Honestly I love that passionate smile you have on the thumbnail... Goes on to show how much you value what you do... Your channel deserves to be big ❤️

I think you are probably right that men are more impressed by Waugh's books than women, especially by his very dry and cruel sense of humour. A lot of people are puzzled by his novels, but discovering more about Waugh himself makes them much easier to understand. Most of them are autobiographical. And all but the earliest are underpinned by his Catholic faith, which (unlike most novelists) he was eager to talk about. I guess most people who read "Brideshead Revisited" are unaware that the narrator Charles is a version of Waugh himself - the novel is an explanation of his journey towards Catholic faith.

He’s my, great, great, uncle. Apparently he was obsessive. Funny enough I have started writing myself. It’s in my blood.

I really need to read more from Waugh, I have only read two so far but like yourself I really loved Vile Bodies, what a wonderful book!! Great video xx

Decline and fall is hilarious

I do like the lyricism of Brideshead Revisited. To me it gives stylistic underlining of Charles's romantic imagination. It's hard to see how little he even tries to help Sebastian in his rootless despair.

Thanks for another author spotlight video, Katie. Great as always! 😊

I’m a big fan of Brideshead Revisited and agree that Charles and Julia are really awful but that doesnt lessen my enjoyment of the book. Sebastian is a wonderfully drawn character. Im not usually tolerant of self destructive behaviour but like you I really loved him. I also loved the Sword of Honour trilogy. There is something about the way Waugh shows human frailty that rings true to me.

Last year I read Brideshead Revisited and it became one of my favorite books that I read last year and one of my favorite books in general! Upon finishing it it was a solid 3/5 stars for me and I did like it. But then I just kept thinking about it!! And especially after watching the 1981 miniseries and recognizing more about and within the story and characters, as well as after doing a bit of research on Waugh's own life and influences for the novel, there was more to it than I realized during the reading process and through all of this it elevated in my mind. I still don't consider it a full 5/5 stars, but I increased my rating to 4/5 and recognize how much of an impact it had on me. Honestly, I feel like I haven't been able to shut up about Brideshead Revisited with my reading the book, watching its adaptations, and reading the news of another adaptation in the works! It's the first book of Waugh's that I read and would definitely like to read more from him. I'm thinking of going chronologically because that's just something I like to do when I've read nothing or little from an author whose work I want to explore. I like the idea of being able to get more of the development of an author's style, storytelling, and such. My birthday is coming up, so I plan on finally getting at least one of his books I've been eyeing for a while. Really interesting to hear your thoughts and experience with reading Waugh's books! And I commend you for continuing to read works of his! I can't think of any time or authors I've thought about not reading work from anymore. Even if I don't love the books I have read from an author, I'm pretty much still curious about and willing to read another story from them. But I've come across plenty of people who give-up on or write-off authors if they find they don't get on with their work for whatever reason.

I feel like writers like Waugh and Nancy Mitford were able to discuss serious things through humour very well. Sword of Honour does get the racism of the old colonial Victorian mindset and the uselessness of a passive Victorian hero - Guy Crouchback is very like David Copperfield in a WWII situation, and he actively kills people by negligence and mistaken kindness. I don't feel we are laughing with people like the Brigadier though, it is presenting his actions as absurd. Nancy Mitford discusses postnatal depression and things like that in The Pursuit of Love, but with a lot of understanding and less judgment. I feel like the recent adaptation actually added in extra judgment, because in a way we still aren't ready for those kind of jokes, rather than that we don't understand them anymore.

I came to your video because I am about to read a short story by Waugh, "The Man Who Liked Dickens," the lead-off story in The Mammoth Book of Classic Chillers (ed. Tim Haydock). Given that your dissertation is on Dickens, I'm sure you must have read that story. I wanted to know more in general about Waugh's output; your piece here really helped. It struck me that your description of Waugh's style and subject matter in the books by him you most liked sounded a lot like Hemmingway's style. Brideshead Revisited sounds like it may have been more similar to Faulkner's style, which indeed is not for everyone. Waugh's humor, of course, could not have been inspired by reading either of these two authors.

