Black Mischief, " Waugh's third novel, helped to establish his reputation as a master satirist. Set on the fictional African island of Azania, the novel chronicles the efforts of Emperor Seth, assisted by the Englishman Basil Seal, to modernize his kingdom. Profound hilarity ensues from the issuance of homemade currency, the staging of a "Birth Control Gala, " the rightful ruler's demise at his own rather long and tiring coronation ceremonies, and a good deal more mischief.
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About the Author
Evelyn Waugh (1903-1966), whom Time called "one of the century's great masters of English prose," wrote several widely acclaimed novels as well as volumes of biography, memoir, travel writing, and journalism. Three of his novels, A Handful of Dust, Scoop, and Brideshead Revisited, were selected by the Modern Library as among the 100 best novels of the twentieth century.
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42 of 43 people found the following review helpful
By Paul Goring
Format:Paperback
I suspect this classic novel is out of print in the US for reasons of misguided political correctness, which is a great shame for this is probably Waugh's finest and funniest novel. (Penguin Books in the UK publish a copy which is available on the www.amazon.co.uk site).
Black, Oxford-educated Seth ("Emperor of Azania,Chief of the Chiefs of Sakuyu, Lord of Wanda and Tyrant of the Seas, Bachelor of the Arts of Oxford University")attempts to reform his backward, corrupt African nation with the aid of an amoral Englishman, Basil Seal. This being Waugh, all ends hilariously tragically. All the usual Waugh-like elements are here: the "disappearing hero" (ie non-active protagonist); the comic but desperately tragic fate of the main characters; the utterly misogynistic & unsympathetic view of all mankind; and all written with his usual, biting, elegant, hilarious satire. This novel is not racist. It may be a trifle politically incorrect to our enlightened generation (political correctness of course meaning that we think it but don't say it)but as with all novels more than 20 years old we have to read it in the light of the attitudes and opinions of the era in which it is written and this novel is a very accurate and funny reflection of the attitudes of the 1930's.
Despite the novel's title, the satire is aimed at all races and ethnic groups, with the white British Legation (portrayed as ignorant, inane, out-of-touch idiots) coming in for the bitterest attacks. Indeed, if our sympathies lie anywhere, it is with the well-meaning, likeable but ultimately ill-advised black emperor, Seth. Waugh was possibly the greatest and sharpest satirist of the 20th Century and this is possibly his greatest and sharpest novel.As an Englishman, I feel it is very sad that American readers are denied access to this classic work. ("If we can't stamp out literature in the country we can at least stop it being brought in from outside" - Evelyn Waugh, 'Vile Bodies')
Such advocates of political correctness should perhaps adopt Seth's own slogan for his doomed campaign "We are Progess and the New Age. Nothing can stand in our way." Read this novel - order it from the UK site if necessary - & judge it for yourself. I guarantee you a good read.
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Having recently read a review of some of Waugh's works in the Weekly Standard that mentioned that Black Mischief ( affectionately known to afficionados as BM) was out of print, I dug out a mid-1960s double paperback edition from Dell Publishing to find out how racist or politically incorrect it could possibly be. To my delight, the writing is crisp and wicked; I finished it in two days, laughing aloud at least three times.
This was more than 30 years after I originally read this novel. The portrait of colonialism and the folly of progress shines through quite as much as its utter lack of sentimentality about human beings. If anything, I came away this time with more sympathy for Basil Seal, the Emperor Seth and the savage tribesmen as tragic figures doomed in the first two cases by their own delusions of creating the future and in the last case, the lack of understanding of their inevitable doom. Of course this book should be republished and reread.
A few racist words written in the context of the early 1930s should not deter us from enjoying pure misogynist fun.
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By L. Dann
Format:Paperback
The only humor today that even comes close to that of Black Mischief, is ironically, that of the outrageous, black comedians- otherwise Waugh rules.
