Martin Amis

[kev67]

Does anyone have any views on Martin Amis? I am reading Lionel Asbo at the moment. So far, I have found it snorting coffee through your nose funny. It is like a dystopia but set in the modern day. I have read one of his other books, London Fields, which I found enjoyable in an unpleasant sort of way. He is good as satirizing celebrity culture and the underclass. I gather Money is considered his best book. I was surprised that Lionel Asbo is getting a luke warm reception. It has about 3.5 stars out of 5 on Good Reads. I have just read a newspaper review that more-or-less stated that Martin Amis is past his best. Maybe Lionel Asbo is too similar to some of his other books.

[Frostball]

I only know of Martin Amis through the late and great Christopher Hitchens. They were great friends, and I read some stories about them in Hitch's memoirs. I've also seen Amis speak about Hitchens after his death, and he seemed to be a pretty smart guy who valued Hitch's friendship. I've don't know anything about his writing, however, so I'm not much help, though you've made me more interested in reading some of his stuff.

[kev67]

I noticed Martin Amis dedicated Lionel Asbo to Christopher Hitchens. I have not read much of Christopher Hitchens and I marked him down as a controversialist. OTOH, my father liked his writing. A friend of mine read one of Hitchens' book, God is Not Great, and thought it was very good. Didn't he also write the demolition jobs on Mother Teresa and Queen Mother?

Martin Amis has some interesting enmities as well as friendships. There was a very glamorous newsreader called Anna Ford who attacked him in the press. Amis had been a friend of her husband's. Then it is interesting to compare his career with his father's. I have only read one Kingsley Amis book, Lucky Jim, which is his most famous book, although I suspect not his best.

[mal4mac]

"Experience", Martin's memoir, is also well worth reading. There are several accounts of Hitch at his best/worst (dinner with Saul Bellow especially!) The relationship with his equally famous father is also well drawn. If you like Martin's humour then Kingsley's should also go down well, I just read "Ending up", which is very funny. If you want a change from Martin's "bad boys in London" fiction then try "Time's Arrow", an intriguing "time going backwards" sf/holocaust novel. It's very inventive & interesting.

[Frostball]

Didn't he also write the demolition jobs on Mother Teresa and Queen Mother?


Hitchens' book on Mother Theresa has one of the greatest titles I've ever seen: The Missionary Position.

[prendrelemick]

"Money" is one of the best books I've read.


http://www.online-literature.com/forums/showthread.php?54414-Money-by-Martin-Amis

[mal4mac]

I didn't like "The Pregnant Widow".

[ennison]

"Money" starts with a bang but fizzles out to mediocrity. To me it was vacuous.

[ennison]

I enjoyed "Koba the Dread" though.

[ennison]

Why are there breast enlargement ads at the top of this page? Is it something to do with Amis??

[kev67]

"Money" starts with a bang but fizzles out to mediocrity. To me it was vacuous.

I got around to reading Money. I was slightly disappointed with it. I much preferred Lionel Asbo. That really did capture the spirit of the times, what with all the celebrity culture and idiots being lauded for appearing in reality TV. However, I've never felt any great urge to read everything he's done.

[kev67]

Why are there breast enlargement ads at the top of this page? Is it something to do with Amis??

He is more notorious for his teeth. He spent a great deal of money getting them fixed, which the newspapers seemed to think was newsworthy.