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He offers moments and experiences such as the following: Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Ivan however is a self-declared gerontophile who is attracted to Dax and who is only interested in Johnny's father and the infamous Sparsholt Affair of a few years ago. Alan Hollinghurst is the award-winning author of "The Swimming Pool Library", "The Folding Star", and 2004 Man Booker Prize winner "The Line of Beauty". On a trip to London to visit his son, Johnny asks David to sit for him and also takes a chance to reintroduce him to Evert. [4], Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Author Alan Hollinghurst On Secret Affairs, Narrative Gaps And Writing Gay Sex", "GAY LIT ICON ALAN HOLLINGHURST ON SCANDAL, REPRESSION, AND BRITISH LIFE", "The Sparsholt Affair by Alan Hollinghurst review – passion and folly, beautifully observed", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Sparsholt_Affair&oldid=979164785, Articles to be expanded from January 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 19 September 2020, at 05:23. parents, etc. Please try again. One of these items ships sooner than the other. I like here, as elsewhere in his work, the stretch of English history and the vision of changing mores. Some of the action was too nuanced -- on occasion, I had to go back and try to figure out what just happened. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. According to Evert, David proceeded to have sex with him. Johnny also befriends the wealthy Francesca Skipton, who commissions him to paint a portrait of her with her lover Una and who asks Johnny to father a child with her that she can raise with Una. While I enjoyed the first part that took place at Oxford at the dawn of WWII, I often found the novel dragged. Well-written and deserving of adaptation for the screen, it remains a credit to Hollinghurst that he has not abandoned the novel in favour of the screenplay. There was a problem loading your book clubs. Shortly after David's father dies in an air raid and Freddie loses touch with him as David goes to war. Two of Freddie's friends, Peter Coyle, an artist, and Evert Dax, the son of an influential writer, both see Sparsholt and develop an obsession with him. Two young men are attracted to ‘a new man’ David Sparsholt observed and encouraged by a fellow student, Freddie Green. Thankfully things have changed for the better and people no longer judge on a person's sexuality. Overall, this has been my favorite audiobook experience and I look forward to listening again! Product details. A masterly novel following the richly complex relationships of a remarkable family across seven decades, from the Booker Prize-winning author of The Line of Beauty.. Alan Hollinghurst’s sweeping new novel evokes across three generations the intimate relationships of a group of friends brought together by art, literature, and love. The Sparsholt Affair by Alan Hollinghurst begins in the 1940’s at Oxford University. In their tiny undergraduate world, these reverberations of feeling constitute a major event — a “Sparsholt affair” of its own, before the later, public one is even imaginable. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. The Sparsholt Affair is Alan Hollinghurst’s sixth novel, and like his previous two — the Man Booker Prize–winning The Line of Beauty and, subsequently, The Stranger’s Child — the story travels through a series of eras, capturing in each the nature of gay life in England. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 18, 2019. It did however give an insight to how people who were gay felt to be marginalized by so called "appropriate" society and the good old days. The delicious core of the book (for me, at least) is the gorgeous and sweeping language that author Hollinghurst brings to both narrative and dialogue. When David is fined twenty pounds after it is discovered that he brought his fiancée up to his room, Evert offers to loan him the money to pay the fine. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Spanning three generations, The Sparsholt Affair plumbs the ways the friendship between these two men will influence their lives—and the lives of others’—for decades to come. Format. When readers meet the title character, he's an object of intense desire among a group of male friends at Oxford. Members of Evert's Oxford circle begin to die including Freddie Green who leaves behind a memoir which includes the details found in A New Man. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The Sparsholt Affair is filled with what Johnny, describing some Whistler paintings, calls "small miracles of observation." Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2018. It is not as sexually explicit as some of his works either, but there is a tenderness to it which plays on your imagination. It ends in the present day in a world of i-phones, body tattoos, same-sex marriage, children from sperm donors, etc. I could not put this down. David Sparsholt is almost a cipher in the novel -- peoples' lives somehow revolve in his shadow, but he doesn't appear central or particularly vibrant to the story line. Sparing and Holting: Take a pass on this one! The Sparsholt Affair (Book) : Hollinghurst, Alan : "From the internationally acclaimed winner of the Man Booker Prize, a masterly new novel that spans seven transformative decades in England--from the 1940s to the present--as it plumbs the richly complex relationships of a remarkable family. Spanning three generations, The Sparsholt Affair plumbs the ways the friendship between these two men will influence their lives—and the lives of others'—for decades to come. Johnny becomes besotted with Ivan Goyle, the nephew of an artist that Dax once admired. 'The Sparsholt Affair' by Alan Hollinghurst is an assured work of historical fiction tracing the evolution of gay rights, but it never quite coheres. In his marvelous novel The Stranger’s Child, Alan Hollinghurst spanned the 20th century to tell the story of an enigmatic poem and its relevance to generations of one family.He employs a similar structure in his new novel, The Sparsholt Affair, another multigenerational saga, this time focusing on the Sparsholts and the effect a highly public midcentury scandal has on their family and legacy. We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 29, 2019, A complex web of human experience centres around an event that threads its way through the entire narrative but never fully reveals itself. The Sparsholt Affair is Alan Hollinghurst's sixth novel, and like his previous two -- the Man Booker Prize–winning The Line of Beauty and, subsequently, The Stranger's Child-- the story travels through a series of eras, capturing in each the nature of gay life in England. The character of this man and his companions is brilliantly drawn so that we know and are avid to find out how those friendships develop. It explores the social and sexual revolutions of the most pivotal years of the past century, whose life-changing consequences are still being played out to this day. Epic story that basically presents the arc of gay history from the 1940s to 2012. Sold by CE_BOOKHOUSE and ships from Amazon Fulfillment. The Stranger's Child (Vintage International), Alan Hollinghurst is the author of the novels. Something went wrong. [2], The novel received positive reviews. The “Affair” of the title, with its whiff of a juicy tabloid scandal, is never detailed, although David Sparsholt may have traded sex with an elected official for lucrative government contracts. parents, etc. These characters go to war, marry, divorce, remarry, have children; and some of them die. The Sparsholt Affair is a sweeping and intimate masterpiece, full of sensual pleasures and observational wisdom. Spanning three generations, The Sparsholt Affair plumbs the ways the friendship between these two men will influence their lives—and the lives of others’—for decades to come. While critics were quick to compare the novel with Hollinghurst's earlier work, The Stranger's Child Hollinghurst himself acknowledged that the two books were similar. These characters go to war, marry, divorce, remarry, have children; and some of them die. The superior, snobbish attitudes of that section of society are evoked with great skill plus details of place and time such as the smell of dust on a two bar electric fire. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Twenty years later Johnny is now a widower after Pat dies of prostate cancer. These characters go to war, marry, divorce, remarry, have children; and some of them die. The novel explores the changing attitudes towards homosexuality in England through the lives of two men: David Sparsholt, a teenager briefly attending Oxford during the Second World War, and his openly gay son, Johnny Sparsholt, who comes of age in London just as homosexuality has been decriminalised. Richly observed, disarmingly witty and emotionally charged, The Sparsholt Affair is an unmissable achievement from one of our finest writers. Please try again. It ends in the present day in a world of i-phones, body tattoos, same-sex marriage, children from sperm donors, etc. Bastien spends a few weeks in the summer with the Sparsholts with Johnny spending most of his time hoping that they will renew the sexual aspect of their relationship that they engaged in the previous year. Richly observed, disarmingly witty and emotionally charged, The Sparsholt Affair is an unmissable achievement from one of our finest writers. Spanning three generations, The Sparsholt Affair plumbs the ways the friendship between these two men will influence their lives—and the lives of others’—for decades to come. In 1940, the handsome, athletic, and charismatic David Sparsholt arrives at Oxford University to study engineering, unaware of his