HomeGroupsTalkMoreZeitgeist
Search Site
This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and (if not signed in) for advertising. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms.

Results from Google Books

Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.

Ancestral Vices by Tom Sharpe
Loading...

Ancestral Vices (original 1980; edition 1997)

by Tom Sharpe

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
699732,458 (3.56)7
This title involves left-wing academics, right-wing capitalists, true-blue country gentry, workers, peasants, police and lawyers.
Member:vinceduffy
Title:Ancestral Vices
Authors:Tom Sharpe
Info:Pan Publishing (1997), Edition: 18th THUS, Paperback, 240 pages
Collections:Your library
Rating:
Tags:None

Work Information

Ancestral Vices by Tom Sharpe (1980)

None
Loading...

Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book.

No current Talk conversations about this book.

» See also 7 mentions

English (5)  Spanish (1)  All languages (6)
Showing 5 of 5
Even despite the rushed ending, this is one of the absolute best farces I've ever read. ( )
  Toshi_P | May 6, 2022 |
This is the second time I've read this book. The first occasion was more than thirty years ago and has always sat in the back of mind as an enjoyable read. I was not disappointed the second time around.

The story is beyond all reality but totally enjoyable and funny. The characters may be caricatures but that is what makes it so enjoyable. It is definitely black comedy and sure to be offensive to some, that is in part what the book pokes fun at.

This was the first Tom Sharpe novel I ever read and because of it I have gone on to read nearly all his other books. ( )
  Balthazar-Lawson | Mar 30, 2013 |
A rich, ruthless and capitalistic old man Lord Petrefact decides to take revenge on his family for apparently no reason by exposing the dubious family history. For this purpose he hires a eccentric and socialist professor Mr. Yapp. Yapp lands up in Buscott, the town from which the family fortunes originated, and creates chaos in the town. He is later implicated in the murder of the town dwarf.

We don't always get when the author is trying to be funny and when he is bemoaning the plight of the lower classes. This is a a strictly ok read. ( )
  mausergem | Jul 24, 2011 |
One of the funniest books I have read, a brilliant laugh out loud tale of families, misfortune and 'PORGS'! ( )
  PIER50 | Feb 13, 2009 |
How can so much go so terribly wrong? Tom Sharpe wrote an adicting book describing how one's intentions can be misinterpreted and every action lead to the opposite end.

A left wing Professor set his goals on ruining a Tycoon's reputation but ended up in prison with a life sentence himself, through a series of misunderstangings. ( )
  ee95104 | Jun 8, 2006 |
Showing 5 of 5
no reviews | add a review

Belongs to Publisher Series

You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.
For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.
Canonical title
Original title
Alternative titles
Original publication date
People/Characters
Important places
Important events
Related movies
Epigraph
Dedication
First words
Lord Petrefact pressed the bell on the arm of his wheelchair and smiled.
Quotations
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Original language
Canonical DDC/MDS
Canonical LCC

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English (1)

This title involves left-wing academics, right-wing capitalists, true-blue country gentry, workers, peasants, police and lawyers.

No library descriptions found.

Book description
A dedicated but naive left-wing radical is hired by a malevolent elderly peer, ostensibly to write a history of capitalist explotation but in fact to wreck havoc on the peer's detested family.
Haiku summary

Current Discussions

None

Popular covers

Quick Links

Rating

Average: (3.56)
0.5
1 2
1.5 1
2 8
2.5 1
3 45
3.5 10
4 37
4.5 3
5 19

Is this you?

Become a LibraryThing Author.

 

About | Contact | Privacy/Terms | Help/FAQs | Blog | Store | APIs | TinyCat | Legacy Libraries | Early Reviewers | Common Knowledge | 203,252,470 books! | Top bar: Always visible