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The Rachel Papers

50th Anniversary Edition
3.57 goodreads logo

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( 11,219 ratings, 653 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
The Rachel Papers by Martin Amis is a coming-of-age novel centred around Charles Highway, a precocious and somewhat self-absorbed young man, as he embarks on a journey of intellectual and sexual adventures before heading to university. Set in 1970s London, the novel delves into his intricate relationship with Rachel, exploring themes of ambition, youthful arrogance, and the complexity of love. With a mix of wit and introspection, it captures the essence of transition into adulthood.
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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 are intrigued by sharp, witty coming-of-age tales filled with humour and insight. The story offers a candid look into the complexities of young adulthood, with an exploration of desire, ambition, and self-discovery that is both entertaining and thought-provoking.

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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

The Rachel Papers with a new introduction by Claire Lowdon.

Charles Highway is every mother's worst nightmare.

Precociously intelligent, mercilessly manipulative and highly sexed, Charles devotes the last of his teenage years to bedding girls and evading the half-arsed overtures of his distant parents. That is, until he meets the aloof, wildly unattainable, Rachel.

As Charles's twentieth birthday—and the Oxford entrance exams—loom, his plans for seducing Rachel will draw him into a private collection of obsessional notes and observations: the eponymous Rachel Papers.

Winner of the Somerset Maugham Award

'Scurrilous, shameless and very funny' - The Times Literary Supplement

'Amis has brought off the feat of satirising his contemporaries while making them both funny and, in a bizarre way, moving' - Peter Ackroyd

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?

The Rachel Papers by Martin Amis is praised for its sharp satire and humour, capturing the nuances of contemporary society. Critics highlight its scurrilous and shameless wit, satirical brilliance, and enjoyable, if extravagant, exploration of sexuality. The novel's prose is noted for its energetic and honest delivery, filled with disdainful wit and astute observations of human nature, establishing it as a highly acclaimed work.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781784879631

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 16 November 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 15.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 170g

Pages: 240

About the Author

Martin Amis was twenty-three when he wrote his first novel, The Rachel Papers (1973). Over the next half century - in fourteen more novels, two collections of short stories, eight works of literary criticism and reportage, and his acclaimed memoir, Experience - he established himself as the most distinctive and influential prose stylist of his generation. To many of his readers, Amis was also the funniest. His intoxicating comedic gifts express a profound understanding of the human experience, particularly its most shocking cruelties, and Amis wrote with pathos and verve on an astonishing range of subjects, from masculinity and movie violence to nuclear weapons and Nazi doctors. His books, which have been translated into thirty-eight languages, provide an indelible portrait and critique of late-capitalist society at the turn of the twenty-first century. He died in 2023.

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