At 400plus pages sprinkled with references to henry james, his fourth outing aspires to the status of an epic about sex, politics, money, and high society. Hollinghurst s intense, masterful use of his chosen narrative device is, paradoxically, what prevents the line of beauty claiming an unarguable place as a great book. In 2004, he won the man booker prize for the line of beauty. In 1994, he won the james tait black memorial prize for the folding star. The line of beauty by alan hollinghurst free ebooks download. With its title drawn from william hogarths famous treatise the analysis of beauty 1753, alan hollinghursts novel the line of beauty is a meditative set of variations on style. The line of beauty is alan hollinghursts man booker prizewinning masterpiece. Nov 03, 2011 the line of beauty is a novel of subtlety, not propelled by moments of overwhelming conflict, but rather eased gently towards its conclusion by a string of wonderfully orchestrated set pieces. The first edition of the novel was published in 2004, and was written by alan hollinghurst. Winner of the man booker prize, alan hollinghursts the line of beauty is a classic novel about class, politics and sexuality in margaret thatchers 1980s britain. It is a novel that defines a decade, exploring with peerless style a young mans collision with his own desires and with a world he can never truly belong to. Gerald, an ambitious new tory mp, his wealthy wife rachel, and.
Line for line, hollinghurst s novel about london during the 1980s is the most exquisitely written book ive read in years. The line of beauty by alan hollinghurst, paperback barnes. The line of beauty by alan hollinghurst the independent. Buy the line of beauty book online at low prices in india. Hollinghursts intense, masterful use of his chosen narrative device is, paradoxically, what prevents the line of beauty claiming an unarguable place as a great book. In alan hollinghursts latest, a hazy sex scandal looms over. The book is divided into three sections, dated 1983, 1986 and 1987. The line of beauty alan hollinghurst read online free books. The line of beauty by alan hollinghurst books the guardian. Many share an idolatrous toadying obsession with the minutest foibles of mrs thatcher, who haunts this novel. Line for line, hollinghursts novel about london during the 1980s is the most exquisitely written book ive read in years. Alan hollinghurst won the man booker prize in 2004 for the line of beauty. The ironwork pattern of interlocking curves is beautiful and the out of focus glimpse of the park is tempting.
Set in the united kingdom in the early to mid1980s, the story surrounds the postoxford life of. Alan hollinghurst is an english novelist, and winner of the 2004 booker prize for the line of beauty. Oct 17, 2005 winner of the 2004 man booker prize and a finalist for the lambda literary award and the nbcc award. From alan hollinghurst, the acclaimed author of the sparsholt affair, the line of beauty is a sweeping novel about class, sex, and money during four extraordinary years of change and tragedy. The line of beauty by alan hollinghurst, paperback.
Witty observations about christian science monitor citation. Winner of the 2004 man booker prize and a finalist for the lambda literary award and the nbcc award. Jan 01, 2015 the line of beauty is alan hollinghurst s man booker prizewinning masterpiece. Apr 10, 2004 the line of beauty by alan hollinghurst 501pp, picador. Winner of the man booker prize, alan hollinghursts the line of beauty is a classic novel about class, politics and sexuality in margaret thatchers 1980s britain it is the summer of 1983, and young nick guest, an innocent in the matters of politics and money, has moved into an attic room in the notting hill home of the feddens. The line of beauty by alan hollinghurst the 264th greatest.
The gay hero, nick guest, is on his way to a blind date but is waylaid. When alan hollinghurst won the man booker prize in 2004 for his novel the line of beauty, londons daily express went with this scarehead. In 1989, hollinghurst won the somerset maugham award for the swimming pool library. Interview with alan hollinghurst alan hollinghurst s extraordinarily rich novel the line of beauty. It is a novel that defines a decade, exploring with peerless style a young mans collision with his own desires, and with a world he can never truly belong to. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 438 pages and is available in paperback format.
As you may know, i do cry easily, but its not usually just from sentences. Hollinghurst s alertness to the tiniest social and tonal shifts never slackens, and positively luxuriates in a number of unimprovably droll set pieces. The book has been awarded with man booker prize 2004. Hollinghurst has always been compared with the worlds best stylists, but he truly enters a category all his own with the line of beauty. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. The ironwork pattern of interlocking curves is beautiful. With its title drawn from william hogarths famous treatise the analysis of beauty 1753, alan hollinghurst s novel the line of beauty is a meditative set of variations on style. The line of beauty is the first novel ive read by alan hollinghurst and having just finished it ill make a beeline to read his others.