The whole concept of the British in exotic countries is a farce, and when mixed with Waugh's equally lunatic native characters face to face with bizarre and inexplicable Western civilization- whew- anything could and does happen. There are no noble characters, of course, but redeeming fools, which is about as good as one can get in a Wauvian satire. My favorites are the animal rights ladies who come to Africa to see that the natives are treating their livestock well. These ladies, one named Miss Tin, land in the midst of a revolution and have to hit a driver in the head with a brandy bottle to get a ride to the English settlement. They followed a fellow anti-vivesectionist cleric who led the ministry of our `dumb chums.'
There is every kind of European religion stirring up trouble and as usual, the British are completely sequestered amongst themselves preoccupied with their gardens and other habits in blissful and selfish ignorance. The leader of these Imperialists is described as "a self-assured old booby." One of the titled females is named `Lady Everyman.'
The whole concept of the British in exotic countries is a farce, and when mixed with Waugh's equally lunatic native characters face to face with bizarre and inexplicable Western civilization- whew- anything could and does happen. There are no noble characters, of course, but redeeming fools, which is about as good as one can get in a Wauvian satire. My favorites are the animal rights ladies who come to Africa to see that the natives are treating their livestock well. These ladies, one named Miss Tin, land in the midst of a revolution and have to hit a driver in the head with a brandy bottle to get a ride to the English settlement. They followed a fellow anti-vivesectionist cleric who led the ministry of our `dumb chums.'
There is every kind of European religion stirring up trouble and as usual, the British are completely sequestered amongst themselves preoccupied with their gardens and other habits in blissful and selfish ignorance. The leader of these Imperialists is described as "a self-assured old booby." One of the titled females is named `Lady Everyman.'
The political relevance is so acute that it seems impossible that this was written in 1932. Waugh even seems to have some political consciousness in this book, certainly, he is gentler, on the whole while being enduringly funny. I would definitely place this as my second favorite Waugh. It has a gripping end and is a statement less of bigotry, (of which he probably was one, but who wasn't,) but also of the need to reevaluate what in the name of God all of the colonizing was about.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Collecting them All
Got 15 books as a Christmas gift -all Evelyn Waugh. Trying to collect them all.. What can I say but a good read!!
Published 1 month ago by don longenecker
3.0 out of 5 stars
Moderately Entertaining Comedy Farce
This is a moderately entertaining comical farce written by early 20th century British writer Evelyn Waugh. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Steven M. Anthony
3.0 out of 5 stars
Black Mischief. by Evelyn Waugh
Not a book fo everyone Given the book was written over 50 years ago, be warned,it is not very politicalyy correct especially with references about people of Colour. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Ken Foxcroft
4.0 out of 5 stars
An African Satire
Black Mischief (1932) is another classic Evelyn Waugh satire of colonialism of the British Empire in a fictional Eastern African country. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Patrick Mc Coy
4.0 out of 5 stars
Funny Stuff
It would be so easy to knock this novel, originally published in 1932, as a product of its time that holds little appeal for modern readers. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Timothy Haugh
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pretty funny
Either literary humor hasn't changed much in 80 years or Evelyn Waugh was way ahead of his time. This was a really funny book and chock full of memorably amusing characters. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Manchas Dos
4.0 out of 5 stars
Colonialism is stupid - but funny
Evelyn Waugh can be read like Wodehouse's evil twin. He puts his idle rich and noble characters in jeopardy but instead of having their valet get them out of trouble at the end, he... Read more
Published on March 6, 2011 by Ricky Pooski
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Funniest Politically-Incorrect Novel of All Time!!
This is the funniest politically-incorrect novel of all time--OF ALL TIME!! It is the perfect, refreshing tonic to the age of anodyne sterility in which we now live.
Published on July 10, 2010 by William D. Freeman
4.0 out of 5 stars
Furiously Funny But Not for the Faint of Heart or PC Correct
Be forewarned, this is a highly vicious but often outrageously funny satirical novel that skewers both white-Westerners and black-Africans. Read more
Published on June 29, 2010 by M. Frost
4.0 out of 5 stars
Joseph Conrad Meets Monty Python
"Black Mischief" is not a safe book; it delves into racial and political divides as wide now as then and lets you know its author isn't aboard for any of that 21st-century... Read more
Published on June 4, 2007 by Bill Slocum