I’ve only ever read Brideshead which I vaguely liked but I’ve always wanted to read more to make up my mind about Waugh - this is a very helpful video ☺️

My favourites are Decline and Fall and Helena. Both brilliantly written.

Funny. The first book of his I'm reading is scoop. I think it has its share of wit and dry humour. I'm only half way through, so don't have a clear opinion on it yet.

I tried reading Evelyn Waugh many, many years ago (I think it was Brideshead) and DNFed it. But who knows, maybe I'll have to pick up his different works at the library and find out which ones are worth reading - thanks !

Consider that Waugh’s depiction of men’s attitudes towards women in a certain moment of social history in Britain are probably accurate, though unpleasant. Sexual conduct among this class were hardly honorable . One could imagine that women’s inner conversations about men in their lives was equally mercenary and merciless. Thank you 🙏🏻 for a wonderful video.

I read all his novels. I need to read him again.

Probably contrary to your expectations, this video has led me to decide to extend my #1900to1950 project reading through (at least) the end of this year and to include some Evelyn Waugh, whom I haven't yet read in spite of having three of his books on my shelves. I just discovered those books while listto your video, which as it happens, is now I discover many of the books on my shelves a d is one of the reasons why this ready g project shall go on for some time. I've quite a stack of books pulled now. Not complaining at all!

Simon Cadell reading Scoop is wonderful

Team 'Handful Of Dust' here. Must have another crack at 'Vile Bodies' at some point.

I read The Loved One for your readathon this month and I loved it! My first reading of Evelyn Waugh. I thought it was very silly and funny and dark! It might be that I'm American, tho, bc I feel like the Loved One is really taking a stab at America and American ideals. Thanks for this video!

I had wafted so long on reading Evelyn Waugh, but recently started his Sword of Honour trilogy and was so surprised that I do Love Waugh. I enjoy that British sense of humour that only a Brit can give to a comedy about WW2

Every so oftem TMC shows the film adaptation of "The Loved One." I think they did a good job on the adaptation.

A Handful of Dust is brilliant. I'm sure Black Mischief would infuriate you but it's also quite brilliant. Another British author from this time period who I admire is Wyndham Lewis. His unusual style and attitudes many deplore, but I enjoy his wicked satire.

Evelyn Waugh was a brilliant writer, probably the talent of his generation. I think the natural successor to Dickens as a satirist. Perhaps his personality and polarised opinions give him a bad rep. I suggest you read Scoop once again. It’s a masterpiece.

It took me a while to understand Brideshead revisited. Sebastian is like Peter Pan. He is a boy who doesn’t want to grow up, follow through on his responsibilities to Brideshead, be with his family, or think about the future. He wants to stop time and he only wants someone who will indulge him. Brideshead is a metaphor for a virgin pure place (game of thrones also use brideshead to refer to a certain part of a cis woman’s body- it was old times) and at the end it is in ruins (also a metaphor but I can’t say for what on KZfaq) after a war. It is in ruins and Sebastian aided the enemy who ruined it. Sebastian chose himself over duty like his father. But he didn’t know at the last moment, his father would choose duty. Julia bowed to duty over the self. That was her defeat. And on returning to see what had become of Brideshead - Charles too bowed to his duty. He saw stagnation would only lead to ruin. It was his defeat. The tragedy is there was no modern Wendy who can grow up right. For the modern Wendy, to live is the greatest adventure of all. Growing and change are not evil or scary because it is simply living.

Namaste Katie & this is another great video!😊 I haven't read any books by this author but seems like this author has a knack of building versatile dark charachters to bring the spotlight on the less explored social aspects of life during those times. I may be wrong but from what you mentioned- that seems to be an evident fact in his writing style. Based on your recommendations I'll start with a Handful of Dust. Looking forward for your next video- take care & Happy Reading😊📖👍

Sebastian was based on a man Waugh was in love with, and I suspect that's the reason he comes across well.

No Black Mischief? Thats where Basil Seal first appears.

Great video. I’ve never read any Evelyn Waugh, but am tempted by Brideshead Revisired for the period and subject.

