Less Than Angels (1955)

This 1955 novel is an incisive social satire that opens a window onto the insular world of London’s anthropologic community & its students.

Tongue firmly in check, Pym writes:
"Felix had explained so clearly what it was that anthropologists did (. . .) They went out to remote places and studied the customs and languages of the peoples living there. Then they came back and wrote books and articles about what they had observed (. . .) It was as simple as that. And it was a very good thing that these languages and customs should be known, firstly because they were interesting in themselves and in danger of being forgotten, and secondly because it was helpful to missionaries and government officials to know as much as possible about the people they sought to evangelize or govern"

In addition to the observations of those returned from Africa, Pym observes the townies observing their suburbanite brothers, women observing men, students observing graduates . . . all the word’s a foreign culture to someone. 4 stars

Read this if: you want to try one of Pym’s gentle satires that doesn’t concern the Anglican (or any other) church. ( )

Less Than Angels by Barbara Pym
I didn't know a thing about anthropology except what it was when beginning this book and still don't. But I know that wasn't the purpose of the book. Pym has strayed from her middle aged spinsters of the Vicar's club to a younger group while keeping some of her stylistic threads running throughout the book. I must admit that while I always enjoy her writing, this book just didn't do it for me. Catherine and Tom's relationship seemed strange to me from the beginning and while I did like Catherine's character, Tom was rather namby pamby. But there again, I am sure that Ms. Pym intended it that way. Deirdre drove me nuts. I found her very needy and immature. However I must say that I enjoyed Digby and Mark and absolutely loved the interaction between Catherine and Mr. Lydgate. Their burning of his trunks of anthropological notes left me with a stitch my side from laughter.
Though this book didn't work for me on many levels I still had to give it 3 stars as Pym's writing is always perfection no matter the storyline. ( )

I don’t know anything about anthropology and I didn’t learn anything about it reading this book. However the story itself dealt with anthropologists and anthropology students. With this volume, Pym steered clear of her familiar stomping ground of “excellent” women (often unmarried) who lay down life and limb for the men in their lives and volunteer endlessly for their church. Instead, we’re given a story without a protagonist. I’m not sure why she took this tack because, frankly, it didn’t work very well. Apparently, Pym actually spent time at London’s Africa Institute and probably based this book very loosely on experiences there.

Within a group of anthropology students, Deirdre has fallen for Tom, who has just returned from studying tribal life in Africa. Tom is living with a slightly older woman, Catherine, who makes a living by writing romance fiction but e decides to move out and pursue a relationship with Deirdre. To further complicate matters, he still has feelings for his first love, Elaine. Students Digby and Mark are fairly passive observers but add some humorous moments as do Deidre’s mother and aunt, who scrutinize the world from their bedroom window. And the comic characters, Esther Clovis and Gertrude Lydgate, make a return appearance (previously seen in Excellent Women) and like to be thought of as a guiding force for the young people.

It’s all very light stuff, as is usually the case with Pym, until right near the end where she throws a curve that I never saw coming. I think it was supposed to allow for the resolution of some of the loose ends but, for me anyway, it served no purpose and was so unexpected that I can’t imagine what possessed her.

I hope my next Pym, A Glass of Blessings, is more like the other Pyms I’ve read. ( )

http://kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com/2013/04/20/recent-reads-less-than-a... ( )

Lives and loves of anthropology students, anthropologists, and their friends and families.

The book mainly centres round first year anthropology student Deirdre Swan's crush on anthropologist Tom Mallow, and his response, breaking up with his girlfriend, women's magazine writer Catherine Oliphant. We also catch up with Miss Clovis, Everard and Mildred Bone, Miss Jessop, and Everard's mother.

Favourite quotes:

"There are few things more disconcerting or even upsetting for a regular worshipper at a church which is not normally very full than to find his usual seat occupied by somebody else."

"Things were said on both sides which might be regretted afterwards, and both felt the perverse satisfaction which is to be got from saying things of precisely that kind. It is very seldom that we can tell our friends exactly what we think of them; for some the occasion never presents itself, and they are perhaps the poorer for not having experienced the exultation of flinging the buried resentment and the usually irrelevant insult at a dear friend." ( )