In Youth Is Pleasure & I Left My Grandfather's House
by Denton Welch
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Keenly observed autobiographical fiction and journal entries from acclaimed writer Denton Welch, featuring an introduction by William S. Burroughs "In Youth Is Pleasure" recounts the summer vacation of Orvil Pym--a sensitive, withdrawn, and deeply unhappy boy of fifteen. Following a trying year at public school, Orvil spends the summer with his father and two older brothers. The quotidian events of a seemingly ordinary summer are rendered dazzling by the intensity of adolescence and show more Welch's gift for human observation. First published in 1945, "In Youth Is Pleasure" is based closely on Welch's own adolescent experiences of solitude and introspection. This volume also includes "I Left My Grandfather's House," an unforgettable account of a walking tour through the British countryside. These two works feature Welch at his autobiographical best. show lessTags
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michaeljohn Admittedly, the prose styles couldn’t be more different, but both works show queer authors at midcentury tentatively exploring their sexuality. Neither author ever explicitly names the desires they are writing about. As a reader you aren’t sure how much of this sideways approach is due to the restrictive morals and censorship of the time and how much is a genuine confusion about the urges the writers are depicting.
Member Reviews
How does one make the commonplace seem unique? The expressive style of Denton Welch is a demonstration of the writer's genius that makes such a transformation possible. Reading this book is inspirational for both readers and would-be writers.
I rather enjoyed the second half of the book ("I Left My Grandfather's House") which is about a boy who goes on a walking tour through the English countryside. A rather quaint and carefree read, I felt.
I didn't particularly like "In Youth is Pleasure" though. There were some bits I found interesting but mostly I just felt it was a bit pointless. Tch.
So 4 stars for the second half & 2 stars for the first half.
I didn't particularly like "In Youth is Pleasure" though. There were some bits I found interesting but mostly I just felt it was a bit pointless. Tch.
So 4 stars for the second half & 2 stars for the first half.
Two short pieces by Denton Welch: In Youth Is Pleasure, about a young boy's stay with his father and brothers at a fashionable hotel, and the fragment of an account of a walking tour through Devonshire (I left My Grandfather's House). Extremely readable, with unusual insights and touches. Foreword by William Burroughs.
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29+ Works 1,239 Members
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- In Youth Is Pleasure & I Left My Grandfather's House
- Disambiguation notice
- Contains both "In Youth is Pleasure" and "I Left My Grandfather's House".
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- Members
- 156
- Popularity
- 209,249
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.96)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 2
- ASINs
- 2
