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Hemlock and After (1952)

by Angus Wilson

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2422109,984 (3.37)9
On its appearance in 1952 the Times Literary Supplement called Hemlock and After 'a novel of remarkable power and literary skill which deserves to be judged by the highest standards'. Angus Wilson's first novel is concerned with the hypocrisies of middle-class society. The protagonist, Bernard Sands, is a novelist and an intellectual who tries to found a centre for young writers. However, Sands is a secret homosexual and in the post-war Britain of the time his liberal ideas cause much anxiety to those in charge. Surrounded by false friends and scheming enemies Sands has to come to terms with his emotions and is forced to decide where his loyalties lie. A compassionately written novel Hemlock and After explores the conflict of duty and love in one man's life and the consequences of our choices. Written at a time when homosexuality was still an offence Hemlock and After is a brilliantly handled novel from a writer who was described by John Betjeman as 'mercilessly accurate and never dull.'… (more)
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Seems a bit tame now, but was groundbreaking when first published. It shows the reader a snippet in time which resembles our own (because we are still dealing with many of the same issues). ( )
  dbsovereign | Jan 26, 2016 |
This is a book which seems almost Dickensian in its scope, though fortunately not in its length. It follows the stories of a network of characters, all intricately linked by some path to the central figure; his story, his decline and fall, impacts on them all. It's not a book for leisurely reading; it requires concentration to follow the many characters and subplots. But through it we are given a portrait of the society at the time, and the survey is comprehensive: it includes writers, politicians, public servants, academics, cockneys, and a procuress, a faded hostess, a credulous intellectual; the successful, the failing, the evil, the mercenary and the idealistic. Continued ( )
  apenguinaweek | May 11, 2011 |
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TO ANTHONY
most gratefully
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Of all the communications that Bernard Sands received on the day of his triumph the one which gave him the greatest satisfaction was the Treasury's final confirmation of official financial backing.
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On its appearance in 1952 the Times Literary Supplement called Hemlock and After 'a novel of remarkable power and literary skill which deserves to be judged by the highest standards'. Angus Wilson's first novel is concerned with the hypocrisies of middle-class society. The protagonist, Bernard Sands, is a novelist and an intellectual who tries to found a centre for young writers. However, Sands is a secret homosexual and in the post-war Britain of the time his liberal ideas cause much anxiety to those in charge. Surrounded by false friends and scheming enemies Sands has to come to terms with his emotions and is forced to decide where his loyalties lie. A compassionately written novel Hemlock and After explores the conflict of duty and love in one man's life and the consequences of our choices. Written at a time when homosexuality was still an offence Hemlock and After is a brilliantly handled novel from a writer who was described by John Betjeman as 'mercilessly accurate and never dull.'

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