Decline and Fall (Penguin Modern Classics)
by Evelyn Waugh, David Bradshaw | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0141187484 Global Overview for this book
ISBN: 0141187484 Global Overview for this book
Registered by Nell-Lu of Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on 5/26/2006
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
9 journalers for this copy...
This is an entertaining read. It's the story of the hapless Paul Pennyfeather, to whom things just seem to happen. Paul is a scholarship boy and every interaction he has with the alien upper class world of high society seems to end in disaster. Paul's innocence allows Waugh to poke fun at everyone around him - which he does with even-handed malice and prejudice. Waugh seems to hate absolutely everyone, which mitigates the offensiveness of some of the opinions expressed. The characters are quirky and eccentric - often more caricature than character. The satire is laid on with a trowel.
Overall, this is a quick, funny read; a fast-paced romp that doesn't take itself too seriously.
The copy I have has a different cover to the picture here - it's the old Penguin paperback edition with an orange spine. I'm going to send it off on a bookray. PM me with your shipping preferences if you'd like to join at any point and I'll add you to the list.
Book ray
j4neyo, Whitchurch, Shropshire, UK - arrived 28 June 2006
Alvhyttan, Nora, Västmanland, Sweden - arrived 12 July 2006
legbamel, Fargo, USA - arrived 25 August 2006
-Psyche-, Red Wing, Minnesota, USA - skipped, not responding to PMs
Bookray complete! legbamel is organising a continuing ray, so please PM him/her if you want to join
Overall, this is a quick, funny read; a fast-paced romp that doesn't take itself too seriously.
The copy I have has a different cover to the picture here - it's the old Penguin paperback edition with an orange spine. I'm going to send it off on a bookray. PM me with your shipping preferences if you'd like to join at any point and I'll add you to the list.
Book ray
Bookray complete! legbamel is organising a continuing ray, so please PM him/her if you want to join
On its way to j4neyo. Happy reading!
Received safely through the post. Many thanks to Nell-Lu - especially for the chocolate!
A good read by one of my favourite authors. The main character's time in prison is particularly funny.
To be sent to Alvhyttan in Sweden.
To be sent to Alvhyttan in Sweden.
Just came in the mail.
Thank you for sending this out on a ray Nell-Lu.
Thank you j4neyo for mailing it to me and for the nice and fun card from "we are what we do"!
I will read this book next week.
Thank you for sending this out on a ray Nell-Lu.
Thank you j4neyo for mailing it to me and for the nice and fun card from "we are what we do"!
I will read this book next week.
This was a funny read! I liked it and I am impressed that the author covered so many different subjects of life with this satire. Even if it’s almost 80 years since it was written, I could make parallels to today’s life.Nell-Lu, I like your review in the first journal note!
I have PM:ed legbamel and will send the book as soon as I get an address.
The pic shows the book in one of my Regals. In Sweden the Regals are called "English Pelargoniums".
I and legbamel had some problems with the PMs - now I got an address and the book is mailed today.
This one came in the mail less than 48 hours ago and I've already finished it! It was a great deal of fun and I'm going to have to add more Waugh to my ever-growing wishlist. Thanks so much for including me in the ring and I'm glad we finally go the PMs straightened out. I'll PM Psyche for an address and send if off soon. If only I'd realized it was going to Red Wing I could have asked my co-worker drop it in the mail there this weekend so that you would get it the next day!
UPDATE: I've been PMing and ISOing for weeks and cannot figure out where to send this. I PMed the originator for an opinion and hopefully we can get this back out in the open (as opposed to my car) and on its way again.
The current order for participants is open to change depending on shipping preferences, but for now is:
KarenZero
mrsgaskell
blackadder75
saidenuj
jinnayah
BellaMack
UPDATE: I've been PMing and ISOing for weeks and cannot figure out where to send this. I PMed the originator for an opinion and hopefully we can get this back out in the open (as opposed to my car) and on its way again.
The current order for participants is open to change depending on shipping preferences, but for now is:
KarenZero
mrsgaskell
blackadder75
saidenuj
jinnayah
BellaMack
Journal Entry 9 by legbamel at Controlled Release in Controlled Release, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Released 17 yrs ago (10/25/2006 UTC) at Controlled Release in Controlled Release, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
I mailed this to KarenZero - and 1st Class, as it turned out to cost the same as media mail! Hopefully it will be there in a few days. But the media mail package I sent the same day was journalled today, which means the the post office is still toying with my emotions. But I will not call them names, oh! no, as they are still the best deal going. Long Live the USPS! LOL
I mailed this to KarenZero - and 1st Class, as it turned out to cost the same as media mail! Hopefully it will be there in a few days. But the media mail package I sent the same day was journalled today, which means the the post office is still toying with my emotions. But I will not call them names, oh! no, as they are still the best deal going. Long Live the USPS! LOL
Book arrived safely! I will read it ASAP. Legbamel - this may have actually arrived earlier than today, as I had to go out of state last minute last week and just got back. So perhaps your post office is not playing tricks on you!
