kingsley once said "I've finally worked out why I don't like Americans ....Because everyone there is either a Jew or a hick." His personality bleeds into the story, making it unenjoyable for me. He seems like a very bitter man.
This is a comic novel, kind of a mean one, which makes sense. Kingsley once said "I've finally worked out why I don't like Americans ....Because everyone there is either a Jew or a hick." His personality bleeds into the story, making it unenjoyable for me. He seems like a very bitter man.
We didn't click and I will be sporting a Team Martin shirt from now on. He really could have benefited from therapy.
RATING: **---
Interesting Facts:
Interesting Facts:
Christopher Hitchens described it as the funniest book of the second half of the 20th century, writing: "Lucky Jim illustrates a crucial human difference between the little guy and the small man. And Dixon, like his creator, was no clown but a man of feeling after all."
UP NEXT: Watt by Samuel Beckett
No comments:
Post a Comment