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 |
From inside the book
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... felt myself in the presence of a talent greater than my own . No one who knew Kingsley at that time would deny that what chiefly distinguished him was this genius for imaginative mimicry . It was not a BBC Variety Hour knack of ...
... felt myself in the presence of a talent greater than my own . No one who knew Kingsley at that time would deny that what chiefly distinguished him was this genius for imaginative mimicry . It was not a BBC Variety Hour knack of ...
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... felt a nudge , and saw the shorter and fatter of the two leaning across , holding out a packet in a napkin . She had a rosy face and her false teeth were bared in a smile . " Would you care for a sandwich , my boy ? " The beat of the ...
... felt a nudge , and saw the shorter and fatter of the two leaning across , holding out a packet in a napkin . She had a rosy face and her false teeth were bared in a smile . " Would you care for a sandwich , my boy ? " The beat of the ...
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... dry hair brushed back from his forehead , and a square , stubbly jaw . His nose was thick and his shoulders broad ; John felt a twinge of distrust . He wore a dark grey lounge suit and dark blue shirt and on his right hand was a.
... dry hair brushed back from his forehead , and a square , stubbly jaw . His nose was thick and his shoulders broad ; John felt a twinge of distrust . He wore a dark grey lounge suit and dark blue shirt and on his right hand was a.
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... . Would they have to share the same bedroom ? He had never done that before , and was intensely shy . Further , he felt nothing but dislike for Christopher Warner so far . “ Now , ” said Christopher briskly , slamming the.
... . Would they have to share the same bedroom ? He had never done that before , and was intensely shy . Further , he felt nothing but dislike for Christopher Warner so far . “ Now , ” said Christopher briskly , slamming the.
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... felt the cloth and the leather buttons with interest. His two drawers were not enlightening: as well as the shirts and light underwear, there was a jumble of socks and silk ties, collars, a set of studs and cuff links, a pile of white ...
... felt the cloth and the leather buttons with interest. His two drawers were not enlightening: as well as the shirts and light underwear, there was a jumble of socks and silk ties, collars, a set of studs and cuff links, a pile of white ...
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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