Green Man by Kingsley Amis

Please be aware for anyone who has not read this book, there are some slight spoliers below.


I have been quite eager to read this book and rather looking forward to it, for one thing because of the good things I have heard about Kingsley Amis' writing, and I have heard a lot about his book Lucky Jim and the humor of his writing, and for another when I first saw this book I was drawn to the name because of my interest in Irish myth, but I did not really know what to expect from the book itself.

Reading it now, I am having quite a hard time with it, as I cannot decide just what I think of or what to make of it. I do in fact quite enjoy Amis' writing style. I think the book is well written and it reads pretty quickly and I find the story to be interesting.

The problem is I do not like any of the characters in the book which makes it a bit hard to read when you don't really like anyone, thus you cannot quite care what happens to any of them and reading the book sometimes has the feeling of being in a roomful of obnoxious people. It is even worse being that the book is in first person narration and the narrator is no more likable than anyone else.

There are certain aspects of Maurice than can be sometimes charming and in spite of what I think of his general behavior, and that in many ways he is a despicable person, as well as being quite pathetic, I sympathetic with the way his family treats him, and I cannot stand how condescending all of them all towards him. Though I am repulsed by his infidelity to his wife I don't much care for her either and I don't like the patronizing way she speaks to him when he begins to have his "visions." Amy is the only the character who I find possibly likable, and now so far she has not really played a very predominant role within the story.

I do really enjoy the ghost story aspect of the book, and I find that part to be quite interesting, and I am intrigued to see what happens next as far as that is concerned, and regardless of my feelings for any of the characters I really do hope that Maurice gets to prove them all wrong and that the others start having like experiences and encountering things they cannot explain to shut their know it all condescending mouths.

At the same time if and when Maurice does bring up his wishes for a threesome with Diana I hope she kicks him out on his arise, and I would love to see him for once get caught red-handed in his indiscretions.

I want everyone in the novel to get exactly what they deserve.

So I have difficulty reading the book at times because I don't like being with those people, but I am still curious to see how the story develops.

entitled, strangely enough, 'The Green Man". The protaginist (Maurice) is played by Albert Finney, of Tom Jones fame. However, Tom Jones was made in the early 60s and time has not been good to Finney as he is now overweight with a somewhat bloated face. He does manage to get a trois menage going, but it turns out differently than he envisaged. I've never read the book, but the movie was very interesting. Kingsly Amis is the son of a quite good English writer so he is following in the family tradition.

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Originally Posted by dfloyd

entitled, strangely enough, 'The Green Man". The protaginist (Maurice) is played by Albert Finney, of Tom Jones fame. However, Tom Jones was made in the early 60s and time has not been good to Finney as he is now overweight with a somewhat bloated face. He does manage to get a trois menage going, but it turns out differently than he envisaged. I've never read the book, but the movie was very interesting. Kingsly Amis is the son of a quite good English writer so he is following in the family tradition.

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After I finish the book I may have to give the movie a look.

The 'movie' was, I think, made for tv and, as it was shown as a serial over several episodes, was quite a leisurely presentation. I enjoyed it at the time but did not feel moved to read the book. I have found that to be the case with several of Kingsley Amis' books - The Old Devils also televised rather well.

Albert Finney often turns up in tv plays and, while Time may not have have been kind to his boyish good looks - as indeed to whom has it been kind? - it has matured his acting skills very nicely (imo!).

I think Kingsley is the father and founder of the writing family: the son is Martin Amis.

You're right about Finney's acting ability having improved, and he does seem to take roles for which he is suited such as Under the Volcano. It just seems like the older English actors have the appearance of being heavy eaters/drinkers. Clint Eastwood lost his hair, but he seems as fit as a man 30 years younger.

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Originally Posted by dfloyd

You're right about Finney's acting ability having improved, and he does seem to take roles for which he is suited such as Under the Volcano. It just seems like the older English actors have the appearance of being heavy eaters/drinkers. Clint Eastwood lost his hair, but he seems as fit as a man 30 years younger.

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English actors are quite often heavy drinkers, one has only to think of Richards Burton and Harris. The same goes for some writers and Kingsley Amis was no exception. He wrote two books about drinking and here is an extract from one of them:

I don't really like wine. Gin is for pansies, though a snifter with water doesn't go amiss. Liqueurs are best left to patent-shoed Wops. Or Americans. Champagne is an overrated girl's drink, though it can be drunk with any food; as such, it's a perfect breakfast drink because a scotch before 10am is very non-U.
I loathe pubs with loud music, but my utmost detestation is reserved for sanctimonious ex-topers. There's nothing worse than a man who doesn't drink.

I saw Richard Harris in a traveling show of Camrlot. He was very acceptable in his role of Arthur. I saw him again about ten years later and I could hardly recognize him. Same way with Peter O'Toole.