William Beckwith is a wealthy, young gay aristocrat in London in the summer of 1983, spending his days at the pool and his nights chasing lovers, just before the AIDS epidemic changes everything. After a chance encounter, he is asked by an elderly peer, Lord Nantwich, to write his biography. Reading Nantwich's diaries, William begins to learn about the secret history of earlier gay generations and about his own family's place in colonial history.
Hollinghurst's elegant prose and sharp social comedy make this a landmark of modern gay fiction. Readers who like English literary novels about class, desire, and privilege will find plenty to absorb, though the sexual content is explicit.
Deep and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Deep Diver. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1988
- Language
- EN
