Episode · The Book Review · 2023-05-26
Books mentioned on Remembering Martin Amis
Dwight Garner recommended Night Train by Martin Amis, and discussed Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis, The Rachel Papers by Martin Amis, and The Information by Martin Amis. Jason Zinoman recommended Experience by Martin Amis, and discussed Money by Martin Amis, London Fields by Martin Amis, The Moronic Inferno by Martin Amis, The War Against Cliché by Martin Amis, House of Meetings by Martin Amis, and Einstein's Monsters by Martin Amis.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Lucky Jim
Discussed“Martin Amos was wellknown almost from birth in in England the literary scene because his father was Kings leus the very wellknown the great comic Masterpiece he wrote lucky Jim it appeared in 1954”
Where to get it
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The Rachel Papers
The Rachel Papers by Martin Amis is the provocative and darkly comedic debut novel that follows a precocious, self-absorbed young British protagonist as he meticulously plans his romantic and intellectual pursuits.
Discussed“and then he began writing novels and he said that his first novel The Rachel papers came out in 1973 which is a bit mind-blowing for me”
Where to get it
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Money
Money by Martin Amis is a satirical 1984 novel that skewers the excesses, crass consumerism, and moral bankruptcy of 1980s celebrity culture through the chaotic perspective of protagonist John Self.
Discussed“it was Amos it was London Fields and money the Rachel papers I think is a bad early dating book together”
Where to get it
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London Fields
London Fields by Martin Amis is a complex, darkly satirical novel set against the backdrop of an impending environmental apocalypse in London.
Discussed“it was Amos it was London Fields and money the Rachel papers I think is a bad early dating book together”
Where to get it
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The Moronic Inferno
The Moronic Inferno by Martin Amis is a sharp, incisive collection of literary criticism, essays, and cultural profiles written by the celebrated British author during the 1980s.
Discussed“in his early days he was much more harsh but in the 80s he has this collection called the moronic Inferno which he has a genre which barely exists anymore which I would call a hatchet job profile”
Where to get it
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The War Against Cliché
The War Against Cliché is a collection of literary criticism and essays by Martin Amis that compiles decades of his writings on various authors and books.
Discussed“the book that most people the book The Collection that people point to is the war on cliche which is great and has stuff from 40 years”
Where to get it
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The Information
The Information by Martin Amis is a sprawling, satirical novel from 1995 that explores the fierce rivalry, professional jealousy, and existential anxieties of two contrasting London writers.
Discussed“one of my favorite novels of his is the information from 1995 which is about two Waring writers best friend close friends one of whom become successful the other does not and about the moral social intellectual Agony that results”
Where to get it
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House of Meetings
Discussed“i just reread House of meetings which takes place in a a goog stess goog and there's humor in there too it's a very Bleak kind of humor but it's laced throughout his work”
Where to get it
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Einstein's Monsters
Discussed“another book that I think is underappreciated of his which I like precisely because it's more of a genre work is Einstein's monsters which is a collection of short stories which I think he would probably say is wasn't very ambitious”
Where to get it
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Experience
Experience by Martin Amis is a deeply reflective and acclaimed memoir by the celebrated British author, exploring his literary upbringing, his complex relationship with his father Kingsley Amis, and his broader observations on life and aging.
Recommended“and I think one great counter argument is in experience his Memoir which is a beautiful book and it's about it has all the Hallmarks of his fiction”
Where to get it
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Night Train
Night Train by Martin Amis is a hardboiled crime novel that subverts traditional mystery tropes through its distinct stylistic voice and atmospheric cynicism.
Recommended“you know I kind of like Night Train which is this weird crime detective thing he wrote and it's got this insinuating thing about it”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (1) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“he burst onto the scene with the publication of the Rachel papers in 197 3 and published his last novel Inside Story in 2020”