Just finished reading Hang out More Flags and I found it laugh out loud funny on many occassions. I love how in his early works there's only dialogue and descriptions of ations with very little internal monologue, makes the characters seem much more real to me, because you don't ever get to hear peoples thoughts in reality. Yes his attitudes to many things, women, religion are pretty weird and distasteful imo, but it doesn't make the books any less fascinationg and fun to read for me, in fact I think it's eye opening view into the beliefs of people at this time in history.

Have you watched Bright Young Things (2003)?

I finally got a copy of "Brideshead Revisited" yesterday. I have read almost everything else by the man, and I skipped over this one. He is one of those writers you either get or just put on a shelf, gathering dust. I started with "A Handful of Dust"; all the others (travel books, memoir, letters, diaries, comic prose, etc) I read on my own (best way to approach him).

Have you read Patrick Hamilton's Hangover Square?

Thank you, interesting talk. I am unsure about him myself. LOVE YOUR BLOUSE for definite though!

It doesn't compute for me that you could love Vile Bodies and Decline And Fall and yet find Scoop a big yawn. Did you read it in a bad mood or something? The only early novel you haven't read is Black Mischief, but that stars Basil so you might not like it. The Sword Of Honour trilogy is his big serious work about the war, and he uncharacteristically takes himself rather seriously and even gets a bit sentimental. I love it anyway, but I'm not sure you would find it satisfying. The central character is a bit like Charles Ryder in not being sufficiently made fun of, and as I recall there is only one substantial female character, and she is pretty vile.

Do you think Vile Bodies is Waugh's funniest satirical novel?

Am reading Vile Bodies now! Thank you for this!

Thanks! I like him generally. I think I have read Brideshead two or three times and I generally like it a lot. Some of the characters are annoying, but nonetheless compelling. Decline and Fall is very funny-I read it for the second or third time last month. I also liked A Handful of Dust, but have only read it once. I think I can recommend Men at Arms. I haven’t read it in many years but I have a positive feeling about it. You make a great point about British literature of the 1920s and 1930s being easily readable. I have often thought that as well. Maybe after the war publishers wanted to make life just a bit easier for people. Have you read E.M. Delafield? Diary of a Provincial Lady is so funny and insightful. The audiobook is a treat as we.

Contrary to accepted dogma, it was Evelyn Waugh not Yoko Ono who inspired George Harrison's song "You're Giving Me a Wa-Wa."

I recently read an ARC from #netgalley of a book called “The Bookseller’s Secret” by Michelle Gable. It is due out in August. While the central character is Nancy Mitford, she socializes with Evelyn Waugh on occasion and appears to resent his success and general condescending manner. You might find it interesting!

I've been on the fence on whether to read him or not. So thank you!

That shirt is really cute! I think I've only heard of Brideshead Revisited

Congratulations on reading the works of Elevlyn Waugh. Rereas this list when you're middle-aged. You may grow closer to the stories. Alas, you'll not yet any closer to Waugh. Pax Christi.

I've read Scoop, Vile Bodies & Brideshead Revisited. I loved Scoop & BR. Sword of Honor trilogy (correctly spelled) is up next. He was kind of a jerk at times I think it's fair to say.

I appear to have liked The Loved One a lot more than you did (I remember liking the film a lot as well), but it's also the only one of his I've read. He's one of these people I feel I *should* read but somehow never quite get around to (maybe if I'd pulled my finger out I could've read one of his books for your readathon instead of the... well... none that I wound up reading. That slump isn't going away...), and I wouldn't be surprised somehow if his books kind of *are* trapped in their own time.

Well done and very interesting review. N.b., please look at us (the camera!) when talking and watch the audio volume. ;-)

Re the detestable Basil Seal (I don't think the reader is supposed to find him charming): Harold Acton, in his biography of Nancy Mitford, says that Mitford's husband, Peter Rodd, "was the model for Evelyn Waugh's Basil Seal".

Evelyn Waugh is for me a mixed bag too as I didn't do him for university (I wasn't studying English Literature for starters) and I was at Oxford in the "Hooray Henry" time (around the time of Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson) I didn't feel a strong desire to read much "Brideshead Revisited" is all I have read and that was enough - probably more than enough for me.

I spy a Joanie outfit!! I’ve read three so far but only really LOVED Vile Bodies so far, but am open to keep trying more!

