Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1222051 in Books
• Published on: 1990-05-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

Synopsis
Reissue of a novel first published in 1954. It tells the story of Jim Dixon - lower middle-class anti-hero - charting his social gaffes, cultural philistinism, inept relationships and crawling to superiors. The author's other books include "The Old Devils", which won the 1986 Booker Prize.

Customer Reviews

Almost Flawless Comedy
There are many levels on which this tale of a struggling university lecturer can be praised. To begin with there is the plot which, while disarmingly simple, allows Amis to get valuable mileage out of the most basic of social interaction. Stylistically, the novel's comedic value cannot be underrated, with every chapter bringing a smile to my face for some reason or other. In terms of characterisation, each of those introduced as the text progresses takes on a life of their own, without the author falling back on the use of caricature, as so often happens in comedy novels. I truly recommend this.

Amusing enough- absolutely diabolical ending
There is a strong sense of the meanings of relations between people in this book and very little really happens otherwise. When I try to remember the storyline it is eclipsed by Malcolm Bradbury's Eating People Is Wrong, which is similar to Lucky Jim but far superior and much more funny.
Amis has written a readable book that is interesting in places and will appeal to middle-aged readers more than young. Unfortunately the book sufferers from a lack of plot and has possibly one of the most anti-climatic endings in the history of literature.