Category Archives: Fiction

Memorial Day/Spring Bank Holiday Roundup

—The Spectator has posted a memorial tribute to its recently deceased columnist Jeremy Clarke. This is by David Goodhart who writes that he gave Clarke his start as a journalist. Clarke’s longest and best known gig was the Low-Life column … Continue reading

Posted in Decline and Fall, Newspapers, Obituaries, The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold, Waugh Family | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Martin Amis R. I. P. (1949-2023)

Novelist and critic Martin Amis has died at the age of 73. Dwight Garner, a book critic of the New York Times, opens that paper’s obituary with this: Martin Amis, whose caustic, erudite and bleakly comic novels redefined British fiction … Continue reading

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Roundup (Exhibits and a Lecture)

–The Historical Association (Richmond & Twickenham Branch) has announced a lecture later this year that may be of interest to our London area readers: Takes Place: 28th September 2023 Time: 8pm Venue: Richmond Library Annexe, Quadrant St, Richmond TW9 Description: a fascinating … Continue reading

Posted in Brideshead Revisited, Events, Newspapers, Scott-King's Modern Europe, The Loved One, Vile Bodies | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Mother’s Day (US) Roundup

—The Oldie has posted an article by Mark McGinness to mark the 75th anniversary of the death of Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy on 13 March 1948. In this, he tells the story of her meeting and engagement with Billy Cavendish, Marquess … Continue reading

Posted in A Handful of Dust, Anniversaries, Brideshead Revisited, Hampstead, Letters, Newspapers, Oxford | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Pinfold Article Available

The previously mentioned article on Waugh’s novel The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold by Dr Barbara Cooke has now been published and posted on the internet. See previous post and abstract. It is now available to download at this link. Here’s an … Continue reading

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Coronation Roundup

–This week’s most widely reported event has to be the Coronation. A Spanish paper (Crónica Global) has made a story out of a widely-circulated cheer sent up at a recent football match by Glasgow Celtic fans. (My recollection is that … Continue reading

Posted in Brideshead Revisited, Scoop, Waugh in Abyssinia | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Bank Holiday Roundup

—Country Life has posted the second part of their interesting and informative essay on the building and decoration of Campion Hall at Oxford. The first installment was described in an earlier post. Here’s an excerpt relating to Waugh’s contribution to … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Waugh, Anniversaries, Edmund Campion, Oxford, Sword of Honour, The Loved One | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Twofer: Waugh and the Country House

–An essay in current issue of The Critic is devoted to the threatened demise and later salvation of the English Country House. This is by Lara Brown and is entitled “Waugh saves the English country house.” She begins by explaining … Continue reading

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Roundup: Mostly Books and a Makeover in North Wales

—The Spectator reviews a book by journalist and author Simon Winchester entitled Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge from Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic. Reviewer Dennis Duncan mentions that there is a discussion of Waugh’s Scoop in the book: … Continue reading

Posted in Brideshead Revisited, Decline and Fall, Newspapers, Scoop, The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mary Quant: R I P (1930-2023)

The Spanish language fashion magazine S Moda has published a retrospective article on the life and career of fashion designer Mary Quant on the occasion of her recent death. It contains a reference to the relationship of her husband Alexander … Continue reading

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