Journal Entry 1 by tqd from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, April 25, 2009

I've had this copy on my shelf for years, and when I finally pulled it off, the cover almost came off in my hands! So I'll send it on a bookray (the words still work, of course, so it's not like it's broken) so it can get a few more readers before it retires from reading life.

Better sticky-tape it back together too...

I found this a very good, multi-layered read. On the surface, it's a pure satire about the Bright Young Things of Mayfair between the wars, but thinking about it, it's also really quite bittersweet although that may also just be the period, after the Great War when so many young men were killed. Waugh manages to interweave all his characters and plots together very deftly. A worthy "1001" book. 

Journal Entry 2 by tqd from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, April 26, 2009

Going on a bookray. Participants are (order subject to change without notice):

cat207, AU
Danielle23, UK  

Journal Entry 3 by tqd at Balmain, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, July 23, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (7/23/2009 UTC) at Balmain, New South Wales Australia

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

And (finally!) this ray starts its journey. It's on its way to cat207 now.

Sorry for the delay everyone, and happy reading! 

Journal Entry 4 by cat207 from Gladstone, Queensland Australia on Monday, July 27, 2009

Arrived in today's mail. Thanks Tania. X 

Journal Entry 5 by cat207 from Gladstone, Queensland Australia on Saturday, August 01, 2009

A fatuous novel, full of vacuous, tedious toffs.

Will send on to Danielle23 along with 'The Comfort of Strangers'. 

Journal Entry 6 by Danielle23 from Sunderland, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Arrived safely today and will get to it soon xx 

Journal Entry 7 by Danielle23 from Sunderland, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Monday, August 17, 2009

I really enjoyed this book and it was so easy to read, so much more so than 'Brideshead Revisited' which seemed to take months to get through.

I'll advertise this as a continued ray but if there's no interest I do know a few people participating in the 1001 challenge so I'm sure I'll be able to find a home for it somewhere. Thanks so much for sharing.

Now starting another ray with this book. (Usual rules apply)

Bookworm-lady Spain (EU)
iiwi Netherlands (No Preference)
Flutterbies9 UK (UK)
earthcaroleanne UK (UK)
kingfan30 UK (UK)
Caroley UK (UK/EU)
mafarrimond UK (Intl)
tokorua Aus (Intl)
Jean-Sol Aus (Intl) 

Journal Entry 8 by Danielle23 at Sunderland, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Saturday, September 05, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (9/7/2009 UTC) at Sunderland, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Continuing the ray in Spain as this book is off to Bookworm-Lady. Thank you all for joining and I hope you enjoy it xx 

Journal Entry 9 by Bookworm-lady from Madrid, Madrid Spain on Wednesday, September 16, 2009

I received this book yesterday, and I am the first to kick this bookray off.
Thanks for sharing it, Danielle23, and thanks for the lovely postcard.
Looking forward to reading this one!
Eva 

Journal Entry 10 by Bookworm-lady at Madrid, Madrid Spain on Friday, October 07, 2011

Journal Entry 11 by Bookworm-lady at Madrid, Madrid Spain on Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Released 7 mos ago (10/11/2011 UTC) at Madrid, Madrid Spain

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sent today to iiwi, in The Netherlands.
Sorry for the delay... and enjoy!
Eva 

Journal Entry 12 by iiwi at Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands on Thursday, October 13, 2011

Received! 

Journal Entry 13 by iiwi at Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands on Friday, December 02, 2011

Well, that was all quite amusing, but for me nothing ever spoke so loud I will remember this book in time. I miss some background I imagine, I do not know much about the interbellum in the UK. For most books I can understand why they are on the 1001 list, but if I had had a say in it, this one would not have been on it.

I will pm Flutterbies9 

Journal Entry 14 by iiwi at Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands on Friday, December 16, 2011

It has been sent. 

Journal Entry 15 by Flutterbies9 at Meare, Somerset United Kingdom on Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Arrived safely in England but will have to wait for a short while as I have another ring book and a book club book to read at present. I'll get this moving again as soon as possible.

5th January.

Very interesting. Certainly a product of its time but still very readable. The flavour of the 20's / 30's comes across in the bitttersweet satire of the commentary, the characters are all somehow just "too, too much" yet still sketchy, just characteristics jumbled together in a mishmash for personality. The writing is so well crafted that the meanings of the various passages are easily deduced yet leave enough to the imagination for the reader to put their own interpretation on the events and personalities who inhabit the pages.

