100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Fast Overnight NZ-wide Delivery 🚀

Decline and Fall

By Evelyn Waugh
Series: Penguin Modern Classics
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.83 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 15,634 ratings, 1,253 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
Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh follows the misadventures of Paul Pennyfeather, a mild-mannered student who is expelled from Oxford under absurd circumstances. Navigating through a series of comical and often disastrous events, he embarks on a journey that sees him working as a teacher at a chaotic boys' school, where he encounters a cast of eccentric characters. This satirical tale delivers a sharp critique of 1920s British society with wit and humour.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2400
Elsewhere:
$2600
Buy to Win
Purchase this title for your chance to win a Penguin Classics Prize Pack!
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

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 satirical humour and a critique of social institutions. It offers a witty exploration of British society in the 1920s, with a comedic and at times absurd plot that captures the quirks of human nature.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Sent down from Oxford for indecent behaviour, Paul Pennyfeather embarks on a series of bizarre adventures that start in a minor public school and end in one of HM prisons. In this, his first and funniest novel, Evelyn Waugh immediately caught the ear of the public with his account of an ingenue abroad in the razzmatazz of Twenties high society.

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

Evelyn Waugh's hilarious debut novel, with an introduction by Barbara Cooke.

Sent down from Oxford for indecent behaviour, Paul Pennyfeather embarks on a series of bizarre adventures that start in a minor public school and end in one of HM prisons.

In this, his first and funniest novel, Evelyn Waugh immediately caught the ear of the public with his account of an ingenu abroad in the razzmatazz of Twenties high society.

Series: Penguin Modern Classics

View all
  • Buy to Win
    East of Eden
    Set against the backdrop of the fertile Salinas Valley in California, East of Eden is a profound and compelling novel by John Steinbeck, one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. This masterful narrative charts the intertwining destinies of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—across multiple generations. Steinbeck's intricate portrayal of human nature and enduring exploration of moral themes...
    By John Steinbeck
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    On Sale
    14% off
    The Origins of Totalitarianism
    The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt is a seminal examination of the rise of totalitarianism in the 20th century. Through a profound and thorough analysis, Arendt explores the complex mechanisms and underpinnings that facilitated the emergence of totalitarian regimes, specifically delving into the horrors of Nazi Germany and Stalinist Soviet Union. Arendt masterfully dissects the various elements that contribute...
    By Hannah Arendt
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    The Grapes of Wrath
    The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is a profound and evocative tale that captures the journey of the Joad family as they traverse the harsh landscapes of America during the Great Depression. As drought and economic hardship ravage their farming homeland in Oklahoma, the resilient Joads are driven from their beloved home and journey westward in a desperate bid...
    By John Steinbeck
    Paperback
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    A Month in the Country
    A sensitive portrayal of the healing process that took place in the aftermath of the First World War, J.L. Carr's A Month in the Country includes an introduction by Penelope Fitzgerald, author of Offshore, in Penguin Modern Classics. A damaged survivor of the First World War, Tom Birkin finds refuge in the quiet village church of Oxgodby where he is...
    By J L Carr
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    The Trouble With Being Born
    The Trouble With Being Born by E. M. Cioran is a deeply introspective and profoundly philosophical exploration of the human condition. The book navigates the bleak and often darkly comic territories of existence, examining fundamental questions such as birth, death, the concept of God, the relentless passage of time, the complexity of human relationships, and the daily struggle to find...
    By E. M. Cioran
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    The Fountainhead
    The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand is a gripping narrative that revolves around the unwavering and fiercely independent architect, Howard Roark. Roark’s vision and uncompromising integrity lead him to clash with a conformist society that resists innovation and creativity. The novel intricately explores Roark's journey as he battles against traditional norms, challenges mediocrity, and strives to preserve his unique artistic vision...
    By Ayn Rand
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    Storm of Steel
    Storm of Steel chronicles the harrowing experiences of Ernst Jünger, a German officer during the First World War. From the moment he enters the trenches on the Western Front, Jünger immerses readers in the brutal, relentless combat that defined an era. His narrative is a visceral journey through the realities of war: the brief moments of camaraderie, the relentless artillery...
    By Ernst Junger
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    On the Road
    "The most beautifully executed, the clearest and the most important utterance yet made by the generation Kerouac himself named years ago as 'beat.'" - The New York Times On the Road swings to the rhythms of 1950s underground America, jazz, sex, generosity, chill dawns, and drugs, with Sal Paradise and his hero Dean Moriarty, traveller and mystic, the living epitome...
    By Jack Kerouac
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    The Haunting of Hill House
    The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson is an unparalleled classic in the genre of horror literature, weaving an atmosphere of dread and suspense that continues to captivate readers. The story follows four distinct characters brought together by a shared curiosity about the supernatural phenomena reported at the infamous Hill House. Dr. Montague, a determined and scholarly investigator of...
    By Shirley Jackson
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    The Myth of Sisyphus
    The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus explores one of the most profound philosophical questions: Is life worth living? Set against the tumultuous backdrop of the Second World War, Camus delves into the existential crisis faced by humanity, particularly the struggle to find meaning in a world devoid of higher purpose. Through a captivating blend of philosophical discourse and literary...
    By Albert Camus
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    The Fire Next Time
    The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin is a seminal work that offers a profound and personal exploration of race relations in America. Structured as two poignant letters, Baldwin addresses his 14-year-old nephew on the one hand, and on the other, an open letter to his fellow countrymen. Through these missives, Baldwin intimately reflects on his experiences growing up in...
    By James Baldwin
    Paperback
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    Steppenwolf
    A new translation of this counterculture classic by David Horrocks. At first sight, Harry Haller seems like a respectable, educated man. In reality, he is the Steppenwolf—wild, strange, alienated from society, and repulsed by the modern age. But as he is drawn into a series of dreamlike and sometimes savage encounters—accompanied by, among others, Mozart, Goethe, and the bewitching Hermione—the...
    By Hermann Hesse
    Paperback
    $2600
    Backorder
    Ships mid September

