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Brideshead Revisited
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Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
Author: Evelyn Waugh
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Average Customer Rating:
Our Price: $10.19
You Save: $ 4.80 ( 32% )
Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
Author: Evelyn Waugh
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Average Customer Rating:
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Brideshead Revisited Description
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.912
EAN: 9780316926348
ISBN: 0316926345
Label: Back Bay Books
Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 351
Publication Date: 1999-09
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Studio: Back Bay Books
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.912
EAN: 9780316926348
ISBN: 0316926345
Label: Back Bay Books
Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 351
Publication Date: 1999-09
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Studio: Back Bay Books
Editorial Review of Brideshead Revisited
One of Waugh's most famous books, Brideshead Revisited tells the story of the difficult loves of insular Englishman Charles Ryder, and his peculiarly intense relationship with the wealthy but dysfunctional family that inhabited Brideshead. Taking place in the years after World War II, Brideshead Revisited shows us a part of upper-class English culture that has been disappearing steadily.
Customer Reviews of Brideshead Revisited
Customer Rating: 
Review Summary: Entertaining novel of 1900s England
Review:
This is an interesting and at times an entertaining novel of 1900s England. It appears to be somewhat autobiographical. The plot line centers around an aristocratic Catholic family in England. The readers follow the interactions of the narrator with Sebastian Flyte, his sister Julia Flyte, and others. A significant sub-plot is the struggles of flawed humans in various stages of faith. It is a very subtle presentation of the Catholic faith and just belief in God in general. This may not be for everyone, but fans of modern English literature will most likely enjoy it.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A Genius of A Work!
Review: I read "Brideshead Revisted" after I saw the PBS special back in 81. I was absolutley mesmerized when Jeremy Irons saw the grand house for the last time.The book was utterly fantastic but then I am a fan of English literature. One can surmise how religion especially the Catholic religion can become a choke hold in one's life and to challenge that choke hold would begin a lifetime of guilt and reqret.Waugh depicted these subjects in a most unusual prose. My life is completely different from the guilded manor houses of 1920's but When reading this great book, I find myself immerse into the Marchmain family problems with some understanding. Unusual indeed since I am from the back woods of Louisiana.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A Queer Theory Must!
Review: As someone very interested in the field of Queer Theory, I was pleasantly surprised to pick up this book and discover such fascinating "love" relationships in the life of Charlie Ryder. Set between the two World Wars, Brideshead Revisited follows the life of Charlie Ryder and his dealings (and romances) with members of the Flyte family. Waugh has both a beautiful way with words and a scathing, satirical wit. He seems to revere and scorn the British aristocracy. Charlie is in love with the beautiful but highly eccentric/flamboyant Sebastian, and later moves on to the sister who bears an uncanny resemblance to her brother. Though I have never heard the book mentioned in a Queer Theory course, it would certainly be a fitting novel in which to apply ideas of queer performativity etc.
Through this book, I have become a big fan of Waugh and look forward to reading more of his many works.
For those interested in visual representations of classic novels, there is also a miniseries (available on Netflix) of the same title which actually got the book re-recognized in the early 1980s (coincidentally the same time that the Queer Theory movement was beginning). It is quite good--Jeremy Irons plays Charlie Ryder in his first screen role ever.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Collapses in the second half
Review: If you've never read anything by Waugh before, this is a good place to start. It keeps enough of his humor to be read for enjoyment, but it certainly included other themes--religion, friendship, betrayal (classic soap-opera love stories).
But before you read it, you should be aware that Brideshead Revisited is really two books. The first half is about the narrator, Charles Ryder, and his relationship with Sebastian Flyte. After they meet in college (Sebastian gives Charles a hothouse full of flowers), they develop an extremely close, possibly homoerotic relationship. Sebastian introduces Charles to his family, and the whole thing begins to slowly fall apart in chapters that are painful to read.
The second half of the book is about Charles' relationship with Sebastian's sister, Julia. It could be said that this is more psychologically accurate than the first half of the book, as all of the characters' flaws are exposed in gory detail. However, it's simply less fun to read. One of the most important characters from the first half, who you will probably love as much as I did, simply disappears. The two halves of the book are very sloppily connected, as Waugh tries to change course too quickly.
With the movie coming out soon, it might be a good idea to read this book now. Unlike the TV series, the plot of the movie looks to be significantly changed. Despite it's serious flaws, Brideshead Revisited is worth reading and enjoying on its own merits.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: ho hum
Review: Waugh's prose is a joy to read but the story itself is dissatisfying. The book begins with an intensely close relationship between the narrator and Sebastian Flyte, and for starters, Sebastian is neither interesting nor likeable. And as much as we are told of the intensity of the friendship and love between these two, it's really something the reader has to accept at face value. It's not "powerful," despite several gushing reviews to that effect. Sebastian later becomes an alcoholic, exits the stage for points east, and there never is much of a sense of closure with him. Instead, his sister Julia, a minor character in the early chapters, becomes the love interest, while the most (only?) interesting, intelligent, independent and funny character, Anthony Blanche, flits in and out of the plot at odd intervals. In all, Brideshead Revisited is a stuffy soap opera about a pious upperclass British family, and as such it epitomizes Mark Twain's description of classic literature: a book everyone wants to have read but nobody wants to read.
