Brideshead Revisited: The Sacred and Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder
by Evelyn Waugh
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Book Reviews of Brideshead Revisited: The Sacred and Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder
Book Review: left me pondering
Summary: 4 Stars
This was a very different reading experience and still making me ponder about it. Very complex book for sure, characters and events are described without much explaining and yet they speak clearly of the incongruous, ambiguous and often absurd lives of the British elite/wealthy family in between the wars. Also there is serious lamentation over the fragility of beauty and youth. "He was magically beautiful, with that epicene quality which is extreme youth sings aloud for love and withers at the first cold wind." Writing is very sharp, and its humor painfully dark and analytical, particularly about the weight and irony of religious practice that seems to be right in the center of this story.Book Review: The original version
Summary: 5 Stars
Like all American editions, this new edition by Back Bay Books uses the original 1945 version of the book. Waugh reissued it in 1959 "with many small additions and some substantial cuts", so that all later UK editions, including Penguin and Everyman's Library, used the new revised version. Only the American publisher continued to use the old one. There is a disagreement between Waugh's readers about whether the altered text was an improvement. Frank Kermode in his preface to the Everyman's edition argues that "the final version of the novel is preferable". So if you're a fan of the book you might be interested in reading both and making your own judgment.Book Review: A read-again to Revsited
Summary: 5 Stars
I first read this book over 30 years ago but wanted to return to it because of the quality of Evelyn Waugh's writing. There is enough detail to get a clear picture of each character, scene and location but it still moves along well and keeps ones interest page to page. I will always remember the prayer, "O God, if there is a God, forgive this man his sins, if there is such a thing as sin."
I have used that many times with friends and co-workers since it covers a wealth of beliefs or un-beliefs. I highly recommend this work.
Book Review: BORING
Summary: 2 Stars
I seldom post reviews. However this book is so tedious, that I have to say that I'm sorry I bought it, and I no idea why it is so highly rated. I didn't see the tv series, so that must have been better. Even 12 years of post high school education doesn't help me enjoy this, and although the writing is somewhat colorful and descriptive, it doesn't make me care about any of these people. A story about an alcoholic, lots of description, where not much happens for many, many pages, a very slow soap opera; Thankfully it's not too long.Book Review: Brideshead holds up!
Summary: 4 Stars
I loved the Masterpiece Theater production of Brideshead Revisited quite a few years ago. I made the mistake of seeing the latest film version and was aghast. I did not have a copy of the book, and Amazon came immediately to the rescue! Reading the book not only brought back the wonderful experience of the PBS version with its magnificent performances, but it was a terrific read as well. May D