KINGSLEY AMIS A Biography

Kingsley Amis is not easily brought into focus. Eric Jacobs’s effort to do so requires Stuart Langton to relate the outrageous experiences of one of England’s most prolific comic novelists and raconteurs. Amis’s fondness for thumping British literary icons, his wry wit, his selfish philandering, his strict intolerance of boring conver-sationalists, and his disgust at pretense filter right through from author to biographer to narrator. Langton maintains an Amisian level of British mock-indifference throughout, com-fortably handling a demanding range of literary, political, and social discussion. All of these give voice to Amis as indifferent student, accomplished poet, passionate socialist, pub regular, dubious father, colorful novelist, passionate Thatcherite, science fiction editor, even critical editor of Ian Fleming’s Bond novels. L.V.B. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 01]