Anthony Powell vs Evelyn Waugh

[WICKES]

Is Dance to the Music of Time worth reading? I am a big fan of Evelyn Waugh's novels and Powell is sometimes compared to him (in so far as both took the English (or British) aristocracy and upper classes as their subject). Is Powell any good? How does his prose compare to Waugh's?

[dfloyd]

of four of Dance to the Music of Time. These are two different authors in that Waugh is a comedic writer in may of his works, while Powell is more serious, at least in what I have read thus far.

The BBC did a great job of dramatizing Brideshead Revisited, and I am now watching their dramatization of Dance. I would recommend you get the DVDs of Dance, and watch them before reading the four volumes. If you are still interested, get the four-volume set published by the Folio Society last year. I think the series is worth watching and worth reading, but I am a lover of the 1920s in which most of Dance takes place. Powell reminds me of Proust in that he (Powell) has remembered every character he ever met, no matter how insignificant they were to his life. He is also a lot more interesting to read.

[Emil Miller]

I agree that Powell is a very different writer to Waugh and it is possible that he had Proust in mind when he began writing 'Dance'. I was sufficiently interested to start reading 'Dance' after reading his 'Venusburg', but after reading the first two of the series, I found, as with reading Proust, that I wasn't sufficiently interested enough to read the others.
The TV series, if I remember correctly, sank like a stone although I didn't see any of it.
I would suggest that reading the first of the series will give sufficient flavour of Powell's writing to enable readers to discover whether they wish to read further.

[Morden]

I read A Dance to the Music of Time when it was first published and Powell was immediately compared to Proust, whom incidentally I had also read -- all volumes of both. I would say the comparison to Proust is superficial and a stretch; I found Proust much more interesting and absorbing. The first volume of Dance began to set the stage for later volumes and was interesting in itself, but in later volumes the plot seemed to thin out and become more event driven, with endless and hurried shuffling of characters into and out of the the story. By the end I had completely lost interest in who died why and who was still around. Just one person's reaction, though. The books are still on the bookstore shelves and presumably selling.

[dfloyd]

their taste. I found the tv series interesting and, thus far, the books fascinating. The English world of the 1920s interests me. I was born in 1935 so I missed the 20s decade by five years. But many of the literary greats who peopled London and New York were still alive in the 30s and 40s.

I reread with pleasure Sinclair Lewis' Main steet and Babbitt a few years ago. I tried to get a young friend interested, but it was useless. The topical humour is no longer relevant, and I doubt if many read this Ameruican Nobel prize winner any more.

[mal4mac]

Aldous Huxley is very interesting & funny on that period of British life. Try his novel "Point Counter Point". There are literary types, decadents, revolutionaries, fascists, aristocrats, murderers, ... all you could want really! The character who really sticks out in memory is the hilarious science-obsessed Lord performing Biology experiments in his mansion, with his working-class Marxist assistant, while his wife tries to get him to act like a normal member of upper-crust society. But the two main characters are based on Huxley and D.H. Lawrence, and their antics & discussions add some real depth. I prefer it to Brideshead Revisited. Its funnier, broader, and doesn't run out of steam (though Brideshead's early chapters are unbeatable!) I think I even prefer PCP to Brave New World!

[WICKES]

. Try his novel "Point Counter Point". There are literary types, decadents, revolutionaries, fascists, aristocrats, murderers, ... all you could want really! I prefer it to Brideshead Revisited. Its funnier, broader, and doesn't run out of steam (though Brideshead's early chapters are unbeatable!) I think I even prefer PCP to Brave New World!

I think Point Counter Point is generally considered Huxley's best novel (not my favourite). The critics would rank it above Brave New World

I love Evelyn Waugh, but I didn't like Brideshead the novel as much as the TV series (which is a masterpiece and one the greatest TV series' of all time). I agree that the opening chapters are perfect though. If I had to choose one of his novels it would be Decline and Fall (there is an audio recording by Michael Maloney, an RSC/ Shakespearean actor, which is wonderful).

The Sword of Honour novels are excellent too. Not only is he one of the funniest writers in the English languge, but Waugh's prose is just exquisite. I want to like Joyce's writing more, or Nabokov's etc as the critics tell me I should, but I always come back to Waugh when I want perfect prose.

[mal4mac]

I think Dickens beats them all. There's so much energy in everything he does, including comedy. And the characters! Recent memories - I loved the characters in the Old Curiosity shop - Madame Tussaud, Punch & Judy men, the pony... and the minor characters in Nicholas Nickleby - portrait artist, ivory carver, acting troupe... and on... and on...

There aren't many laughs in Tolstoy or Dostoevsky. Is Dickens the best Great Author at comedy? A sign of his great fecundity? Cervantes is major competition...

[WICKES]

. Is Dickens the best Great Author at comedy? A sign of his great fecundity? Cervantes is major competition...

Maybe Shakespeare? Especially Falstaff. I suppose most of the great writers didn't go in for comedy. I can't imagine anyone chuckling their way through War and Peace, Paradise Lost, The Divine Comedy or Crime and Punishment

[mal4mac]

I'll give you Shakespeare... Jane Austen I find quite amusing. But I prefer Dickens' broader humour.

Back to lesser, modern Brits - Kingsley Amis- Lucky Jim? Other "angry young man authors: "Hurry on Down" - Jon Wain. Keith Waterhouse - Billy Liar. Malcolm Bradbury - The History Man. Mortimer - Rumpole.

They are less "toff-oriented" than Waugh & Powell. But is that a bad thing?

Orwell was never funny - one more reason not to read his novels!

[WICKES]

Back to lesser, modern Brits - Kingsley Amis- Lucky Jim? Other "angry young man authors: "Hurry on Down" - Jon Wain. Keith Waterhouse - Billy Liar. Malcolm Bradbury - The History Man. Mortimer - Rumpole.

They are less "toff-oriented" than Waugh & Powell. But is that a bad thing?

Orwell was never funny - one more reason not to read his novels!

I want to hate Waugh (vile human being- a cruel, sadistic snob) but he is (for me) the funniest writer to have ever put ink to paper. His prose style is second to none- just beautiful, elegant, wonderful writing- and his best characters were worthy of Dickens or Chaucer (Clive James thought so too). I want to find PG Wodehouse funnier but I just don't. I want to admire the prose of Joyce, Nabokov, Woolf, Conrad etc more but I always come back to that s.o.b Waugh.

On the subject of George Orwell, I heard someone say on Radio 4 a little while ago that Homage to Catalonia was easily his masterpiece, not 1984 or Animal Farm . That is one I must read

[mal4mac]

On the subject of George Orwell, I heard someone say on Radio 4 a little while ago that Homage to Catalonia was easily his masterpiece, not 1984 or Animal Farm . That is one I must read

I'll exempt 1984 and AF. It's his other novels that deserve to be forgotten. Homage to Catalonia is fact - you're safer there. Though it's not on my reread list. Many people say his essays are best. I might read them when I get over the shock of reading his complete novels!