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A Handful of Dust

By Evelyn Waugh
Series: The Penguin English Library
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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
A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh is a satirical novel that explores the decadence and moral decline of the British aristocracy in the 1930s. The story follows the life of Tony Last, whose seemingly idyllic existence at his country estate is disrupted by his wife's infidelity. Through a series of tragic and ironic events, the novel examines themes of love, loss, and the superficiality of high society.
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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 satirical takes on the British upper class, set against the backdrop of the 1930s. The story offers a compelling blend of humour and tragedy, exploring themes of disillusionment and the inevitable decline of the aristocracy with Waugh's characteristic wit.

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A Handful of Dust

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

Twenty new titles in the much-loved and hugely successful Penguin English Library series.

'It would be a dull world if we all thought alike.'

After seven years of marriage, the beautiful Lady Brenda Last is bored with life at Hetton Abbey, the Gothic mansion that is the pride and joy of her husband, Tony. She drifts into an affair with the shallow socialite John Beaver and forsakes Tony for the Belgravia set. Brilliantly combining tragedy, comedy and savage irony, A Handful of Dust captures the irresponsible mood of the 'crazy and sterile generation' between the wars.

The Penguin English Library - collectable general readers' editions of the best fiction in English, from the eighteenth century to the end of the Second World War.

Series: The Penguin English Library

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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?

A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh is often praised for its satirical depiction of British society during the interwar period. Critics frequently highlight Waugh's sharp wit and dark humour, alongside the novel's exploration of themes such as disillusionment and the decline of the British upper class. The narrative is both entertaining and poignant, with a tragic undercurrent that resonates with readers.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241341100

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 June 2018

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 14.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 180g

Pages: 240

Collections

Evelyn Waugh Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics Series: The Penguin English Library

About the Author

Evelyn Waugh was born in Hampstead in 1903 and educated at Hertford College, Oxford. In 1928 he published his first novel, Decline and Fall, which was soon followed by Vile Bodies (1930), Black Mischief (1932), A Handful of Dust (1934) and Scoop (1938). During these years he also travelled extensively and converted to Catholicism. In 1939 Waugh was commissioned in the Royal Marines and later transferred to the Royal Horse Guards, experiences which informed his Sword of Honour trilogy (1952-61). His most famous novel, Brideshead Revisited (1945), was written while on leave from the army. Waugh died in 1966.

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