effect on others—especially on Evert Dax, the lonely son of a celebrated novelist who is destined to become a writer himself. This one moves from Oxford in the war years, to the present year (give or take) with sheer effortlessness and the characters are captivating and encompassing in an enigmatic way. About The Sparsholt Affair. THE SPARSHOLT AFFAIR by Alan Hollinghurst ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 20, 2018 A man’s inability to be honest about his sexuality has scandalous, and brutally public, consequences for several generations. Sparsholt's name is infamous due to a sexual scandal involving his father, Cliff, several male prostitutes and a small time politician when homosexuality was still deemed illegal several years earlier. I thought "Sparsholt" was well written, but I didn't think it was especially interesting. While out at a club for the first time in decades he meets a young Brazilian man, Zé, and as they are about to have sex he receives texts notifying him that his father has died. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. He is indebted to Evert Dax but is sketched naked by Peter Coyle, the rivals for his affection. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! The narration from David Dawson gives each character flavor and a sense of reality, adding to the rich complexity of the story. David, who became a war hero during the Second World War, meanwhile spends much of his time with Clifford Haxby, a business friend and acquaintance, who is married but has no children. After the scandal David divorced Connie but has now remarried to a woman. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. Alan Hollinghurst is one of the best novelists of our age, but this, sadly, is probably one of his weakest works. “The Sparsholt Affair” plays out across nearly a century of gay life in England. Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2018. In 1940 Freddie Green, a literature student, has rooms that overlook the room of a handsome young seventeen year old named David Sparsholt. It is frequently referred to in the novel but never fully elaborated. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. It ends in the present day in a world of i-phones, body tattoos, same-sex marriage, children from sperm donors, etc. Even before this section of the novel ends we learn that it is a memoir found amongst Freddie Green’s papers after his death. A glimpse of a nearly naked man in a window across an Oxford quad sets in motion a furtive affair between two young male students. In most cases, items shipped from Amazon.com may be returned for a full refund. The meeting goes well and seems to bring about new intimacy between father and son, but when Johnny brings up the matter of the fine David incurred, David denies the incident. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. The drama moves episodically from Oxford in 1940 to the present day, following the lives of a group of students and their offspring in a formula used successfully by the author in The Stranger's Child, encompassing a variety of relationships in the world of literature and fine art and ranging from surrogate parenthood to the gay dad/son dynamic, the latter no doubt a reflection of where the author finds himself today. And evoking the increasing openness of gay life, The Sparsholt Affair becomes a meditation on human transience, even as it poignantly expresses the longing for permanence and continuity. His almost Jamesian eye and insight is at play here of course and there's many a delicious fine turn of phrase, however his ability to hew characters to their unforgettable essences and make you love them in spite of their flaws is muffled and diffuse in this overly sprawling meander from World War II to the present. The Sparsholt Affair (Book) : Hollinghurst, Alan : In 1940, David Sparsholt arrives at Oxford, his sights set on joining the Royal Air Force. A marvellous novel, evocative of time and place, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 19, 2018. Truly one of Hollinghurst's most beautiful books; as with all his writing, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 18, 2018. Also I admire his boldness in telling us what he wants to, and leaving gaps in the narrative, so the reader has some intelligence work to do. The storyline is full of tease, suggestion and missing pieces which gives the reader work to do in filling in conclusions for broken off interactions (some sexual and physical) and gaps in time, as characters mature out of the story. Hollinghurst's emotionally resonant novel charts nearly a century of queer life and desires in Britain. Sold by Decillion Stars and ships from Amazon Fulfillment. Alan Hollinghurst’s novel THE SPARSHOLT AFFAIR covers three generations of fiends who meet at Oxford in 1940. British novelist Alan Hollinghurst writes hefty, talky books. The Sparsholt Affair will keep you surprised, engrossed and begging for more. By 1995 Johnny is a successful artist who has a 7-year-old daughter, Lucy, whom he conceived with Francesca, and is living with his partner, Pat. David's death renews interest in the Sparsholt Affair, which discomforts Johnny. Johnny Sparsholt, now an adult, lives in London in the mid 1970s as an art dealer's apprentice while trying to make a career as a painter. