A Handful of Dust , by Evelyn Waugh

Book Review:  A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh

Now that all of my children have lives of their own and my husband is retired, I have time to read a lot. I’ve been reading classic stories and authors — many of them for the first time.

I enjoyed A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh; however, I felt the introduction to the edition I read, almost spoiled the story.  It was less an introduction, than it was a critical analysis of Waugh’s writing, motive, and style.  This “Introduction and Bibliography” would be better placed as an “Afterward” at the end of the story.

Let readers enjoy and think about the story and how it applies to their own situation, the culture of the times it satirizes, and how the author crafted his story, before imposing your own point of view, thereby, prejudicing the reader.

As a free-lance writer, I learned from reading the alternative ending how writers in every age need to sometimes adapt their story for their audience and how a master worked dialog to advance the story, without tag lines to slow down the pace.

I would recommend A Handful of Dust, but read the story before you read the introduction.

A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh; Published by Chapman and Hall (UK); 1934; 308 pp (1st edition); ISBN: n/a.

Recorded with  Introduction by  William Boyd; Every Man’s Library – Alfred A. Knopf; date?; 225 pp; NLS/BARD: DB68488; Read by David Cuttler.