I too love Vile Bodies! I also love Scoop. (Please reread: it IS funny. And The Loved One. And A Handful of Dust. Edit: I had forgotten about Put Out More Flags (love it) and Decline and Fall (love it).

Interesting to hear your thoughts! I agree that Sebastian Flyte is a nuanced and fascinating character and I found it a shame that he just disappeared half way through the story.

Sham on you! I love Evelyn Waugh

Loved brideshead, didn’t like vile bodies or put out more flags, I may have to reread vile bodies. Great talk.

Sword of Honour is his magnum opus. This girl completely misunderstands Waugh.

So Vile Bodies is the one to read? And your thoughts on Auberon?

I don't know if I'm in such a rush to read Evelyn Waugh. I've had quite enough commentary on 1920's-30's high society from The Beautiful and Damned to tide me over for at least half a year. I'll probably still give Vile Bodies a try one of these days. Waugh sounds like everything I hoped Fitzgerald would be, but wasn't.

He does seem so dated. Although I'm done with his fiction I do think he's funny. I enjoy his letters to Nancy Mitford. Would you consider reviewing some of his other nonfiction at some point? 💕

Evelyn appears to have a nasty streak in him! Came through in some of his mean characters!

Labels written in 1929 is a travel book that reads like a novel....far better than the Pinfold novel...

I've only read Brideshead Revisited. Did not care for the narrator either. Still, I should give Waugh another chance so perhaps I will try Vile Bodies. It's interesting that Waugh's writing style changed after WWII. Would that be true of Anthony Powell as well, do you think? For some reason I think of Afternoon Men or What's Become of Waring as much more sparse in style, as compared to Dance to the Music of Time. Haven't read the earlier ones though, so can't say for sure.

With Sebastian I agree, I would have loved the entire story told from his pov, especially because the most interesting part of the novel was his relationship with Charles (and my headcanon is that to Sebastian, Charles was his first love but Kurt was his soulmate, and I would have LOVED to read about their love story in Nazi Germany and their tragic finale) but… the mother?? I just found her annoying and very passive-agressive on her ways. I know she meant well, and honestly I felt pity for the hatred she inspired in her house, but I thought she was very one-dimensional. I agree with the fact that Charles and Julia are awful people, but I found infinitely more interesting to see the fucked up mentality of someone like Julia, who was raised in this very catholic home, and how those subliminal messages like the “catholic guilt” on some way, shaped her life. Idk i just think that even if she wasn’t the most “moral” person of the story (#justiceforcelia) she was still very compeling and complex and you coud understand where she was coming from.

I tried to read Black Mischief and hated it. I think you will too.

Waugh is a problematic writer. His books are deeper than most people think, and as a result, most miss his point. Decline and Fall is VERY funny. It's a brilliant school novel but it's overall look at society is devastating - but no one gets it. D H Lawrence wrote to Waugh after reading D&F saying that if people knew what he was saying, they throw ten brickbats at him for everyone thrown at Lawrence for Lady Chatterley. Waugh shows every major, revered institution in England to be corrupt: university, school, the justice system, the legal system, etc. We are all laughing so hard, we miss the cutting satirical observations. Re: Brideshead: you are right. Charles is an utter sh**. He treats his wife abominably, and I can't forgive him for not wanting even to see his own son. Yet, at the end, he seems to be redeemed, and that is the major point. Thank you for your comments. Have you read Anthony Powell? Another underrated social observer.

This was great, I wish you would examine other authors.

Sigh are we really supposed to like Charles Ryder? He’s often so frustrating! Although he does come across more sympathetically in the movie (2008).

I have read Scoop, Black Mischief and A Handful of Dust. I thought Scoop was hilarious. I found Black Mischief a bit racist. A Handful of Dust was way too dark for me. My father raved about his Sword of Honour trilogy, but I found it very dry and stopped reading it. I had almost sworn off him, but you make Vile Bodies sound interesting.

Who’s Ethan Waugh?

PS do you mind if I make a personal comment? Please slow down , you are speaking too Fast

I gave you 3 minutes Done, boring, repetitious, giggling, I, I, I,