Like others, I can see why this is still in the 1001 books (unlike some others I've read) and it even encourages me to possibly try some more Evelyn Waugh, so objective achieved. Hope others enjoy this too.  

Journal Entry 16 by Flutterbies9 at BOOK RING, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Saturday, January 07, 2012

Released 4 mos ago (1/9/2012 UTC) at BOOK RING, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Packaged up and ready to go to the Post Office to the next recipient. Sorry I missed the Post Office this morning. 

Journal Entry 17 by earthcaroleanne at Falkirk, Scotland United Kingdom on Friday, January 13, 2012

Got home yesterday to find this waiting for me. It'll be next on my list. 

Journal Entry 18 by earthcaroleanne at Falkirk, Scotland United Kingdom on Thursday, January 19, 2012

This is one of the few time I think the film was better that the book. In fact I think, at the beginning, it was a good job I had seen the film otherwise I might have been completely confused. It did improve and become a more enjoyable read - and to be honest I can't remember the ending of the film so I'm not sure how accurate it was in comparison to the book. 

Journal Entry 19 by earthcaroleanne at Corby Glen, Lincolnshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Released 3 mos ago (2/1/2012 UTC) at Corby Glen, Lincolnshire United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

On it's way in the ring. 

Journal Entry 20 by kingfan30 at Corby Glen, Lincolnshire United Kingdom on Thursday, February 02, 2012

Book has arrived safe and sound, thanks for sharing :)

This book starts off throwing a huge amount of characters at you which I was a bit concerned about. That said the description of being on a boat in a rough sea had me feeling a bit queasy. The bombardment of people calms down after the first chapter and the story gets underway. 

I can not say I particularly liked any of them, Adam is a bit of a plonker, who gives away £1000 to a stranger? It's a lot of money now, let alone then! I did quite like the writing for the paper and making things up if there was nothing to say, somethings never change!  If I had to pick one as the most likeable it was probably Ninas confused dad, although he still had his flaws. An ok read and I can honestly say I would not want to be a bright young thing! 

Journal Entry 21 by kingfan30 at Bourne, Lincolnshire United Kingdom on Monday, March 05, 2012

Released 2 mos ago (3/5/2012 UTC) at Bourne, Lincolnshire United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

On its way to Caroley 

Journal Entry 22 by Caroley at Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Thursday, March 08, 2012

Received today thanks 

Journal Entry 23 by Caroley at Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Saturday, March 10, 2012

I rather liked this. While I did like Brideshead, this was a much lighter read, so easier to just sit and enjoy. I loved the way Waugh was gently poking fun at those Bright Young Things, sometimes not so gently.

I've just PMd mafarrimond and hope to get the book on its way soon.

Thanks for sharing Danielle, and doesn't this book have a pretty cover! 

Journal Entry 24 by Caroley at Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Saturday, March 31, 2012

Released 1 mo ago (3/31/2012 UTC) at Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Posted today.
Apologies for delay. Desktop computer with addresses and printer ceased to co-operate for a while, making printing online postage labels somewhat tricky. 

Journal Entry 25 by mafarrimond at Hawarden, Wales United Kingdom on Friday, April 06, 2012

The book has arrived safely. Thank you. 

Journal Entry 26 by mafarrimond at Hawarden, Wales United Kingdom on Sunday, April 29, 2012

An slightly amusing read, I suppose. I wasn't really imprtessed by this one. I can't help but wonder who just choses the books for the 1001 lIst! 

Journal Entry 27 by mafarrimond at Hawarden, Wales United Kingdom on Friday, May 04, 2012

Released 3 wks ago (5/2/2012 UTC) at Hawarden, Wales United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

On its way! 

Journal Entry 28 by Jean-Sol at Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Tuesday, May 08, 2012

The book arrived today, thanks to mafarrimond for sending it so quickly. What a wonderful vintage number it is! The other great thing about it is that it's gone on a ray all around the world for over 3 years, only to come back to Australia where it started. More like a loop than a ray! I'm relieved to be last on the list as I have a few TBRs ahead of it, but I haven't read a Waugh books for quite a few years and this title is not so easy to find as it's not one of his most famous novels.