The Anti-egotist: Kingsley Amis, Man of Letters - Tapa dura

Part biography, part critical appraisal, "The Anti-Egotist" aims to capture the essence of Kingsley Amis as a man of letters. Paul Fussell traces the influences that have shaped Amis's writing, ranging from his schooldays through military service to university teaching, as he emerged as a novelist, poet, and essayist. Revealing the profound moral sense that expresses itself in Amis's fiction and criticism, he paints a portrait of man who despises self-promotion in all its forms, savaging the world's show-offs, and restoring scepticism and honesty to postwar British writing. In recent years, Kingsley Amis has drawn considerable fire, thanks to his outspoken conservative opinions. In "The Anti-Egotist" Paul Fussell attempts to restore the literary reputation of this important writer.

About the Author: Paul Fussell is the author of a number of books of literary and cultural criticism and social history. They include The Great War and Modern Memory (winner of the National Book Award), Abroad: British Literary Travelling Between the Wars, and Wartime: Understanding and Behavior in the Second World War.