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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... head , so that it formed a stiff ornament , like a curious helmet . Her right hand lay quiescently holding a burning cigarette , and she wore a check tweed costume . Then he looked at Eddy Makepeace , who wore a yellow silk tie with ...
... head , so that it formed a stiff ornament , like a curious helmet . Her right hand lay quiescently holding a burning cigarette , and she wore a check tweed costume . Then he looked at Eddy Makepeace , who wore a yellow silk tie with ...
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... head , thinking of words like “ angelus ” and “ refectory ” . There came a knock on the door . " Come in . " A thin , delicate - looking man in an apron entered and stood by the door . " Good evening , gentlemen . I'm your scout ...
... head , thinking of words like “ angelus ” and “ refectory ” . There came a knock on the door . " Come in . " A thin , delicate - looking man in an apron entered and stood by the door . " Good evening , gentlemen . I'm your scout ...
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... head . John was comforted by his mildness and went back into the other room , where a strong fire glowed in the grate and a few bars of sunlight fell on to the worn carpet . " We - er - we've got to see our Tutor this morning . " " What ...
... head . John was comforted by his mildness and went back into the other room , where a strong fire glowed in the grate and a few bars of sunlight fell on to the worn carpet . " We - er - we've got to see our Tutor this morning . " " What ...
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... head of a boy stood where the sun would catch it ; and really John had never seen so many books in his life outside a public library . The idea of one man possessing them all made him stare at the Tutor with renewed interest , feeling ...
... head of a boy stood where the sun would catch it ; and really John had never seen so many books in his life outside a public library . The idea of one man possessing them all made him stare at the Tutor with renewed interest , feeling ...
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... , ” Whitbread enunciated . He had a pale stubbly head , queerly like a dormouse , and thick steel- rimmed spectacles : he spoke with a flat Yorkshire accent that made John suppose wrongly that he had a sense of humour . John.
... , ” Whitbread enunciated . He had a pale stubbly head , queerly like a dormouse , and thick steel- rimmed spectacles : he spoke with a flat Yorkshire accent that made John suppose wrongly that he had a sense of humour . John.
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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