A HANDFUL OF DUST by Evelyn Waugh

5 GOLD stars

On Amazon UK
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it's an old favourite of mine, without doubt in my all time top ten. I took it out for another re-read and just wanted to share its brilliance with you.

Genre: 1930s drama, about love, loss, social climbing... funny, tragic and poignant.

Both written and set in the early 1930s, this wonderful novel shows a world that scarcely exists anymore.  Tony Last and his wife Brenda live at the Last family seat, Hetton Hall.  Theirs is a world of guests coming up to the country for the weekend, of running a house on a full staff at a time when the age of huge country houses is coming to an end.  Tony wants only to live the life of a quiet gentleman, but Brenda yearns for the social life she once enjoyed in London. 

On one particular weekend Tony forgets that, over a drink at one of his clubs in London, he invited a young man called John Beaver to stay.  Although Beaver's visit is not welcomed by either of the Lasts, Brenda finds him oddly enchanting.

Beaver is an impoverished social climber who lives with his mother, a busy-body interior designer.  Anxious to improve his position in Society, he accepts any invitation going.  When Brenda falls in love with him he sees a way to push himself forward.  Under the pretence of doing a course in economics, Brenda takes a small flat in London, leaving Tony in the country, unhappy, alone, but completely in the dark about the affair.

Brenda and Beaver in the film that was made of the book; it's okay, but doesn't do it justice.

A family tragedy brings matters to a head, and both Brenda and Tony's worlds are forever changed, with Tony uncharacteristically heading off on a South American jungle expedition, simply because he does not know what else to do.

This book is such a delight.  Each social class is portrayed with great wit, from the impoverished aristocracy, to the socially ambitious, to the young women of the night to be found in the 'lousy joint' that Tony and his friend Jock visit on occasion.  It's a cracking story, with far more to it than just a broken marriage, but I also loved the more subtle elements, such as the passages that show Tony's love for his home, the only place he wants to be.  You will love Tony and want to cry with him for the way he is treated, though he does exact certain justified revenge.  It's a perfect book, and everyone who appreciates fine, gently satirical literature of this time should read it.

Tony with his and Brenda's son, John Andrew

INKKER HAUSER Part 1: Rum Hijack by Phil Conquest

5 out of 5 stars

Novella, dark humour


Originally posted on Amazon UK HERE on 10 September 2014
On Amazon.com HERE

I've just re-read this - so good I read it twice!

The nameless narrator of this short memoir is one of the most memorable fictional characters I've come across in ages: a delusional, borderline insane young man who is convinced he's a literary genius though he has written nothing at all. He talks of his 'writers' block' throughout, and pities his hard drinking grandfather for not having the talent or tenacity to write his much talked about wartime memoirs, never seeing that he is talking about himself.

Phil Conquest is one of those natural storytellers who can make even the most mundane occurrence interesting. There's a marvellous scene in which the young man is in the library trying to look 'writerly', but succeeds only in getting biro ink all over his hands. Conquest has the rare ability to convey the exact mood of a scene with only a few sentences; this is even more beautifully illustrated in chapter 8, when the narrator hopes to stun his fellow pub quiz team members with his literary knowledge, but fails dismally. My favourite chapters are 6 & 7; in 7 he rants against illiteracy on social networking sites (it's brilliant!), and against the people he despises most: the 'bestselling' ebook authors. It's not only funny, it's so sharply observed. He sums up the characters in his own life so succinctly, too. I loved the description of a barmaid in his local: "A short girl ... quite round and a natural frump, she seemed to think she could divert attention from this by painting her nails garish colours, wearing massive earrings and laughing at almost anything".

One of the reasons why the nameless young man is such a compelling character is that Conquest has done something I suspect he doesn't quite realise: he's made him lovable. Although somewhat pathetic and undoubtedly bonkers, he's also rather sweet. There is a touching passage where he tries to talk to a mumbling homeless woman in a charity shop, and another in which he tearfully apologises to the clock he'd had since childhood, smashed up in a 'writers' block' induced rage. "Poor little clock" he says, talking to it as he throws the pieces in the bin. I felt so sorry for him.

The style of writing reminds me very much of Jerome K Jerome's 'Three Men in a Boat'. It's intelligent, funny and really off the wall while still being very readable. The character has so much potential; there are at least three more parts on their way. Very highly recommended indeed!

INKKER HAUSER Part Two: Literastein by Phil Conquest is not yet published, but I have received an advance copy and reviewed it HERE