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Vile Bodies

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About this listen

A satiric novel by Evelyn Waugh, published in 1930.

Set in England between the wars, the novel examines the frenetic but empty lives of the Bright Young Things, young people who indulge in constant party-going, heavy drinking, and promiscuous sex. At the novel's end, the realities of the world intrude, with Adam Fenwick-Symes, the protagonist, serving on a battlefield at the onset of another world war.

©1930 Evelyn Waugh (P)2015 Hachette Audio Classics Literature & Fiction Satire Comedy War Funny Witty
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interwar years filled with booze and parties and the impending doom of WWII. Robert Hardy is brilliant as ever.

hilarious tale of the bright young things

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Talented narration made the book worth listening to. What skill. All books should have this quality of narration from talented actors/authors.

Excellent narration

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Vile Bodies is a madly brilliant and hilarious novel - the narration is a tour de force, and beyond all praise.

Outrageously witty

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It is over 50 years since I first read this brilliant novel. Maybe I was far too young when I first read it, to appreciate the dry wit and hidden humour. Now, I rank it as one of Waugh’s minor masterpieces. A unique book in Waugh’s worldview, and he was so young when he wrote it. Robert Hardy’s reading of it cannot not be faulted, it is masterly and sublime. Only the concluding chapter disappoints, but do not be put off by this comment, this is a truly great book.

A Minor Masterpice

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My favourite Waugh book is Brideshead which always has a reality that his other books never seem to attain and I thought that when I read Vile Bodies years ago. Robert hardy's reading of this was a joy though and just made complete sense of the whole story and I suppose with it the author's satirising of the time. It made me sad that the great voice of Robert Hardy is no longer around as it was a real joy listening to his narration and worth buying this audible production for that alone.

Iconic Voice brought daft story to reality

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