My one question concerns the necessity off the cocaine abuse. Buy the line of beauty reprints by hollinghurst, alan isbn. A few pages into alan hollinghursts novel, something remarkable happens. In the summer of 1983, twentyyearold nick guest moves into. The line of beauty by alan hollinghurst librarything. Dec 16, 2015 alan hollinghurst won the man booker prize in 2004 for the line of beauty. Pdf the line of beauty book by alan hollinghurst free. He read english at magdalen college, oxford graduating in 1975. The best english novel of the year so far is alan hollinghurst s the line of beauty colm toibin, the guardian in alan hollinghurst s novel the line of beauty, the great tradition of english public, political narrative, as perfected by trollope, meets the sculpted, poetic and interior narrative as perfected by henry james. Free download or read online the line of beauty pdf epub book. The line of beauty may perhaps be the authors most mature and accomplished work to date.
Hollinghurst speaks about his work in our interview. Oct 01, 2004 although it gathers ominously in mood, the line of beauty feels more blissful than baleful in its anatomy of the era because it is, among other things, a magnificent comedy of manners. A novel by alan hollinghurst and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Among its other wonders, this almost perfectly written novel, recently longlisted for the mann booker, delineates whats arguably the most. Alan hollinghurst is the author of several novels including the swimmingpool library, the folding star, the spell, the line of beauty and the strangers child. Hollinghurst a master at observing and portraying social gatherings.
The line of beauty is a novel of subtlety, not propelled by moments of overwhelming conflict, but rather eased gently towards its conclusion by a string of wonderfully orchestrated set pieces. The line of beauty is a 2004 man booker prize winning novel by alan hollinghurst. From alan hollinghurst, the acclaimed author of the sparsholt affair, the line of beauty is a sweeping novel about class, sex, and money during four extraordinary years of change and tragedy in the summer of 1983, twentyyearold nick guest moves into an attic room in the notting hill home of. Hollinghursts alertness to the tiniest social and tonal shifts never slackens, and positively luxuriates in a number of unimprovably droll set pieces.
It takes a delicate hand to poke fun at the fetishizing of style while being stylish oneself, but hollinghurst pulls it off. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the line of beauty. It is the summer of 1983, and young nick guest, an innocent in the matters of politics and money, has moved into an attic room in the notting hill home of the feddens. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The best english novel of the year so far is alan hollinghursts the line of beauty colm toibin, the guardian in alan hollinghursts novel the line of beauty, the great tradition of english public, political narrative, as perfected by trollope, meets the sculpted, poetic. As a result we get to know nick inside out, but the supporting cast only outside in. In the summer of 1983, twentyyearold nick guest moves into an attic room in. Pdf the line of beauty by alan hollinghurst download pdf. Philadelphia city paper a deliciously snarky portrait of thatcherite britain, but hollinghurst also makes you believe in his characters, and nobody produced better prose this year. There are few authors who can move a book at such a torturedly slow pace and still manage a success. Winner of the man booker prize, alan hollinghurst s the line of beauty is a classic novel about class, politics and sexuality in margaret thatchers 1980s britain it is the summer of 1983, and young nick guest, an innocent in the matters of politics and money, has moved into an attic room in the notting hill home of the feddens. In 1974, hollinghurst was awarded the newdigate prize.
In 2011, his novel the strangers child was longlisted for the booker prize. Alan hollinghurst politicians relationships novels social life and customs nineteen eighties social classes young men alumni and alumnae rich people gay men universities and collegesalumni and alumnae university of oxford englandlondonnotting hill legislators married people. Although it gathers ominously in mood, the line of beauty feels more blissful than baleful in its anatomy of the era because it is, among other things, a magnificent comedy of manners. Set in the united kingdom in the early to mid1980s, the story surrounds the postoxford life of the young gay protagonist, nick guest. The line of beauty by alan hollinghurst bibliofreak.
He has received the somerset maugham award, the james tait black memorial prize for fiction and the 2004 man booker prize. The line of beauty is a 2004 booker prizewinning novel by alan hollinghurst. Buy the line of beauty by alan hollinghurst online at alibris. It is a novel that defines a decade, exploring with peerless style a young mans. Eamonn mccabe e veryone who has read the line of beauty will recall the party at which the young protagonist, nick guest, dances with mrs thatcher.
The line of beauty by alan hollinghurst powells books. The line of beauty by alan hollinghurst pan macmillan. The novel is set in britain in three parts, taking place in 1983. The gay hero, nick guest, is on his way to a blind date. These are contrasted with episodes of illicit sex and the consumption of hard drugs. The line of beauty is a 2004 man booker prizewinning novel by alan hollinghurst. There are many models of beauty and as old saying goes beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For more than a decade, the thatcher years have been a touchstone for british novelists.
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