A.V. Laider
by Max Beerbohm
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Max Beerbohm (1872 ¿ 1956) was a British caricaturist and parodist. As a young man he was considered quite the wit and spent much time in London society. By 35 he was middle aged and a bit dull. Beerbohm was drama critic for the Saturday Review and later did broadcast radio work. A V Laider is an excellent example of leg pulling in literature. The reader is on the verge of horror when the narrator mockingly lets the reader down. The story is masterfully told from the gray arrival at the show more hotel to the railway accident which was foretold in the palms of several passengers. A V Laider is an amateur palm reader who sees an impending accident, but lacks the courage to warm his friends who are about to board the train. show lessTags
Member Reviews
An excellent short story that held my interest through to the end. It takes a lovely twist and has a slightly ironic ending--which is always pleasing in a short work.
"A. V. Laider" by Sir Max Beerbohm is a novella written in the early 20th century. It explores existential themes and the nature of human decisions through the lens of two convalescents who meet in a quaint seaside hostel. The book centers around the protagonist's reflections on fellow guest A. V. Laider, who harbors a dark secret regarding a past tragedy connected to his beliefs in palmistry and fate. The narrative unfolds predominantly through the eyes of the unnamed narrator, who recounts encounters with Laider and delves into a philosophical discussion about free will, destiny, and the impact of past choices on current lives. As Laider reveals a haunting story of his history, including a tragic railway accident that he feels show more responsible for due to his inaction, the tension between belief and doubt in both palmistry and personal agency becomes palpable. The interaction between the two men serves as a catalyst for exploring deeper notions of guilt and moral responsibility, leading to a poignant and introspective conclusion that questions the nature of truth and self-perception. show less
Mar 2, 2025Portuguese (Brazil)
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First published in 1916
68 works; 4 members
Author Information
84+ Works 3,596 Members
Henry Maximilian Beerbohm was born in England in 1872. In his twenties, Beerbohm became part of the literary circle of Oscar Wilde, and in 1898 he became the drama critic for the Saturday Review. His predecessor George Bernard Shaw recommended Beerbohm for this position supposedly because of Beerbohm's attacks on Plays Pleasant and Unpleasant, one show more of Shaw's own works. It was also Shaw who gave Beerbohm the nickname The Incomparable Max. Beerbohm was known primarily for his sharp wit, often expressed in parody and satire, His first book The Works of Max Beerbohm was a collection of essays in a mock-scholarly format. Other essay collections include Yet Again, And Even Now, Around Theatres, and Mainly on the Air, which was based on a series of radio broadcasts. His fiction includes one novel titled Zuleika Dobson: An Oxford Love Story and numerous short stories. Many of his short stories have been published in such collections as The Happy Hypocrite, Seven Men, and A Variety of Things. Beerbohm's flair for humor and parody was carried over into his art. He was a gifted caricaturist and was as well known for his drawings as for his writing. His drawings have been published in the collections Caricatures of Twenty-five Gentlemen, The Second Childhood of John Bull, A Book of Caricatures, Fifty Caricatures, Rosetti and His Circle, and Things Old and New. Beerbohm resigned from the Saturday Review in 1910 when he married Florence Kahn, an American actress, and they retired to Rapallo, Italy. The Beerbohms returned to England for several years during World War II, but in 1947 they returned to Rapallo where Beerbohm died in 1956. Beerbohm was knighted in 1939. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- A.V. Laider
- Original publication date
- 1916
- People/Characters
- A.V. Laider
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 13
- Popularity
- 1,766,593
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (4.00)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 9
- ASINs
- 2
