- Paperback: 400 pages
- Publisher: Arrow Books Ltd; New edition edition (1 Feb 1990)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0099658305
- ISBN-13: 978-0099658306
- Product Dimensions: 17.8 x 11.2 x 3.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 953,825 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
This novel touches on the most crucial events of the period from the Russian Revolution to the emergence of Israel, as it follows the fortunes of two families, one Welsh and one Jewish, caught up in the events of World War II. Anthony Burgess is the author of over 20 novels, including "Earthly Powers", "Kingdom of the Wicked" and "The Pianoplayers".
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Anthony Burgess is an author who has found himself in the unfortunate position of producing an era-defining novel, and finding the rest of his works cruelly under-rated. Any Old Iron received much praise at the time of its publication, yet his name hardly ever appears on lists of great post-war British authors. A Clockwork Orange may be a magnificent novel, yet it is unfair to expect every novel he has written to reach the high standard he set, and reading Any Old Iron demonstrates that Burgess was a great novelist with much to say and that his other works are well worth reading.
Any Old Iron is a novel about culture and how we define ourselves. The plot focuses upon the hunt for the sword of King Arthur, against a backdrop of the Second World War and Anglo-Russian relations. Focussing on the Jones family, the family inter-marry people from different countries (Russia) and religions (Jewish), yet there is still a strong sense of Welsh nation-hood amongst two of the off-spring.
The book has strong elements of Joseph Heller (another brilliant author who could only succeed in having one novel reach widespread attention) in its coverage of the atrocities of war. Main characters keep referring to the "madness of war", and it is interesting to see people both before and during the war, and in their attempts to rebuild their lives after its conclusion. Despite fitting so much into a relatively short space, the book does not feel rushed because it is only a side-plot, yet it is a worthy side-plot that sums up much feeling.
There is much humour to be found in the novel, yet it is the philosophical strands and themes running through the book that makes it a truly memorable novel. The relationships of people across cultural and national lines serves only to confuse their loyalties, and it is interesting where they choose that they lie. Burgess points out many absurdities of Welsh nationalism, preferring instead to cast people as defined by those that they choose to form relationships (platonic and otherwise) with. Although it was written more than ten years ago, these thoughts are even more relevant to contemporary Britain (or should be England Ireland Scotland and Wales) than ever before.
Any Old Iron is a cracking read. The characters initially appear to be broad-bush stereotypes, but each character deepens as the book goes on. The prose is witty and enjoyable. The combined effect is to add up to a great novel that should add to Burgess' reputation, and not merely appear in a list of "other novels by Anthony Burgess" in the front of an edition of A Clockwork Orange.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
'Any Old Iron' is quite simply the best novel I have ever read. It makes Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci Code' look like a schoolboy essay.
The story of this book is drawn from the real-life encounters and experience of the author and it shows. He has woven his own life into a political thriller featuring ordinary characters you could bump into on the street. The depth of descriptive writing is magnificent. Normally I can read a similar sized book in three or four sittings. With this one I found myself having to pause in order to digest the information divulged. This information is drawn from the actions of the six main characters as the plot unfolds from a Titanic survivor, through the hardships of immigrant labour in the US, to the Second World War and its aftermath of the political upheavals in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
I found the book both humorous and poignant in balanced amounts. The humour is well crafted and subtle. The sadness is ingrained in a record of man's inhumanity to others and sadly corroborated by the history books.
A tremendous read.
The story of this book is drawn from the real-life encounters and experience of the author and it shows. He has woven his own life into a political thriller featuring ordinary characters you could bump into on the street. The depth of descriptive writing is magnificent. Normally I can read a similar sized book in three or four sittings. With this one I found myself having to pause in order to digest the information divulged. This information is drawn from the actions of the six main characters as the plot unfolds from a Titanic survivor, through the hardships of immigrant labour in the US, to the Second World War and its aftermath of the political upheavals in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
I found the book both humorous and poignant in balanced amounts. The humour is well crafted and subtle. The sadness is ingrained in a record of man's inhumanity to others and sadly corroborated by the history books.
A tremendous read.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
One of those novels you just have to read. Titanic, Russian Revolution, First World War, Second World War, Welsh Nationalism it just goes on and even more interestingly on. Lots to think about and amusing too. Do try "Any Old Iron", its worth it.
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