- Hardcover: 607 pages
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1st Edition edition (Aug 1983)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0671414909
- ISBN-13: 978-0671414900
- Product Dimensions: 24.1 x 16.8 x 4.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 643,962 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
`Readers on the lookout for a big, bold, ambitious and bawdy saga sustained by bravura ambition, ideas, facts and authorial cunning that is not written by James Joyce, need seek no further, the maverick genius Anthony Burgess has a field day in his epic race through the 20th century... Early Powers is a lively and likeable extravaganza about sin and spirituality, corruption and fear, told with vicious wit, intelligence and panache by a singular original we have never fully appreciated' --Irish Times
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Book Description
Rollicking, panoramic epic of 20th century by the author of 'A Clockwork Orange'
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A lot of mythologising surrounds this novel; when it was first published, the critics snarled and disdained it, and in large part didn't understand it, which is forgiveable, because it is a huge, complex monster of a book. The plot (which is far from being the central point of the book) follows the richly colourful and sympathetic inner life of an ancient, eccentric author against the backdrop of twentieth-century history: this is merely a stage against which to set his relationship with an Italian priest of great character and complexity, destined to become Pope. This relationship is in itself a mere frame for an analysis of the nature of good and evil, and faith and free will, in an astonishingly subtle and labyrinthine way. The whole thrust of the book is to propose an idea, only revealed near the end, which is so philosophically shocking that the reader has to have some way of rejecting it, should they so wish. Suddenly the rest of the book is thrown into crystal relief - the vast complexity of the narrative is a web of deliberate errors of fact, logic and conclusion to allow this escape: the nature of human memory and thought itself is thrown into question. Beyond that, I leave you to argue it out amongst yourselves. This is a truly great book by one of Britain's most important C20 writers.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I can't believe this isn't full of reviews, this book is one of the best books I've ever read. Anthony Burgess is one of the most inventive, original authors, making you believe everything because he entwines fiction with reality. This is a huge book, a review of the 20th century, deep, and extremly inteligent. By the end of the book Toomey (the main character) is a part of your life, I was so sad to let him go...
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is a wonderful journey through the life and adventures of Kenneth Toomey, the world-wearing and endearing protagonist. I was gripped the whole way through, although I enjoyed the highly comic scenes in the first half of the novel best. As the story progresses, the tale becomes darker, but it's still a masterpiece. The ending is very strong indeed (and that after one of the best first lines to a novel I've ever read!), with the glorious last quarter twist taking your breath away.
Worth a thousand "The Line of Beauty" books in how to write an epic saga. I can definitely recommend it!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Only Burgess Can Write Like This.
This great beast of a book is a journey in the life of Kenneth Toomey, an old man telling the story of his incredible life. Read more
Published 11 months ago by movie maniac
Third Time Unlucky
I first read this around 1980 when it was published and thought it a work of genius as I was an almost uncritical fan of Burgess at that time. Read more
Published 16 months ago by John Fitzpatrick
Genius
Everyone has a 'comfort book' and this is mine. I've escaped to 'here' so many times I've had to buy three copies having read the first two to destruction. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mandy
A fun read
Don't be put off by Martin Anis's recommendation - it really is a good read and very funny. If you like farce, you'll like this. Read more
Published on 21 Dec 2008 by I. Holton
The Perfect Novel
I remember picking this up and getting a feeling of joy bubbling through me when I read the first line and found that I already liked Kenneth Toomey as he explained his thinking... Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2008 by D. M. Deeks
garlicky
garlicky puns???omnilingual jokes!!! top hole old boy...
the best sleeping pill I have ever used...a great cure for insomnia.. Read more
the best sleeping pill I have ever used...a great cure for insomnia.. Read more
Published on 13 Aug 2008 by John Fitzgerald
Religion/Power
4.7 or 4.8 stars. A remarkable parody of that greatest of cliches - the self-indulgent reflections of a writer. But this is happily more than a conceptual joke. Read more
Published on 12 Aug 2008 by Pablo K
Response from an Ordinary Person
Earthly Powers by Anthony Burgess
A tour de force by an erudite and fluent author; he has structured a framework of individual lives and relationships within which he... Read more
A tour de force by an erudite and fluent author; he has structured a framework of individual lives and relationships within which he... Read more
Published on 18 Jan 2008 by mesmh
Burgess deserved far better
This book remains one of the key novels of the 20th century. Burgess was an extremely fine writer and this, in my view, is his best. Read more
Published on 15 Aug 2007 by S. de Villiers
One of my favourite novels
Funny, dramatic, entertaining, informative,spine tingling, wonderfully readable. The camp novelist / autobiographical voice and the Italian Pope are fantastic. Read more
Published on 15 Dec 2006 by W. Jones
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