Lewis Percy (Vintage Contemporaries)

This author's use of words is amazing. She uses words as an artist would use a brush, painting scenes and describing feelings so vividly that one can see and come to know Lewis Percy as a real person. highly recommended for anyone who loves the English language.

Brooker is an artist. This sheltered inexperienced man stumbles cautiously yet reckless with occasional hope. The reader lives in the canvas she expertly creates. Wonderful use of language.

Set in England in the late 1950's, Lewis Percy is a book one will never forget. When we first meet the protagonist of our story, Lewis Percy is a student of literature in Paris. He enjoys the company of an odd assortment of women in the boarding house in which he stays. Having grown up without the advantages of a father figure, he grew to admire women very much, obviously as a result from his deep attachment to his mother and her loyal, quiet encouragements. When she passes away he is lost in the world and his transformation from careless student to grieving man is a process for which he is not ready and has no tools. He has lived the isolated life of a man deep in study and high moral values. The usual enjoyments of young men his age did not cross his path and if they did he would not have known how to partake of them.He is deep in depression when he comes across an agoraphobic young lady whom he decides he will save from her disablity while she saves him from his loneliness. His marriage to her gets off to a good start but soon lives up to it's innate destiny - he feels more lonely and she is again afraid to leave home. They divorce but she is never quite out of his heart. When he discovers she is about to have a child, he lives for his nightly visits to her, when he is begrudgingly allowed to read a bedtime story to his child.Thus his life goes on with the routine of now working in a library and the one happiness he has of visiting his child. Until a surprising person comes his way and wakes up a passion long dormant in this thoughtful young man.The book examines the internal dialogues of this man who is at once lonely but at the same time sees a potential for joy in the world. His only problem is that he doesn't quite know how to fit in and enjoy life like others seem to be able to do so freely. For this reason, one could admit that there is a little bit of Lewis Percy in all of us. Thus, he becomes such a compelling character and we find ourselves rooting for him up until the end.The book is a bit hard to get into at first, but if one sticks with it one will find it a rewarding experience and this character will remain with you for a long time ever after.

I love Anura Brookner's books, and this one does not disappoint, even though it is one of her few written from the male perspective. Why don't other writers have the capacity she does to delve into the being of her characters? To put down those thoughts and worries we all have and most of us miss as life detracts us from the inner worlds. I have rad all of her other books and left this one until now, worried that she would only replicate her females in this male protagonist. I was wrong. If you love AB, stay with this book and it will likely not disappoint.

I appreciate the elegance and precision. Smugness comes off in waves. How terrible life is in the suburbs crap. Underlying spite and contempt for her readers.

An excellent book by an excellent authoress who, alas, seems to be somewhat neglected by the reading public - to its own detriment.

Arrived in good time. Excellent quality

I had not read any Anita Brookner novels until I read her obituary and thought I would give it a go. I have now read 3 and intend to read more as she writes superbly.However I have not yet encountered a single character in those 3 novels who would not benefit from a good slapping. Am I alone in this?

One of Brookners best. Kept suspense and deep interest up right to last sentence