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In Youth is Pleasure

By Denton Welch
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Check link for latest rating. ( 1,203 ratings, 152 reviews)
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
In Youth is Pleasure by Denton Welch is a poignant exploration of a young boy's introspection during a summer holiday in the English countryside. The protagonist, an adolescent named Orville Pym, experiences a period of solitude and self-discovery, reflecting on his identity and the world around him. The narrative beautifully captures the nuances of youth and the passage into maturity, filled with vivid imagery and emotional depth.
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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 book if you appreciate coming-of-age stories set against a poignant backdrop, exploring the nuances of adolescent self-discovery and introspection. Filled with rich, evocative descriptions, it paints a vivid picture of youth and the complexities of finding one's place in the world.

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'Maybe there is no better novel in the world than Denton Welch's In Youth Is Pleasure. Just holding it in my hands, so precious, so beyond gay, so deliciously subversive, is enough to make illiteracy a worse crime than hunger' - JOHN WATERS

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

In Youth is Pleasure is a gay classic coming-of-age novel and an unforgettable slice of British interwar upper-middle-class life.

Orvil Pym does not fit in. A waifish, eccentric, sensitive fifteen-year-old, he hates school and longs to be alone. Spending his Summer holidays in a genteel Surrey hotel with his mysterious father and two brothers who don't understand him, he explores ancient churches, spies on a man rowing in the river and collects antiques, escaping into his own singular aesthetic world.

First published in 1945, this is an unforgettable portrayal of a young man's sensuous coming-of-age.

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?

Reviews of In Youth Is Pleasure highlight Denton Welch's ability to capture a sublime balance of pain and beauty, bringing lost experiences to life with vivid detail. Critics have compared Welch to Marcel Proust, underscoring his influence on contemporary writers, including William Burroughs. The novel's sensual journey and unique character energy are praised for being both beautifully odd and spectacular, resonating with readers personally and universally.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241464137

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 July 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 11.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 145g

Pages: 192

Collections

Best Sellers at Book Hero Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Denton Welch Fiction General Fiction In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Literary Fiction New Release Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics

About the Author

Denton Welch was born in 1915 in Shanghai, the youngest of three brothers. After attending boarding school in England, he enrolled at Goldsmiths' School of Art in April 1933 to study painting. In June 1935, while still a student, he was involved in a cycling accident that left him bedridden for the rest of his life, and he turned to writing instead of painting. He died in December 1948, at the age of 33.

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