I've never read any Waugh so I am looking forward to this one. Thanks for sharing it!
I've never read any Waugh so I am looking forward to this one. Thanks for sharing it!
This was an odd satire! I had a little trouble keeping up with the characters and with what was going on since it got a little silly at times. Overall, it was enjoyable. I need to read Brideshead Revisited!
Thanks for sharing this one, Nell-Lu and for continuing the bookray legbemel. I will send it off shortly.
Thanks for sharing this one, Nell-Lu and for continuing the bookray legbemel. I will send it off shortly.
Journal Entry 12 by KarenZero at Controlled Release in Controlled Release, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Monday, November 20, 2006
Released 17 yrs ago (11/20/2006 UTC) at Controlled Release in Controlled Release, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Sent to Canada!
Sent to Canada!
This arrived today. I have put it near the top of the TBR pile. Looking forward to it - thanks!
This was a quick read and I found it mildly amusing at times, but overall I didn't enjoy it as much as I expected to. Perhaps I just wasn't in the right mood...
Sent airmail to blackadder75 this afternoon.
Sent airmail to blackadder75 this afternoon.
I recieved the book today. I will be reading it over the weekend.
I just couldn't get into this book. I had trouble with the author's writting style. I was debating whether to take a break and come back to it or to send it on. I've decided to send it on to saidenuj. Thanks for including me!
Recv'd today. I just got another bookring book yesterday so this one is next up to be read. Thanks!
My favorite character was Philbrick. Pennyfeather really managed to get himself into some situations, didn't he? Doesn't pay sometimes to just keep your mouth shut. He shoulda' spoke up in his own defense now & then.
Thanks for including me in this book's journey. Being mailed out today to jinnayah.
Thanks for including me in this book's journey. Being mailed out today to jinnayah.
Journal Entry 19 by juniebug at USPS in to a fellow bookcrosser, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, January 18, 2007
Released 17 yrs ago (1/18/2007 UTC) at USPS in to a fellow bookcrosser, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Mailed to jinnayah, next up in the ray. Enjoy!
Mailed to jinnayah, next up in the ray. Enjoy!
Hiya! This is the third new BX book to arrive by mail in a week! l've never read Waugh before: I picked this bookring strictly for the title. So we'll see!
Never read Waugh before yesterday. Didn't know much about him, except (from the throw-away line in Lost in Translation) that he was male. Last year my mom and I tried watching Brideshead Revisited; except for the shock of seeing Jeremy Irons as the naïf, it wasn't too interesting.
So I suppose I haven't got too much faith going in to this. What faith I had was shaken almost immediately by the actions of the Prelude: I just don't like meanness in humor. I realize this is satire, but my tolerance for satire is rather delicate. Still, there's some heart developing in the story as we move on to the boys at Llannaba. I'm okay continuing for a while.
So I suppose I haven't got too much faith going in to this. What faith I had was shaken almost immediately by the actions of the Prelude: I just don't like meanness in humor. I realize this is satire, but my tolerance for satire is rather delicate. Still, there's some heart developing in the story as we move on to the boys at Llannaba. I'm okay continuing for a while.
One more thing: the state of the physical book itself. Dang thing could to all appearances be an original edition, from the yellowness of the paper and the dog-earing of the upper corners. Yet the most recent printing date is 1980! It's only as old as I am! I hate cheap printing! In some ways it's wonderful for books to be so easily available as to be treated as disposable, but in another way it's just not right for the miracle of the word to be so degraded!
Small rant from a (hopeful) future book conservator.
Small rant from a (hopeful) future book conservator.
I don't know what to do with this book now. I'm not likely to finish it, and BellaMack cancelled on the opportunity to read it next. (Look at her Bookshelf and you'll see why easily: she's swamped in bookrings!).
I suppose I'll keep it around for a bit, ask people if they want it, and release it wild if not.
I suppose I'll keep it around for a bit, ask people if they want it, and release it wild if not.
Journal Entry 24 by jinnayah at Taubman Center (details in notes) in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA on Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Released 17 yrs ago (2/7/2007 UTC) at Taubman Center (details in notes) in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Left in Reception Area E, OB/GYN. Still untouched when I exited at 12:30pm.
Left in Reception Area E, OB/GYN. Still untouched when I exited at 12:30pm.