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?

Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh is praised for its comedic portrayal of chaos and is seen as both outrageously humorous and delightfully bleak. Malcolm Bradbury highlights the author’s talent in creating a universe that is both chaotic and invigorating.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141180908

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 July 2001

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 236g

Pages: 320

Collections

Best Sellers at Book Hero Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Evelyn Waugh Fiction General Fiction In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Literary Fiction New Release Fiction New Zealand's Best Selling Books Penguin Books Penguin Classics Series: Penguin Modern Classics

About the Author

Evelyn Waugh (1903-1966), is considered chief chronicler of the 'Bright Young Things' (the aristocratic and fashionable circles of the 1920's) and is one of the century's most accomplished and funny novelists. Waugh is also widely regarded as the foremost social satirist of his generation. His other works, including VILE BODIES, SCOOP, THE LOVED ONE, and BRIDESHEAD REVISITED are also published in Modern Classics.

Also by Evelyn Waugh

View all
  • Buy to Win
    Brideshead Revisited
    Brideshead Revisited, the masterpiece by Evelyn Waugh, is an extraordinary meditation on a lost world. The most nostalgic and reflective of Evelyn Waugh's novels, Brideshead Revisited looks back to the golden age before the Second World War. It tells the story of Charles Ryder's infatuation with the Marchmains and the rapidly disappearing world of privilege they inhabit. Enchanted first by...
    By Evelyn Waugh
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    A Handful of Dust
    Taking its title from T.S. Eliot's modernist poem The Waste Land, Evelyn Waugh's A Handful of Dust is a chronicle of Britain's decadence and social disintegration between the First and Second World Wars. This Penguin Modern Classics edition is edited with an introduction and notes by Robert Murray Davis. In his elegant, malicious prose, Evelyn Waugh satirizes British society as...
    By Evelyn Waugh
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    Backorder
    Ships early September
  • Buy to Win
    Vile Bodies
    The Bright Young Things of 1920s Mayfair, with their paradoxical mix of innocence and sophistication, exercise their inventive minds and vile bodies in every kind of capricious escapade, whether it is promiscuity, dancing, cocktail parties or sports cars. A vivid assortment of characters, among them the struggling writer Adam Fenwick-Symes and the glamorous, aristocratic Nina Blount, hunt fast and furiously...
    By Evelyn Waugh
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    Backorder
    Ships mid September
  • Buy to Win
    A Handful of Dust
    A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh is a celebrated tale of decadence and social disintegration, now available in a wonderful new hardback edition. After seven years of marriage, the beautiful Lady Brenda Last finds herself bored with life at Hetton Abbey, the Gothic mansion that is the pride and joy of her husband, Tony. She drifts into an affair...
    By Evelyn Waugh
    Hardback
    $3400
    Elsewhere:
    $3700
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    Brideshead Revisited
    Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh is a beloved masterpiece, now available in a wonderful new hardback edition. The most nostalgic and reflective of Evelyn Waugh's novels, Brideshead Revisited looks back to the golden age before the Second World War. It tells the story of Charles Ryder's infatuation with the Marchmains and the rapidly-disappearing world of privilege they inhabit. Enchanted first...
