JillA young man from Northern England struggles to find a sense of belonging at Oxford University during WWII in this “brilliant” novel by a literary icon (The Times). John, who’s never traveled far from his northern town of Huddleston, finds himself an undergraduate at Oxford University in 1940. A shy, insecure working-class young man, he is awed by his confident, careless roommate and yearns to fit in, clumsily pursuing a girl from a wealthy family. But as his efforts fail, he retreats further into a dream world in this early novel by Philip Larkin, who would go on to become one of the most celebrated poetic voices of postwar Britain. “Provides a revealing portrait of Oxford and the English class system as it existed during World War II . . . Mr. Larkin’s gift for using landscape as a mirror of an individual’s emotions is very much in evidence.” —The New York Times Includes an introduction by the author |
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... John Dickson Carr, Mencken and Pitié Pour les Femmes. In return I played him Billie Holiday records and persuaded him ... John's thinking that a pound would be sufficient pocket- money for two weeks, but as recording a vanished mode of ...
... John Dickson Carr, Mencken and Pitié Pour les Femmes. In return I played him Billie Holiday records and persuaded him ... John's thinking that a pound would be sufficient pocket- money for two weeks, but as recording a vanished mode of ...
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... John had not travelled much before and for all he knew it was considered bad manners to eat in a public carriage . He tried to read . But at one o'clock he had grown desperate and had slunk along to the lavatory , where he locked ...
... John had not travelled much before and for all he knew it was considered bad manners to eat in a public carriage . He tried to read . But at one o'clock he had grown desperate and had slunk along to the lavatory , where he locked ...
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... John gave him the address of his college . " Sorry , sir , I'm goin ' to ' ave my tea . " " Oh . " He went back to the kerb again . The second driver was willing , and after a short , blurred ride , set John down at his gates for two ...
... John gave him the address of his college . " Sorry , sir , I'm goin ' to ' ave my tea . " " Oh . " He went back to the kerb again . The second driver was willing , and after a short , blurred ride , set John down at his gates for two ...
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... John backed out , murmuring thanks . Who was Mr. Warner ? This was something he had dreaded , though not very intensely because there were other more immediate things to shrink from . He had thought that once he had found his rooms , he ...
... John backed out , murmuring thanks . Who was Mr. Warner ? This was something he had dreaded , though not very intensely because there were other more immediate things to shrink from . He had thought that once he had found his rooms , he ...
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... John made a taut , inexpressive gesture . “ That is , I think this is — my name's Kemp . " " Oh , you're Kemp ? How d'you do ? I'm Warner - Chris Warner . ” They shook hands . " We're just having tea : there's rather a crowd inside , I ...
... John made a taut , inexpressive gesture . “ That is , I think this is — my name's Kemp . " " Oh , you're Kemp ? How d'you do ? I'm Warner - Chris Warner . ” They shook hands . " We're just having tea : there's rather a crowd inside , I ...
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Common terms and phrases
afternoon asked beer began bottle bowler hat Chris Christopher Warner Christopher's cigarette College Crouch d'you damn dark desk door drink Eddy's Edward du Cann Elizabeth empty eyes face feel felt fire fountain pen gave Gavin Bone girl glass gone grinned hair Hallo hands head Higher School Certificate Huddlesford Jill Joe Kemp John heard John Kemp John looked John's Junior Common Room knew Lamprey laugh laughter leaving letter light listened looked round mind Minerva morning mouth never night noticed overcoat Oxford Patrick Patrick Dowling paused pocket porter pulled pushed remember seemed sherry glasses sitting smiled smoke sofa sound stared stood stopped street suddenly talking teacake Thank there's things thought took town trying turned Tutor voice walked watched Whitbread window wondered