Customer Reviews

Ginger, You'Re Barmy

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This is Lodge's second book and it's far different from his later work. It's the story of the National Service experiences (in the mid-1950s) of Jonathan Browne, narrated by himself: His introduction to Basic Training, the friends and enemies he makes, the appalling stupidity and mental waste of the army, his final acceptance of it, and his marginal success through the two years until he's mustered out. It's also the story of Michael Brady, a casual friend from college who becomes Jonathan's near obsession, an Irish Catholic whose personal morality will not permit him to bend to the will of the army he so loathes. While this is not in any way a major work, it certainly shows an early promise that Lodge subsequently developed brilliantly.

This is a compelling book; not the relatively lighthearted Lodge of later books and certainly not the funny Lodge. But the terrific use of language and the sharp observation are all there, perhaps not so sharpened as later. And Lodge is obsessed with slightly illicit romance, as in almost all his later books.

The picture of conscript life is heartfelt and believable, the involved plot less so.

But there's only one David Lodge, so go ahead and spend the hours it takes to read this one. Should probably not be your first taste of Lodge, though.

Fans of post war, "angry young man" fiction (Amis, Sillitoe et al) will enjoy this realistic account of compulsory military service in the Britain of the mid-fifties. Quite atmospheric, cynical and accurate.