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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
Outdated and clumsy, racist and elitist. Starts as a biting satire, ends up in a complete send-up. The satire of the upper class innocence and ignorance is well written, as is that of incompetence and nepotism in journalism. Of its time to put it kindly.
Odd book really. Very dated language and ideas. Didn't see any of the humour, but the irony was laid on in spades
A send-up of British journalism in the 1930s--some very funny moments, although a tad predictable at times and especially toward the end.
What I found most interesting was the portrayal of fascism, Germans, and politics in general in the years just before WWII broke out.
I enjoyed it, but I would definitely recommend Waugh's other works first--Brideshead Revisited, for example. Here Waugh succeeds in being funny, but even at his funniest he tends to be Wodehousian, and NOBODY does that better than Wodehouse, so why even try?
What I found most interesting was the portrayal of fascism, Germans, and politics in general in the years just before WWII broke out.
I enjoyed it, but I would definitely recommend Waugh's other works first--Brideshead Revisited, for example. Here Waugh succeeds in being funny, but even at his funniest he tends to be Wodehousian, and NOBODY does that better than Wodehouse, so why even try?
adventurous
funny
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
What a story! I freely admit I wouldn't have picked this one up of my own accord but it's for book club so I actually went to a further away library than my local to get it and I'm really glad that I did. Once I got my head around the language, I'd never read anything written in this time period before despite my interest in it and the amount of stories I've read about this time period. Very clever and funny. I can see why Waugh is such a well renowned writer. I'll definitely read others of his works in the future.
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Listened to on audio book. Narrator did fine but nothing special.
Excellent prose with a likable lead character and some nice moments of comedy. Ultimately just a quick, fun story.
Excellent prose with a likable lead character and some nice moments of comedy. Ultimately just a quick, fun story.
Copper feel of this: or, Carry On Citizen Kane. Waugh’s splendid satire on the news business still holds good today, albeit it’s smartphones and emails rather than telegrams barking out orders. Libel, lying, desperation, bullying proprietors, moral panic and virtue-signalling: it’s not really so different in print as online:
“There was an outbreak of plague...he was off to organise a hospital. He went without enthusiasm. ‘It is stupid work...I have been in a plague hospital before. How many do you think we cured?’
‘I’ve no idea.’
‘None. We could only catch the patients who were too ill to move. The others ran away to the villages, so more and more people got it. In civilised colonies, they send in soldiers not doctors. They make a ring round the place and shoot anyone who tries to get out. Then, in a few days, when everyone is dead, they burn the huts. But here one can do nothing for the poor people.’”
The cult of celebrity, the joys of the countryside, the public gets what the public wants and the whole of human life is there, picked in brine. Boot for next editor of the Daily Mail!
“There was an outbreak of plague...he was off to organise a hospital. He went without enthusiasm. ‘It is stupid work...I have been in a plague hospital before. How many do you think we cured?’
‘I’ve no idea.’
‘None. We could only catch the patients who were too ill to move. The others ran away to the villages, so more and more people got it. In civilised colonies, they send in soldiers not doctors. They make a ring round the place and shoot anyone who tries to get out. Then, in a few days, when everyone is dead, they burn the huts. But here one can do nothing for the poor people.’”
The cult of celebrity, the joys of the countryside, the public gets what the public wants and the whole of human life is there, picked in brine. Boot for next editor of the Daily Mail!
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Very comical. Reminiscent of Confederacy of Dunces or three men in a boat. Clever comical analysis of journalists and the inherent humor in burocrático systems and those who lord over them. Very fun and British read.
A romping, sharp, bitingly satirical look at journalism, the British upper classes and the plundering of Africa. Scoop is funny and clever, but I was wistful for the emotional pull of Brideshead.