605. No Laughing Matter

No Laughing Matter
Angus Wilson

1967
Around 600 pages

There are many books that I hate, but I usually get through those pretty quickly, because I want to see other people, and I'm a faithful lover. But this one DRAGGED. I just couldn't get into it, and I didn't even want to get it over with. I kept avoiding it with a cocktail of my favorite procrastination techniques: crossword puzzles and sporcle quizzes. After a few weeks, I decided enough was enough, and powered through it. 

We get the lives of six children Matthews children from 1912 to 1967. The siblings mock their parents and their mistakes, but ultimately end up fucking their lives as much as the generation before them. Sometimes, Wilson forgets he is writing a novel and switches to play dialogue.

The line is a classic for a reason: it's not you, it's me. I know this book wasn't as bad as others on the List, so I'm willing to shoulder the blame for not connecting with this one. On the other hand, Angus Wilson has faded into obscurity even though he was famous during his lifetime. Maybe there's a reason for that. He is exhausting.

I never want to read another book with a character named Quentin.

RATING: *----

Interesting Facts:

Knighted for his services to literature.

UP NEXT: The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe