Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh

So I don’t think the title really explains enough what happens to Paul Pennyfeather in this book.  What takes place is actually much worse than declining or falling.  As a matter of fact, the title is probably the least absurd thing in it. 

This book, from the very start, is one huge, ridiculous, and hilarious joke.  Waugh doesn’t try to make it anything else at all.  Everyone is insane.  The names, the locations, the scenario’s…all absolutely absurd.  The humor stands up too.  Waugh has given us Pennyfeather, who is a pushovers’ pushover.  Terrible and terribly funny things keep happening to him and he stands there and takes it with little more than a look of disbelief and a mouth slightly agape with confusion.

All in all a great quick and fun read aimed directly at the British school system and high society itself.  Just what I needed after Chabon’s masterpiece, Kavalier & Clay.

Original Guardian review here - October 12th, 1928.