Waugh took the title for his novel from a line in t. We carry a wide selection of titles in the arts, theology, history, politics, social and physical sciences. It tells the story of bored lady brenda last, who abandons her husbands gothic pile to conduct an affair with shallow socialite john beaver of the belgravia set. A handful of dust is a classic novel by evelyn waugh. Evelyn waugh made the genre his own, and a handful of dust is a sublime example of his mastery of it. Evelyn waugh books list of books by author evelyn waugh. This novel contains familiar elements, the most obvious of. A handful of dust quality ebooks for free download. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read a handful of dust. Evelyn waughs a handful of dust, on several endofcentury top 100 lists,was published on september 3, 1934. Evelyn waugh s a handful of dust is one more example. Brenda, bored with tony and his apparent desire to live in the past, being the lord of the manor type of person, that she turns her attention to john beaver. Set between the wars in the chic uppermiddle classes in and around london, a handful of dust is full of horrible people. Waugh revisited looking back at an authors body of work through ebooks quickly sorts the dated from the timeless.
These popular treatments have maintained the publics appetite for waugh s novels, all of which remain in print and continue to sell. Tony is more in love with his house, hetton abbey, than with his wife. Dow jones, a news corp company news corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education. Dec 11, 2012 selected by modern library as one of the 100 best novels of the century, this absolutely delightful novel new york times movingly and comically chronicles the breakdown of a marriage and the disintegration of english society in the years after world war i. A handful of dust, satirical novel by evelyn waugh, published in 1934. All characters express adultery, spite, greed, envy, and deception and inclemency. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. A handful of dust by evelyn waugh, first edition abebooks. Review of a handful of dust by evelyn waugh duration. Waugh s fourth novel and seen as one of his scarcest. Focuses on the fascination of author evelyn waugh with contemporary manners and the arts depicted in his novel a handful of dust. In 1928 he published his first novel, decline and fall, which was soon followed by vile bodies, black mischief 1932, a handful of dust 1934 and scoop 1938.
A handful of dust by evelyn waugh 1934 penguin classics 2000 255 pages. A shrewd and witty comedy of upperclass manners between the wars. A handful of dust is a scathing commentary on the wellmannered death struggles of the english upper classes in the between wars society to which waugh belonged. Inscribed by waugh on the front end paper to american author and biographer, john kobler, inscribed for john kobler by evelyn waugh april 20th 1960. Evelyn waughs a handful of dust 1899 words 123 help me. A handful of dust by evelyn waugh and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Brilliantly combining tragedy, comedy and savage irony, a handful of dust captures the irresponsible mood of the crazy and sterile generation between the wars. A handful of dust is a novel by the british writer evelyn waugh. Evelyn waugh was a british author best known for writing fiction and travelogues. Contents chapter one5 chapter two18 chapter three112 chapter four232 chapter five283 chapter six378 chapter seven403 2.
First published in 1934, it is often grouped with the authors early, satirical comic novels for which he became famous in the preworld war ii years. A handful of dust ebook evelyn waugh descargar libro. Evelyn waugh was born in hampstead in 1903 and educated at hertford college, oxford. This breakdown of the last marriage is a painful, comic reworking of waugh s own divorce, and a symbol of the disintegration of society. Laced with cynicism and truth, a handful of dust satirizes a. It tells the story of tony last, who, to the irritation of his wife, is inordinately obsessed with his victorian gothic country house and life. The jungle, as it turns out, is not the best place to forgot your troubles. A handful of dust project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. May, 2015 read an excerpt from the book a handful of dust by evelyn waugh. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading a handful of dust. The mildmannered tony last lives in hetton abbey, a large english victoriangothic house.
A handful of dust by evelyn waugh he characters of evelyn waugh are a lesson in the other end of anthropology. Read an excerpt from a handful of dust wsj book club. The loved one and a handful of dust by evelyn waugh. There have been further cinematic waugh adaptations. A handful of dust by evelyn waugh the 330th greatest. Evelyn waughs a handful of dust is a satirical novel that involves the story of tony last and his wife, lady brenda. Nicholas lezard on evelyn waugh s neglected classic the ordeal of gilbert pinfold. A handful of dust by waugh, evelyn jonkers rare books.
Comparison of the plots between the novel and the books decline and fall and vile bodies. Eliots modernist poem the waste land, evelyn waugh s a handful of dust is a chronicle of britains decadence and social disintegration between the first and second world wars. Waughs novel a handful of dust can be understood as ironic story of condemnation. A handful of dust and decline and fall by evelyn waugh. This penguin modern classics edition is edited with an introduction and notes by robert murray davis. I have several waugh novels sitting on my shelf due to my sudden infatuation with his writing in late 2008 just those two books made me start boasting that waugh was one of my favorite authors. His most famous works include the early satires decline and fall 1928 and a handful of dust 1934, the novel brideshead revisited 1945, and the second world war. Waugh died on easter sunday, 1966, at his home in combe florey, somerset. A handful of dust by evelyn waugh 1934 sat, jul 5, 2008, 01. Eliots modernist poem the waste land, evelyn waughs a handful of dust is a chronicle of britains decadence and social disintegration between the first and second world wars. Waughs new style, which is so closely associated with brideshead revisited 1945, was actually introduced in a handful of dust. Waugh, evelyn arthur evelyn st john 1903 1966 date of first publication. Commentators have, however, drawn attention to its serious undertones, and have regarded it as a transitional work pointing towards waughs catholic postwar fiction.
