Alan Hollinghurst returns

Thanks, OP. Hollinghurst has returned three times in two now three books that I was unaware of. I'll give him a go again. There's much to like about his writing, yet I always find him over-promised and in need of a bossy editor. For me, none of his earlier books was ever what it easily could have been.

I have enjoyed most of his books. I mean, I did struggle a bit with a few of them, but The Line of Beauty just grabbed me by the throat and didn't let go.

The Line of Beauty was a quantum leap past of The Folding Star and The Spell. He’s been using the same episodic structure with leaps forward in time ever since. And it sounds like the new one must have the same structure. But it’s still nice to get another book from him.

There’s a cover now.

And a newer interview here!

Out next week! He writes one every 7-8 years.

Just ordered from my library!

I read the Line of Beauty and The Swimming Pool Library a few years ago, and I just finished the Sparsholt Affair. So I'm interested in this new one, and also just placed a hold at the library.

Should I reread those two earlier ones, and do you recommend any others?

I have reread Swimming Pool Library and LoB myself. They are my favorites. Never really wanted to read the others more than once.

One of my favorite authors. Can't wait for the new one.

Also, absolutely stunning is Louis Bayard's new historical novel THE WILDES, about Oscar, his wife and two sons and...Bosie, pre-trial, post-trial and into the 1920s. Fabulous storytelling!

The book was terrible!

As in “autobiographical fiction about settling your dead mother’s considerable estate” horrible.

I loved his earlier novels. (Haven’t read all of them.)

For me, Our Evenings was even better. I fell so hard for his protagonist.

R1 I just can’t get into him

I loved this book. I have loved most of his other work too, the only one I haven't read is The Spell, but I will in time.

Our Evenings deserves at least another Boker nomination, but I thought the same of his previous two novels and they didn't make it.

*Booker nomination!

I’m glad people are still loving Hollinghurst. I’ve read all of his books and all of his poetry and both short stories and a number of his book reviews for TLS and other book introductions. I thought Our Evenings was not his best. The Spectator nailed it: “This isn't a new Hollinghurst novel. It's a turgid composite of his previous works.”

Cigarette smoking on the cover. Very poor taste.

Have read a few of his books.

Oh shut up Aunt Prissypants r18!