    By Evelyn Waugh
    Hardback
    $3500
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Brideshead Revisited: Popular Penguins
    Charles Ryder, a lonely student at Oxford, is captivated by the outrageous and decadent Sebastian Flyte. Invited to Brideshead, Sebastian's magnificent family home, Charles welcomes the attentions of its eccentric, aristocratic inhabitants, gradually becoming infatuated with them and the life of privilege they inhabit—particularly with Sebastian's remote sister, Julia. However, Charles gradually comes to recognise his spiritual and social distance...
    By Evelyn Waugh
    Paperback
    $1699
    Backorder
    Ships early September
  • Buy to Win
    Decline and Fall
    Decline and Fall is Evelyn Waugh's hilarious debut novel, now available in a wonderful new hardback edition. Sent down from Oxford for indecent behaviour, Paul Pennyfeather is oddly unsurprised to find himself qualifying for the position of schoolmaster at Llanabba Castle. His colleagues are an assortment of misfits, rascals, and fools, including Prendy, who is plagued by doubts, and Captain...
    By Evelyn Waugh
    Hardback
    $3400
    Elsewhere:
    $3700
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Scoop: Popular Penguins
    One of Waugh's most exuberant comedies, Scoop is a brilliantly irreverent satire of Fleet Street and its hectic pursuit of hot news. Lord Copper, newspaper magnate and proprietor of the Daily Beast, has always prided himself on his intuitive flair for spotting ace reporters. That is not to say he has not made the odd blunder, however, and may in...
    By Evelyn Waugh
    Paperback
    $1699
    Backorder
    Ships early September
  • Brideshead Revisited
    Evelyn Waugh's classic novel of a glittering, but rapidly vanishing, privileged world. 'I knew Sebastian by sight long before I met him. That was unavoidable for, from his first week, he was the most conspicuous man of his year by reason of his beauty, which was arresting, and his eccentricities of behaviour, which seemed to know no bounds.' Charles Ryder,...
    By Evelyn Waugh
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Buy to Win
    Brideshead Revisited
    A beautiful clothbound edition of Waugh's great novel of the lost golden age before the Second World War. The most nostalgic and reflective of Evelyn Waugh's novels, Brideshead Revisited looks back to the golden age before the Second World War. It tells the story of Charles Ryder's infatuation with the Marchmain family and the rapidly disappearing world of privilege they...
    By Evelyn Waugh
    Hardback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    Vile Bodies: Popular Penguins
    In the years following the First World War, a new generation emerges, wistful and vulnerable beneath the glitter. The Bright Young Things of twenties Mayfair, with their paradoxical mix of innocence and sophistication, exercise their hedonistic whims and vile bodies in every kind of capricious escapade. In a quest for treasure, a favourite party occupation, a vivid assortment of characters...
    By Evelyn Waugh
    Paperback
    $1599
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    Brideshead Revisited
    Waugh's great novel of the lost golden age before the Second World War, new to the Penguin English Library. The most nostalgic and reflective of Evelyn Waugh's novels, Brideshead Revisited looks back to the years before the Second World War. It tells the story of Charles Ryder's infatuation with the Marchmains and the rapidly-disappearing world of privilege they inhabit. Enchanted...
    By Evelyn Waugh
    Paperback
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships today

