The Novels of David Lodge
11/21/2019
I had never heard of him until I read this piece by Amy Welborn. But he surely sounds worth seeking out.
I guess people will be arguing about Vatican II at least for the rest of this century. Personally I have a both-and sort of attitude about it. Yes, things were actually not so great prior to the Council. Yes, things have not been so great since then.
A friend of mine sent me this link, and I read The British Museum is Falling Down. I did not care for it at all. Maybe it's because I didn't appreciate the humour. Also, I guess that I don't need a "glimpse into that movement" because I lived through it. I am a bit younger than the characters in the books, but old enough to remember everything she mentions, except that by the time we got married, we had reached the period of that false freedom afforded by the pill.
I did appreciate the fact that in the book, Adam Appleby, while complaining constantly about Church teaching, did feel duty bound to follow it.
AMDG
Posted by: Janet | 11/21/2019 at 09:16 PM
I just checked our local library and they don't have any of the ones mentioned in this review, so I probably won't be looking into his work anytime soon. He's written a *lot*. The one about the man who wouldn't get out of bed sounds appealing.
Posted by: Mac | 11/21/2019 at 10:31 PM
Our libraries are in partnership with several colleges and universities, so I can find some hard-to-get things. Did you check the Spring Hill library?
AMDG
Posted by: Janet | 11/21/2019 at 10:50 PM
No, I never go there. I would have to drive all that way. :-) And risk having to talk to people. More seriously, it’s not really the kind of thing they buy but now that you mention it I think I’ll check.
Our local library is also part of a consortium like that. The catalog does list several Lodge titles, just not any of those mentioned.
Posted by: Mac | 11/22/2019 at 08:14 AM
I read one of his novels years ago, but now can't remember which one. I do remember reading one of his non-fiction books, though, a book of essays titled The Year of Henry James: The Story of a Novel. The main essay is on his novel about Henry James, which appeared at almost the same time as two other novels on James, one of which won the Booker Prize and the other shortlisted for it, and how Lodge was affected by it all. Have forgotten much of what I read in it, but I think I liked it. :)
Posted by: Marianne | 11/22/2019 at 08:42 PM
I take it Lodge's was not one of the two?
I saw that title when I was looking at his books on Amazon and thought it sounded intriguing.
Posted by: Mac | 11/22/2019 at 09:47 PM
Ive read 3 and enjoyed them very much. Deaf Sentence was hilarious!
Posted by: Stu | 11/27/2019 at 08:21 AM
Also Therapy and Souls & Bodies, the latter being the most Catholic of the three. Therapy was also very funny.
Posted by: Stu | 11/27/2019 at 08:26 AM
I'm pretty sure I saw at least one of those when I looked at the local library's catalog. I could use something funny, so maybe I'll try one.
Posted by: Mac | 11/27/2019 at 04:52 PM