Tony last lives contentedly in his hideous country mansion, just about able to afford its upkeep, ensconced in his lordly duties, happy with his son and a pretty wife blessed with social graces he finds a bit of a conundrum. He went on to write a number of other books, including brideshead revisited 1945 and men at arms 1952. First published in 1934, it is often grouped with the authors early, satirical comic novels for which. Further novels, including vile bodies 1930, a handful of dust 1934 and brideshead revisited 1945 were highly acclaimed. Evelyn waughs a handful of dust is a satirical depiction of the sterile generation between the wars. The novel, which is often considered waughs best, examines the themes of contemporary amorality and the death of spiritual values.
His wife brenda is bored by their quiet but unexciting life together in the country, and has discovered a more glitzy social life in london. During these years he also travelled extensively and converted to catholicism. Dying of manners, they are determined to go on snubbing reality, as if it were a crasher. Selected by modern library as one of the 100 best novels of the century, this absolutely delightful novel new york times movingly and comically chronicles the breakdown of a marriage and the disintegration of english society in the years after world war i. A handful of dust by evelyn waugh overdrive rakuten overdrive. In the beginning the two main characters tony and brenda last are an idyllic and seemingly content couple living a sedate country existence. But all is not well and the couple beginning to drift. When lady brenda last embarks on an affair with the worthless john beaver out of boredom with her husband, she. Evelyn waugh writing styles in a handful of dust evelyn waugh this study guide consists of approximately 49 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of a handful of dust. A handful of dust is perhaps similarly deceptive, especially when read today.
A handful of dust is set in 1930s victorian england, and focuses on the. Like waughs novel makes me think of a curious little pen knife kept under plate glass display at an antique shop. Jacketed evelyn waughs 1934 novel is a bitingly funny vision of aristocratic decadence in england between the wars. A handful of dust penguin modern classics series by evelyn waugh. His life is left in shambles when, in the wake of his sons death, he discovers that his wife has been having an affair. In a handful of dust waugh satirises the upper class, the mercantile class and the establishments for example. A handful of dust by evelyn waugh styled by limpidsoft. A handful of dust by evelyn waugh, from project gutenberg canada. This breakdown of the last marriage is a painful, comic reworking of waughs own divorce, and a. A handful of dust by evelyn waugh 1934 the irish times.
First published in 1934, it is often grouped with the authors early, satirical comic novels for which he became famous in the pre world war ii years. Waughs knowledge of the materialism at the beginning of the 20th century english privileged class system shows a genuine offense, sure to rain down on those who deserve. May 31, 2012 a handful of dust ebook written by evelyn waugh. Like a magicians, all their tricks are in their top hats. The novel is set in the 1930s, and focuses on the breakdown of the marriage of tony and lady brenda last.
Nicholas lezard on evelyn waughs neglected classic the ordeal of gilbert pinfold. Critically regarded as the high point of waugh s literary output and as one of the great novels of the twentieth century. Black mischief, a handful of dust, decline and fall, vile bodies, put out more flags, scoop by evelyn waugh. Selected by modern library as one of the top 100 novels of the century, this absolutely delightful novel new york times movingly and comically chronicles. A handful of dust in 1988, vile bodies filmed as bright young things in 2003 and brideshead again in 2008. A handful of dust is set in 1930s victorian england, and focuses on the breakdown of the marriage of tony and brenda last. The present document was derived from pdf source available under the creative commons attributionsharealike 3. Precipitated by the failure of waughs marriage and by his conversion to roman catholicism, the. A handful of dust ebook by evelyn waugh 9780141886374. Commentators have, however, drawn attention to its serious undertones, and have regarded it as a transitional work pointing. A loving wife, a delightful son, and a splendid home in the countryside. A near fine copy in a very good dustwrapper, which is a little tanned to the spine with some fraying to the spine ends and corners and the beginnings of a closed tear to the rear joint.
After seven years of marriage, the beautiful lady brenda last has grown bored with life at hetton abbey, the gothic. Written in 1934, a handful of dust is listed as number 34 of the modern librarys 100 best english language novels of the 20th century. Waugh, evelyn arthur evelyn st john 19031966 date of first publication. Read an excerpt from the book a handful of dust by evelyn waugh. Waugh had emerged as a gifted comic writer with a flair for brilliant caricature and zany, nuanced dialogue, capable of. Evelyn waughs a handful of dust is one more example. Class in a handful of dust english literature essay. The penguin english library collectable general readers editions of the best fiction in english, from the eighteenth century to the end of the second world war. A handful of dust the loved one men at arms by evelyn waugh. A handful of dust by evelyn waugh penguin books australia.
1080 370 1264 874 1092 79 1340 185 679 1258 1512 1293 125 483 426 946 471 546 1521 483 915 1300 496 478 1301 357 818 1084 544 86 683