kingsley amis

dominic

Beast of Burden
i've just read "the green man" by kingsley amis. wonderfully entertaining, and the first of his books that i've read

much prefer him to martin, whose books i've read several of, until i got hopelessly bogged down in "london fields" and swore never to bother with him again

any other titles by kingsley amis that i should read? i know that "lord jim" is his best-known work, which doesn't necessarily mean i should read it . . . .

in any case, recommendations? whether of works by kingsley amis, or if you know "green man," something else you reckon i might enjoy
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
"any other titles by kingsley amis that i should read? i know that "lord jim" is his best-known work, which doesn't necessarily mean i should read it . . . ."
I've read it but I can't say that I enjoyed it that much. I think that my problem is that, being the age I am, I find it hard to recognise the England where the novel is set in a way that I don't with something more recent or (strangely?) with something much older. I found this same problem watching Abigail's Party the other day and I think I find it every now and again with things based in a certain period of the twentieth century in England. I guess that this is a failing on my part and a demonstration that England has changed radically in the last forty odd years and that I find it hard to unimagine this.
I think I might have read the Old Devils as well, can't remember it very well.
Unlike most people on here (I suspect) I like Martin Amis though so if you don't maybe our tastes are opposed and you should disregard my opinion.
 

swears

preppy-kei
pa and la

Lucky Jim and The Green Man are great. I also picked up a science fiction collection edited by him at a charity shop, he was quite the sci-fi buff, although in the introduction he has a go at "modernists" like Ballard and Moorcock for putting form before content (he chastised his Martin for "dicking about with the reader" in Money, apparently he tried reading it and gave up after 20 pages!) But you should presevere with London Fields, it's excellent, imo the novel of the 80s. The film adaptation of Lucky Jim is worth a watch, too.
 

dominic

Beast of Burden
Unlike most people on here (I suspect) I like Martin Amis though so if you don't maybe our tastes are opposed and you should disregard my opinion.

i found "dead babies" and "money" amusing on a certain level

but i REALLY liked "green man," and suspect i may have to go on a kingsley amis kick
 

dominic

Beast of Burden
you should presevere with London Fields, it's excellent, imo the novel of the 80s. The film adaptation of Lucky Jim is worth a watch, too.

it's in my parents' basement, stored away w/ most of my other books. it's been like 7 years since i attempted to read it
 

Eric

Mr Moraigero
I enjoyed London Fields and also Money at 20, but on rereading around 30 they weren't doing it for me at all. Havent read Green Man, but Lucky Jim is maybe the funniest book I have ever read, even on multiple rereadings. I also have no idea about this era of rural(ish) England but whatever. The man has timing.
 

jenks

thread death
I enjoyed London Fields and also Money at 20, but on rereading around 30 they weren't doing it for me at all. Havent read Green Man, but Lucky Jim is maybe the funniest book I have ever read, even on multiple rereadings. I also have no idea about this era of rural(ish) England but whatever. The man has timing.

I think you want to stick to the stuff at the beginning and the end of his life - Lucky Jim is particularly good and i think he ended up living in the shadow of it for years. The last novels are when he once more hits his stride - as if the theme of age, desire and comradeship were his to explore.

Of course, he started off as a poet and was pretty good. I find it interesting that he moaned about Martin 'dicking around' as many of Kingsley's books are parodies and exercises in stretching various genres - sci-fi, detective/thriller etc.

His letters to Larkin may well end up as his enduring legacy - very entertaining and demonstrating genuine affection between two men who can appear particularly unloveable.

Finally, good to see a few people standing up for Martin - ok, recent stuff has been poor but London Fields, The information, the excellent memoir Experience and his collection of essays The War Against Cliche are all worth a read.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
(he chastised his Martin for "dicking about with the reader" in Money, apparently he tried reading it and gave up after 20 pages!)
I thought that was in response to Martin Amis featuring as a character which happens much further than twenty pages in if I remember correctly.
(You're all right of course, it's Lucky Jim not Lord Jim - that's Conrad and much better but I guess it's a different thread)
 
Top