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Sep 16, 2010debwalker rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
My best read of summer 2010. Seems to be at least semi-autobiographical and a roman a clef of the who's who of Brit lit. The protagonist Keith is the same height as Amis, and shares some of his personal history (date of birth, degree and early employment). Amis has said that the character Kenrik is modelled on his friend Rob Henderson; the names of his London characters, Arn and Ewan, bear some resemblance to Julian Barnes and Ian McEwan. The story of Violet, Keith’s younger sister, is drawn directly from the tragic life of Sally, Amis’ younger sister. The character Neil Darlington is based on Ian Hamilton, the late poet. Members of Amis’ circle recognize Nicholas, the protagonist’s older brother, as the irreverent Christopher Hitchens, who includes a chapter in his memoir “Hitch 22” about his long friendship with Amis. Will make a great movie.