Category Archives: Decline and Fall

Elizabeth II (1926-2022) R.I.P.

Posted on September 10, 2022 by Jeffrey Manley

The main story of the week is of course the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Waugh commented little about the monarchy,  but some of the papers found relevant references in his works. –Dominic Green writing in the Wall Street Journal … Continue reading →

Posted in Decline and Fall, Items for Sale, Letters, Newspapers, Sword of Honour | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Summer Bank Holiday Roundup

Posted on August 27, 2022 by Jeffrey Manley

–D J Taylor in the latest issue of Literary Review has written a review of the new biography by Patrick Donovan. This is entitled Arnold Bennett: Last Icon. It was mentioned in a previous post.  Here’s an excerpt from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Decline and Fall, Newspapers, Scoop, Sword of Honour, Unconditional Surrender/The End of the Battle, Waugh Family | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gerhardie, Waugh and Boyd

Posted on July 25, 2022 by Jeffrey Manley

Novelist William Boyd has written an essay for The Spectator about the influence of William Gerhardie’s novels on several British novelists of the interwar period. It is entitled “Evelyn Waugh’s sincerest form of flattery.” Here’s an excerpt from the beginning: … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Decline and Fall, Evelyn Waugh, Newspapers, Scoop, Vile Bodies | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Gerhardie, Waugh and Boyd

Harold and Robert and Evelyn

Posted on July 19, 2022 by Jeffrey Manley

The latest issue of Valet magazine (No. 4) has an article by Waugh biographer and Waugh Society member Duncan McLaren entitled “An Oxford Cartoon”. As he explains in the introductory paragraphs, it is inspired by a drawing that accompanies the … Continue reading →

Posted in Decline and Fall, Evelyn Waugh, Newspapers, Portraits | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Harold and Robert and Evelyn

Arnold Bennett Revival ?

Posted on July 14, 2022 by Jeffrey Manley

Simon Heffer writing in the Daily Telegraph reconsiders the career and reputation of Arnold Bennett (1867-1931), an early supporter of Evelyn Waugh. The article opens with this: Despite the literary achievement of Arnold Bennett, generations have now grown up unaware … Continue reading →

Posted in Biographies, Decline and Fall, Newspapers, Vile Bodies | Tagged , | Comments Off on Arnold Bennett Revival ?

Roundup: Changing of the Guard

Posted on July 9, 2022 by Jeffrey Manley

–The main story of the week is of course the fall of Boris Johnson. Veteran journalist Max Hastings writing in The Times brings a Waugh character into his assessment of Johnson’s career: Herein, I suggest, lay much of the extraordinary … Continue reading →

Posted in A Little Learning, Adaptations, Brideshead Revisited, Catholicism, Decline and Fall, Items for Sale, Newspapers | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Roundup: Changing of the Guard

Flag Day Roundup

Posted on June 13, 2022 by Jeffrey Manley

–Author Irvine Welsh (best known for his novel Trainspotting) was interviewed in advance of an appearance at the Beyond the Pale Festival at Wicklow, Ireland, 10-12 June. This appeared in the Irish Examiner. Here’s an excerpt: I’ve always admired writers … Continue reading →

Posted in Books about Evelyn Waugh, Decline and Fall, First Editions, Items for Sale, Newspapers, The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Flag Day Roundup

Roundup: Mostly Books

Posted on May 23, 2022 by Jeffrey Manley

—The Times has an article describing a re-reading of Henry Green’s peculiar 1939 novel Party Going. This is by Claire Alltree and opens with this: I think of Henry Green’s 1939 novel every time I walk across Victoria station, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Brideshead Revisited, Decline and Fall, Internet, Newspapers | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Roundup: Mostly Books

Mid-May Roundup

Posted on May 14, 2022 by Jeffrey Manley

—The Guardian, apparently in anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the serialized publication of Waugh’s diaries, has posted a brief introduction by Chris Hall. Here’s an excerpt: The year 1973 saw a big serialisation of the private diaries of Evelyn … Continue reading →

Posted in A Handful of Dust, Anniversaries, Art, Photography & Sculpture, Brideshead Revisited, Decline and Fall, Diaries, Internet, Newspapers | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Mid-May Roundup

Roundup: Book List and Bullingdon

Posted on April 23, 2022 by Jeffrey Manley

–Charles Moore writing in the Daily Telegraph has a story entitled “Not even the Queen’s Jubilee is safe from BBC preaching: There are good writers all across the Commonwealth, but Auntie insists on telling us that it knows best”. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Anniversaries, Decline and Fall, Newspapers, Oxford, Unconditional Surrender/The End of the Battle | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Roundup: Book List and Bullingdon