Will This Do? [Paperback]

Auberon Waugh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1999

A resounding chorus of "Yes, it will!" greeted the long-awaited American publication of the memoirs of the eldest son of Evelyn Waugh and the best-loved practitioner of what he calls "the vituperative arts" in Britain. As enjoyable and outrageous an autobiography as the best of his father's fiction, Will This Do? takes the reader from Waugh's difficult childhood, through his education first at Oxford and then Fleet Street, to his stingingly funny column at the libelous Private Eye.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

One senses Waugh doesn't really want his readers to answer the question in his title, because for many it won't do! Those without knowledge of or interest in English literary publications and feuds therein will wonder at so many tempests in such tiny teacups, and those put off by English upper-class pretensions will get an overdose. This eldest son of the curmudgeonly novelist Evelyn Waugh (Brideshead Revisited), who died in 1966, tries to have it both ways: he seems to want the spotlight as a famous man's son, but he also wants his own talent and mordant wit to be judged solely on merit. He tells a rather sad tale. It seems Evelyn Waugh didn't much care for his children, asserting in his diaries that they wouldn't be his first concern in a house fire. His son also claims that his father felt entitled "to advertise an acute and unqualified dislike of [his six children]." This particular Waugh has wandered around the world and written five novels, many book reviews and hundreds of acerbic, often witty columns for periodicals like the Spectator, Private Eye and the New Statesman. This possibly first installment of his autobiography was published in 1991 in the U.K. While offering juicy gossip for aficionados, it seems unlikely that U.S. readers in general will find the book sufficiently interesting. Photos.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

In the "Apologia" to this interminable, name-dropping memoir, Auberon Waugh (b. 1939), editor of London's Literary Review, columnist for the Daily Telegraph, author, and son of writer Evelyn Waugh (1903-66) ponders his motives for writing his autobiography. Except during rare moments of limited insight into his curmudgeonly father, the reader remains just as perplexed. In spite of Auberon's somewhat disingenuous self-effacement, his desire for his father's approval, not forthcoming during the elder's lifetime, is apparent. The best portions of the book, which involve descriptions of Auberon's early career as a journalist and novelist, unfortunately, do not comprise the bulk of the memoir. Though smartly written and dryly humorous, this insider's look at British upper-class life, replete with nicknames like Toady, Slimy, and Pips, tales of Oxford, and near-deadly pranks in the army could only appeal to the most ardent Anglophile.?Diane Gardner Premo, Rochester P.L., NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Carroll & Graf (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786706392
• ISBN-13: 978-0786706396
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,721,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars This will do, April 23, 2001

By 

Jay Dickson (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Will This Do? (Paperback)

There's something almost irresistible about the memoirs of a child of Evelyn Waugh, and there's much pleasure to be had in the first half of the autobiography. Auberon Waugh's dealings with his splenetic, conservative father--among the posh country houses of his family and their relatives--makes the stuff of a fine story, and Waugh brings great ironic humor to the table. Unfortunately, Auberon's own literary career is much less interesting, and concerns mainly petty squabbles and encounters with figures who are only of passing interest today: it's hard to get very worked up one way or the other, for instance, about Claire Tomalin's libel suit against him.

Waugh's humor (like his father's) is not to everyone's tastes, but if you find his snobbish summaries and appreciations for the bizarre droll (as I do), you'll enjoy yourself very much. He is very much aware of his snobbism, as well as his father's, and his self-deprecating awareness of both men's failing is greatly appreciated, and makes the entire matter much easier to take.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE MAN IN THE IRONIC MASK, January 25, 2001

By 

"hurburgh" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Will This Do?: The First Fifty Years of Auberon Waugh : An Autobiography (Hardcover)

.

The death of Auberon Waugh in January 2001 marks the end of an era. Auberon and his father Evelyn were masters of the English language. Together they perfected the use of ironic wit.

"Will this Do?" is much more than an autobiography. It is an encapsulation of an era and a culture. His work covers that incredible period of British history (1960 - 1980) where the "old order" Establishment, with its upper class "born to rule" social structures were overthrown.

In that period political satire became part of popular culture. Witness the rise of "smart" young men like David Frost and the circle of comedians that arose from the Cambridge Footlights. The weekly newspaper "Private Eye" was one of the most influential outlets for Auberon Waugh where he wrote a column for many years. The "Eye" did more for exposing political and social scandal in Britain than any other forum.

Waugh's membership of both the "upper" class and influential, activist intellectual circles put he him in a unique position to observe and comment on the quirks and absurdities of his Britain.

Occasionally he was overtly a political activist. The most prominent example was his very public support of the Biafran cause in the Nigerian Civil War in the early 1970s. This put him at loggerheads with the British government.

In Waugh's biography his ironic tone is pervasive. Even those readers who know his work well, will at times struggle to figure out whether he is joking, serious or merely "going over the top".

Auberon's humour didn't travel too well across the Atlantic. He found American's far "too earnest", who take his words too literally. However the gulf in styles of humour between the Anglo and the American world must have been closed to some degree thanks to Waugh's writing.

Waugh's influence on the world of wine was huge. For many years he wrote a wine column in the English "Spectator". In the early 1980's he "discovered" New World (Australian and Californian) wine. Although the Spectator at that time had a subscription base of only 14,000, it was hugely influential. The cellars of the House of Lords were probably restocked on the advice of Waugh. When you look at the exponential growth of New World wine exports since that time we may have a perfect example of viral marketing, thanks to one man's words in an obscure journal.

Many people who are not familiar with the style and wit of Waugh may find his writing pompous and haughty. It is well worth persisting though. He was probably the first writer to do a demolition job on Political Correctness. His favourite targets were the self-righteous. If they happened to be humourless as well (a strong correlation?) they would get both barrels from Waugh.

The influence of both Evelyn and Auberon Waugh will be felt for many years. Any body who loves the English language should read Auberon's autobiography. His work is the ideal example of that old aphorism " The Pen is Mightier than the Sword".

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Particularly enjoyed his account of his formative years, January 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Will This Do?: The First Fifty Years of Auberon Waugh : An Autobiography (Hardcover)

The recollections of Waugh are particularly funny when he describes his childhood up through his service in the army in Cyprus. After that, you have to be a student the British literary establishment and a confirmed anglophile to follow and tolerate all his comings and goings and shameless name-dropping. The first half of the memoir, though, more than justifies the investment. Waugh is a very funny man. Droll is the best way to describe his humor. Or "withering."