More from General Fiction

View all
  • The Wedding People
    'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people — but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...
    By Alison Espach
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    Dungeon Crawler Carl
    The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman-now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition! You know what's worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what's worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Pre-order
    Big Little Truths
    Parenting teens is not for the faint of heart but Madeline, Jane and Celeste have been through worse. It's been a decade since the school trivia night that changed their lives forever and now they're living blissfully ordinary suburban lives. But when an anonymous grisly package arrives at the local high school, and a man in a green Volvo is...
    By Liane Moriarty
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    Pre-order
    Out 25 Aug 2026
  • On Sale
    17% off
    Dylan's Pick Dylan's Pick
    Theo of Golden
    THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON'For anything to be truly good, there must be love in it. Nothing is what it's supposed to be if love is not at the core.' One morning, a stranger arrives in the town of Golden. No one knows who he is or where he came from…His name is Theo and he's arrived there by chance –...
    By Allen Levi
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $3499
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Throne of Glass Box Set (Paperback)
    Enter the realm. Unleash the darkness. Live the legend. Discover the worldwide phenomenon of the #1 New York Times-bestselling Throne of Glass series in this gorgeous 8-book box set! In a land without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She has no love for the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass, but she has not...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Set
    $12400
    Elsewhere:
    $15500
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Ballad of Falling Dragons [Special Deluxe edition]
    The No.1 Sunday Times bestselling sensation When the Moon Hatched continues with the second book in The Moonfall Series, The Ballad of Falling Dragons… Raeve’s thirst for vengeance continues to burn, as does her love for Kaan Vaegor – a staunch beacon from a past she’s yet to face. With Rekk’s blood still fresh on her hands, she learns the...
    By Sarah A. Parker
    Hardback
    $5999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Goal
    Welcome to Briar U!Get ready for your newest obsession . . . Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy!Read The Goal now for the perfect forced proximity romance! She's good at achieving her goals . . . College senior Sabrina James has her whole future planned out: graduate from college, kick...
    By Elle Kennedy
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    On Sale
    17% off
    Project Hail Mary
    Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, the SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Martian, offers a gripping new adventure in hard science fiction. With endorsement from notable figures such as Barack Obama and a slew of five-star reviews, this novel promises a thrilling and intellectually stimulating journey. Ryland Grace, a lone astronaut, finds himself on a...
    By Andy Weir
    Paperback
    $2000
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    (5)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    Carl's Doomsday Scenario
    Join Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Princess Donut as they fight fantastical creatures and deadly mobs in the second book in the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl series -now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition Now on the third floor, Carl and Donut have to fight harder than ever. They've already proven that a Coast Guard vet and once-and-forever...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Hardback
    $4699
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Buy to Win
    East of Eden
    Set against the backdrop of the fertile Salinas Valley in California, East of Eden is a profound and compelling novel by John Steinbeck, one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. This masterful narrative charts the intertwining destinies of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—across multiple generations. Steinbeck's intricate portrayal of human nature and enduring exploration of moral themes...
    By John Steinbeck
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    On Mystic Lake
    One of the greatest storytellers of our time - Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads Sing Annie Colwater's only child has just left home for school in England. On that same day, her husband of twenty years confesses that he's in love with a younger woman. Left alone in the beautiful California house which was once a home, Annie...
    By Kristin Hannah
    Paperback
    $3100
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings Boxed Set
    Embark on a journey through Middle-earth with J.R.R. Tolkien's timeless masterpieces, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. These enthralling tales recount the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, a modest hobbit whose life is turned upside down when he unwittingly becomes entwined in a perilous quest involving dragons, wizards, and the fate of the world. Alongside iconic characters such as...
    By J. R. R. Tolkien
    Box Set
    $7199
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

General Fiction lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all