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Antic Hay

By Aldous Huxley
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Aldous Huxley's Antic Hay explores the vibrant and chaotic life of post-World War I London intellectuals. The novel follows Theodore Gumbril Jr., an inventor seeking purpose beyond his mundane job as a schoolteacher. Amidst a backdrop of hedonistic parties and philosophical musings, Gumbril and his companions navigate personal relationships, artistic ambitions, and existential questions, reflecting the disillusionment of the Jazz Age.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this witty and satirical novel if you're intrigued by post-World War I society, infused with a mix of intellectualism and hedonism. It might appeal to you for its exploration of disillusionment and its vibrant portrayal of the "lost generation" in a fast-changing world filled with both humour and cynicism.

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Antic Hay

When Theodore Gumbril hits upon the notion of designing a type of pneumatic trouser to ease the discomfort of a sedentary life, he decides the time has come to leave his position as housemaster in a boys' public school and seek his fortune in the metropolis.

'Huxley brings extraordinary vigour and gusto to every page he writes' Spectator

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

When Theodore Gumbril hits upon the notion of designing a type of pneumatic trouser ('a comfort to all travellers, indispensable to first-nighters, the concert-goers' friends') to ease the discomfort of the sedentary life, he decides the time has come to leave his position as a housemaster in a boys' public school and seek his fortune in the metropolis.

But post-First-World-War London seems to be gripped by a fever of hedonism. Gumbril is soon caught up in the delirious world of aesthetes extraordinaire Mercaptan, Casimir Lypiatt and the thoroughly civilised Myra Viveash, and finds his burning ambitions are beginning to lose their urgency...

A contemporary commentator coined the word 'futilitarian' to describe the type of desultory, pleasure-seeking intellectual Huxley pinned so mercilessly to the literary map in Antic Hay. Wickedly funny and deliciously barbed, the novel epitomises the glittering neuroticism of its decade.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Antic Hay by Aldous Huxley is praised for its encyclopaedic breadth, with Huxley weaving together elements from literature, history, science, and religion. The novel captures a period where traditional forces have weakened, leaving intellectuals in a state of boredom and futility. This existential ennui is reflected in what Huxley terms the "dance of profane love," depicted with a sharp wit and a fresh, clear perspective.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780099458180

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 September 2004

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 132.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 228g

Pages: 320

Collections

Aldous Huxley Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books

About the Author

Aldous Huxley came to literary fame in 1921 with his first novel, Crome Yellow. With the novels Antic Hay, Those Barren Leaves and Point Counter Point, Huxley quickly established a reputation for bright, brilliant satires that ruthlessly passed judgement on the shortcomings of contemporary society. In later life, exploration of the inner life through mysticism and hallucinogenic drugs dominated Huxley's writing, including his first-person account of experiencing mescaline in The Doors of Perception. Aldous Huxley died in 1963.

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