I picked this up because first the title and then the blurb on the back intrigued me.

"A darkly erotic work that centres on the firendship of William Beckwith, a young gay aristocrat who leads a life of privilege and promiscuity, and the elderly Lord Nantwich, who is searching for someone to write his biography.'

“The Swimming Pool Library” is Alan Hollinghurst’s first novel, built around the friendship of a young, gay aristocrat and an elderly Lord seeking someone to write his biography. Both are interesting characters, one trying to fill his days with boys and other pleasant pastimes and one beyond touching, now only looking back on an eventful life. The tone is reminiscent of Evelyn Waugh - funny, not particularly prurient, ambling gently along what plot can be found in the mingling of lives. Enjoyable and well-written, but didn’t leave too much of an impression otherwise. The obligatory quote: "At my prep-school, the prefects (for some errant Wykehamical reason) were called Librarians. The appellation seemed to imply that in the care of books lay the roots of leadership - though, by and large, there was nothing bookish about the Librarians themselves."

Caught at the Ipswich meet on 11th March2006. I left with more books than I arrived with, ho hum! (I must keep my hands in my pockets, I must keep my hands in my pockets.....)

Hollinghurst writes well, although his stories often leave me cold. This recounts the parallel experiences of two gay blades about town; William Beckwith an idle aristocratic youth in the 80's , and Lord Nantwich in the 30's and 40's.
Both men do what they want, to who the want, in mainly loveless encounters. Probably for this reason it is hard to feel any sympathy for them.

I loved the twist at the end indicating that Nantwich wasn't quite the old duffer William thought him to be.

Overall I felt it to be a melancholy book.

RELEASE NOTES:

To be foisted on another bookcrosser at the Ipswich meet-up, or left on the OBCZ bookshelf.