Customer Reviews

Stanley and the Women

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A excellent book, although many ideologues would try to con you into believing otherwise. The PC feminist set in America tried to keep it from being published here in this country. But, it's not hatefully misogynistic so much as it an expression of an utter state of befuddlement and confusion when it comes to men figuring out the female sex. Stanley is an engaging and thoughtful fellow who assumes everyone else is trying to be the same. The book is about how he realizes everyone has his/her interests, and they will often conflict with yours. He learns a lesson, yet isn't render bitter. It's an amusing novel, but with an edge. Although Amis could be infuriating in life, he knows had to use that in his work. He's rarely truly affronts, mostly because he's without guile and is cunningly artful.. Even when he's trying to deceive he can't help giving himself away as likable.

Stanley is rather a naif, and this is about how he comes to lose his innocence about both men and women. The characters are all well-drawn and the sad subplot involving Stanley's son is affecting, yet rather affirmative in its acceptance of hopelessness. Like in all Amis novels, everything often revolves around drinking. One of his buddies and he get soused, and when he brings him home, his wife (Stanley's ex-wife, too, as I recall) has a nifty way of getting him into the house. It involves a rug with handles. Pretty droll as described, and tells a lot about the relationship and about the attitude and tone of the book. Read it. You'll like it

Stanley Duke's teenage son, Steve, has gone mad. Stan is a perplexed misogynist surrounded by women - ex-wife Nowell, Trish (Steve's doctor), his wife Susan and her snotty mother. Trish, as she treats Steve, thinks and speaks in a voguish but threatening psychobabble. The diatribes of Stan and his mates against this inability to call a madman a madman - indeed, all offences against common sense - and against the strangeness of 'females' provide the most enjoyment - a coherent but increasingly extreme rage. Stan finally loses all faith in women - and Steve ends the story as mad as he began. Rating 64.2%