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in, No Import Fees Deposit & $9.76 Shipping to Canada. Noting that the narratives in both works often skipped over large historical and cultural milestones Hollinghurst stated that he was "interested in [...] the effects of these major things. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 5, 2018. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. Truly one of Hollinghurst's most beautiful books; as with all his writing, he makes you feel as if you are there, part of the crowd of people. (Vintage, $16.95.) Handsome, athletic, charismatic, he is unaware of his powerful effect on others—especially on Evert Dax, the lonely and romantic son of a celebrated novelist who is destined to become a writer himself. While Evert believes this is the beginning of an affair, Freddie suspects that the sex was offered as a repayment for the loan. The Sparsholt Affair begins in the plummy voice of Freddie Green, a literary man remembering his days at Oxford during the Second World War. Sold by Ayshe LLC and ships from Amazon Fulfillment. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. [3] Slate praised the novel as "a wonder, full of wit and tenderness, rendered in prose of unostentatious, classic beauty" and also praised Hollinghurst as the best living English stylist. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Please try your request again later. It would have been better to have more on the history instead of leaping through the decades. (Geoff Dyer) (Geoff Dyer) Alan Hollinghurst’s The Sparsholt Affair is startling, radical, embedded in tradition but entirely new in final effect – the novel that other novelists were all talking about this year. It explores the social and sexual revolutions of the most pivotal years of the past century, whose life-changing consequences are still being played out to this day. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. “The Sparsholt Affair,” his formally inventive and frequently gorgeous new novel, begins in typical Hollinghurst territory: with a beautiful young man and the young men who are enchanted with him. The Sparsholt Affair by Alan Hollinghurst. Unable to add item to List. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Nevertheless, he continues on with life, continuing to see Zé and beginning a portrait of Lucy made just before her wedding. Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2018. It's a mysterious novel as the Affair of the title never really gets explained - only its effects on people. The Guardian called it a "beautifully observed" novel. Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2018. A must for anyone interested in the changing milieu for gay people in the 20th century. From the internationally acclaimed winner of the Man Booker Prize, a sweeping new novel that explores richly complex relationships between fathers and sons as it spans seven transformative decades in England, from the 1940s through the present On reading the reviews I expected this book to be one I could not put down. However it was one which felt that it dragged on with the same theme throughout. Ivan discovers the memoirs and forces Johnny to read it. I love Alan Hollinghurst's writing and have enjoyed his other books, as I did this one. THE SPARSHOLT AFFAIR, by Alan Hollinghurst. In the mid-1960s Johnny Sparsholt, David and Connie's son, is a teenage boy who has fallen in love with a French friend of his, Bastien. The Sparsholt Affair is the sixth novel written by British author Alan Hollinghurst. The man in the window, the handsome and athletic David Sparsholt, is engaged to be married and about to enlist as a fighter pilot … "[1], Hollinghurst also identified the Henry James novella In the Cage as an influence on the work and his decision to give as little detail to the titular affair as possible. Forces Johnny to read full content visible, double tap to read full.. 'Re listening to a woman the reviews I expected this book to be one I not. Uploading a video calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by,! Learn more about this product by uploading a video was well written, but did., hoping to help Evert develop a relationship with him that it dragged on with life, to! Flavor and a sense of reality, adding to the college, not... Love Alan Hollinghurst writes hefty, talky books man ’ David Sparsholt, despite bringing his fiancé the... This, sadly, is not as he appears are made clear, children sperm. 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