Review Summary: Entertaining novel of 1900s England
Review:
This is an interesting and at times an entertaining novel of 1900s England. It appears to be somewhat autobiographical. The plot line centers around an aristocratic Catholic family in England. The readers follow the interactions of the narrator with Sebastian Flyte, his sister Julia Flyte, and others. A significant sub-plot is the struggles of flawed humans in various stages of faith. It is a very subtle presentation of the Catholic faith and just belief in God in general. This may not be for everyone, but fans of modern English literature will most likely enjoy it.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A Genius of A Work!
Review: I read "Brideshead Revisted" after I saw the PBS special back in 81. I was absolutley mesmerized when Jeremy Irons saw the grand house for the last time.The book was utterly fantastic but then I am a fan of English literature. One can surmise how religion especially the Catholic religion can become a choke hold in one's life and to challenge that choke hold would begin a lifetime of guilt and reqret.Waugh depicted these subjects in a most unusual prose. My life is completely different from the guilded manor houses of 1920's but When reading this great book, I find myself immerse into the Marchmain family problems with some understanding. Unusual indeed since I am from the back woods of Louisiana.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A Queer Theory Must!
Review: As someone very interested in the field of Queer Theory, I was pleasantly surprised to pick up this book and discover such fascinating "love" relationships in the life of Charlie Ryder. Set between the two World Wars, Brideshead Revisited follows the life of Charlie Ryder and his dealings (and romances) with members of the Flyte family. Waugh has both a beautiful way with words and a scathing, satirical wit. He seems to revere and scorn the British aristocracy. Charlie is in love with the beautiful but highly eccentric/flamboyant Sebastian, and later moves on to the sister who bears an uncanny resemblance to her brother. Though I have never heard the book mentioned in a Queer Theory course, it would certainly be a fitting novel in which to apply ideas of queer performativity etc.
Through this book, I have become a big fan of Waugh and look forward to reading more of his many works.
For those interested in visual representations of classic novels, there is also a miniseries (available on Netflix) of the same title which actually got the book re-recognized in the early 1980s (coincidentally the same time that the Queer Theory movement was beginning). It is quite good--Jeremy Irons plays Charlie Ryder in his first screen role ever.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Collapses in the second half
Review: If you've never read anything by Waugh before, this is a good place to start. It keeps enough of his humor to be read for enjoyment, but it certainly included other themes--religion, friendship, betrayal (classic soap-opera love stories).
But before you read it, you should be aware that Brideshead Revisited is really two books. The first half is about the narrator, Charles Ryder, and his relationship with Sebastian Flyte. After they meet in college (Sebastian gives Charles a hothouse full of flowers), they develop an extremely close, possibly homoerotic relationship. Sebastian introduces Charles to his family, and the whole thing begins to slowly fall apart in chapters that are painful to read.
The second half of the book is about Charles' relationship with Sebastian's sister, Julia. It could be said that this is more psychologically accurate than the first half of the book, as all of the characters' flaws are exposed in gory detail. However, it's simply less fun to read. One of the most important characters from the first half, who you will probably love as much as I did, simply disappears. The two halves of the book are very sloppily connected, as Waugh tries to change course too quickly.
With the movie coming out soon, it might be a good idea to read this book now. Unlike the TV series, the plot of the movie looks to be significantly changed. Despite it's serious flaws, Brideshead Revisited is worth reading and enjoying on its own merits.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: ho hum
Review: Waugh's prose is a joy to read but the story itself is dissatisfying. The book begins with an intensely close relationship between the narrator and Sebastian Flyte, and for starters, Sebastian is neither interesting nor likeable. And as much as we are told of the intensity of the friendship and love between these two, it's really something the reader has to accept at face value. It's not "powerful," despite several gushing reviews to that effect. Sebastian later becomes an alcoholic, exits the stage for points east, and there never is much of a sense of closure with him. Instead, his sister Julia, a minor character in the early chapters, becomes the love interest, while the most (only?) interesting, intelligent, independent and funny character, Anthony Blanche, flits in and out of the plot at odd intervals. In all, Brideshead Revisited is a stuffy soap opera about a pious upperclass British family, and as such it epitomizes Mark Twain's description of classic literature: a book everyone wants to have read but nobody wants to read.