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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... grinned and switched off his engine as 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 ...
... grinned and switched off his engine as 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 ...
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... grinning vacuously at him . He flushed , for while it seemed only natural that they should ignore him , he could not believe they were actually pointing at him amongst themselves and laughing together . Yet this was what it looked like ...
... grinning vacuously at him . He flushed , for while it seemed only natural that they should ignore him , he could not believe they were actually pointing at him amongst themselves and laughing together . Yet this was what it looked like ...
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... grinning . “ Are you overdrawn again ? " “ Well , this stuff is blasted dear , ” said Christopher complainingly , pulling out dark little bottles of stout . " We shall want an opener . Is there one in the drawer , John ? " There are ...
... grinning . “ Are you overdrawn again ? " “ Well , this stuff is blasted dear , ” said Christopher complainingly , pulling out dark little bottles of stout . " We shall want an opener . Is there one in the drawer , John ? " There are ...
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... grinned at them . " We kept it up that we were going to castrate him , you know . Lord , I've never seen a man so white . Absolutely as white as paper , white as this bloody wall . And there was damn - all he could do about it , either ...
... grinned at them . " We kept it up that we were going to castrate him , you know . Lord , I've never seen a man so white . Absolutely as white as paper , white as this bloody wall . And there was damn - all he could do about it , either ...
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... grinning down at him the while . " There , you fool-- " But with a sudden wrench and twist , Christopher got Eddy's legs , and the two of them rolled furiously about the carpet , knocking over a half - full bottle . The air was full of ...
... grinning down at him the while . " There , you fool-- " But with a sudden wrench and twist , Christopher got Eddy's legs , and the two of them rolled furiously about the carpet , knocking over a half - full bottle . The air was full of ...
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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