Evelyn Waugh

Anyone read any of his books? 
 
I read P.G. Wodehouse obsessively, perhaps a little too obsessively, so recently I decided I should really extend my interest in English humorists and picked up "The Complete Stories of Evelyn Waugh." It's a collection of his short stories, including some hilariously badly spelled stories he wrote as a young kid. I have to say I really like his writing. There are times when I have no idea what he's going on about, but I actually get that feeling with most esteemed writers. My mind leans toward the literal and so when people start getting metaphorical or poetic I'm often baffled. I also got lost in some of his school stories when he uses the weird terminology associated with posh British private schools (Fagging? LOL) But apart from that this is some wonderfully stuff and the characters are brilliantly observed. 
 
I just started on "Decline and Fall" and am wondering which one I should read after that. Any recommendations? 

I will take a look at that one next. I read books on the Kindle app on my giant iPhone and it's so easy to order books with one click that I've never been without something to read for the last 3 years at least. 

sharke
... I also got lost in some of his school stories when he uses the weird terminology associated with posh British private schools (Fagging? LOL)

A form a hazing of new students (doing tasks (not always pleasant) for upper level students). A Brit would describe it differently. Ha ha ha.
 
He's not the inventor of the WaughWaugh pedal, is he?

TheMaartian

sharke
... I also got lost in some of his school stories when he uses the weird terminology associated with posh British private schools (Fagging? LOL)

A form a hazing of new students (doing tasks (not always pleasant) for upper level students). A Brit would describe it differently. Ha ha ha.
 
He's not the inventor of the WaughWaugh pedal, is he?

Ha I doubt it. Actually I vaguely knew what fagging was (it's easy enough to work out from the context). I wonder if the more offensive use of the 3 letter version originated from it.

These schools did seem to have a lot of complicated customs and extensive heirarchies of students, prefects, deans, masters etc. And then there's the "houses." I do get a little confused reading Waugh and Wodehouse's school stores. You'd think being British I'd have more insight but nope....same as when Wodehouse describes a game of cricket, my eyes kind of glaze over and I find myself skipping....

I think it's pronounced Eve-lin War. 
 
"Fag" isn't the only cigarette related word confusion in the UK. Where I'm from (Newcastle) we say "tab" for cigarette. In other parts of Britain tab isn't used but in some contexts will be understood to mean a dose of LSD. So if a Geordie offers them a smoke by saying "can I offer you a tab," the recipient is liable to get a little more excited than is warranted. 

sharke

These schools did seem to have a lot of complicated customs and extensive heirarchies of students, prefects, deans, masters etc. And then there's the "houses." 

 
The comprehensive school I went to had 'houses'. I was in 'Derby' (Daabee) then there was Jenner, Nithsdale, Tudor..and some others I've forgotten.

Well I'm reading Decline and Fall and it's quickly shaping up to be one of my all time top 10 books. What an amazing writer and hysterically funny. I'm having to keep reminding myself it was written in the 1920's.