I’m ready to move on from the intensity of The Confessions of Nat Turner and read something a little lighter. Enter Lucky Jim.
Lucky Jim was written by Kingsley Amis, and it portrays the sad but comical life of an English professor in post-war England.
The character of Jim is based on Amis himself, as well as influenced by his friendship with the poet Philip Larkin.
Some quick facts about Lucky Jim and Kingsley Amis:
- The novel was published in 1954.
- Christopher Hitchens called Lucky Jim the funniest book of the second half of the 20th Century.
- It’s an early example of a genre called the “campus novel.”
- Amis, who passed away in 1995, is the father of British novelist Martin Amis (who wrote Money).
- The Times ranked Kingsley Amis 9th on their list of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945.
- Amis is probably most famous for having written Lucky Jim, but he also penned That Uncertain Feeling, Ending Up, Jake’s Thing, and The Old Devils.
Like I said, this novel comes at a perfect time. I love good comedy writing, and I definitely need a mental break from The Confessions of Nat Turner.
Anyone read Lucky Jim?
