Magnus Merriman (Canongate Classics)
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
"A book full of remarkable passages . . . [with a] breathless tempo . . . it is wonderful writing." --Herald
Product Description
This hilarious novel charts the rise and fall (and perhaps the rise again) of Magnus Merriman--would-be lover, writer, politician, idealist, and crofter--moved by dreams of greatness and a talent for farcical defeat. Convinced that "small nations are safer to live in than big ones," Magnus becomes a Nationalist candidate for the parliamentary seat of "Kinluce." With details based on Linklater's own experiences in an East Fife by-election in 1933, the way is set for a satirical and irreverent portrait of Scottish life, literature, and politics in the 1930s. Nothing is sacred and no-one is spared. Introduced by Douglas Gifford.
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Wit, social perceptiveness, humanity, and some of the most consumately executed prose passages that I have found in English prose. There are riches underlying a superficial flippancy of style. Savour and re-read.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
After a riotous start when Merriman sticks a bayonet up his Army Captain's rear while on patrol, the book develops into a clever political satire that still has relevance today. The main character, Magnus Merriman, wrote a best-selling book that secured his temporary financial freedom. His ego sees him attracted to standing as a Scottish National Party candidate in a by-election. He fares well until his campaign manager skips with the deposit, then all is lost. He samples journalism, but falls victim to cynical commercial interests, and then retreats to Orkney for a more simple life. The main character, Magnus Merriman, has many personal flaws, but you can't help treating him sympathetically. Linklater introduces some political themes into this novel (set in the 1930s) that can be easily understood today. Scottish Nationalism has certainly come a long way since Merriman's eletoral defeat. This is an entertaining and genuinely funny novel.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
A Rich and Funny Book
16 April 2011
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I read this book for class while studying abroad in the UK, and am so glad to see that it's available for Kindle in the US. It is a great read--funny; character-driven; interesting in its insight into 1930s London, Edinburgh, and rural Scotland; and beautifully written. It was many months ago that I read it, and still several moments of Linklater's prose linger in my mind. Magnus is a unique, amusing, and rich character, full of contradictions, and possessing an irreverent, oftentimes insensitive wit. The female characters are equally compelling. Give this book a shot. I will certainly be reading it again, now that I have it on my Kindle.
Was this review helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
