The Memorial
by Christopher Isherwood
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The First World War is over. Eric Vernon is on the cusp of adulthood. Tall, bony and awkward he finds himself torn between a desire to emulate his heroic father, who led a life of quiet sacrifice, and resentment toward his father's roguish friend Edward Blake, who survived the war only to throw himself into gay life in Berlin. With subtle wit and trademark irony, Isherwood's second novel evokes a society in flux.Tags
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Set in 1920, 1925 and 1928/29, this novel focuses on two sisters-in-law, Lily and Mary, and their families. The first world war is in the past, but its shadow still hangs over them—Lily cannot forget her husband who was killed and Edward, a friend, appears to never have fully recovered. Short and intense.
Three generations of Vernons, formerly of "Vernon Hall", then WW I and modern life brings changes. Socialism. Nostalgic
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89+ Works 14,734 Members
Christopher Isherwood, born in Cheshire, England, in 1904, wrote both novels and nonfiction. He was a lifelong friend of W.H. Auden and wrote several plays with him, including Dog Beneath the Skin and The Ascent of F6. He lived in Germany from 1928 until 1933 and his writings during this period described the political and social climate of show more pre-Hitler Germany. Isherwood immigrated to the United States in 1939 and became a U.S. citizen in 1946. He lived in California, working on film scripts and adapting plays for television. The musical Cabaret is based on several of Isherwood's stories and on his play, I Am a Camera. His other works include Mr. Norris Changes Trains, about life in Germany in the early 1930s; Down There on a Visit, an autobiographical novel; and Where Joy Resides, published after his death in 1986. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1932
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- Members
- 275
- Popularity
- 116,459
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.39)
- Languages
- English, French, Portuguese
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 15
- ASINs
- 8



























































