Barry Lyndon

[KEV67]

I started reading this. It is the only Thackeray novel I have heard of apart from Vanity Fair. Even then it is more famous as a Stanley Kubrick film, which I have not watched, but is supposed to be very good. The book is pretty good too, so far, although I have only read the first chapter. It is written in a different style to Vanity Fair. I suppose it is still satirical; otherwise it is different. It is written as an old man's Memoires, but it is not like Great Expectations.

[KEV67]

W. M. Thackeray was a better writer than I gave him credit for. I mean sure, he wrote Vanity Fair, which is commonly regarded as one of the best British novels in history, but that might have been a flash in the pan. I think Thackeray might have had an interest in military history. Captains Dobbin and Osborne from Vanity Fair both fought in the Battle of Waterloo. Barry Lyndon serves in various capacities as a soldier in the European wars of the mid 18th century. He reminds me of Harry Flashman after he was resurrected by George MacDonald Fraser, because he is such a deceitful person, as well as a snob. He is not exactly the same. Harry Flashman knows what he is. He is a coward, a philanderer, and a con artist. Barry Lyndon deceives himself almost as much as he tries to deceive others. 

[KEV67]

I think W. M. Thackeray was a more cynical author than Martin Amis. Barry Lyndon is rather entertaining. 

[Bel-ami]

Thank you for these insights - I have Vanity Fair on the TBR shelf, but have never heard of Barry Lyndon. Another to add to my long list, you had me at Flashman.

[KEV67]

Poor old Barry.  An amusing aspect is that although these are supposed to be Barry Lyndon's memoirs, they are edited by a certain G. S. Fitz-Boodle. Every now and again there is a footnote by Fitz-Boodle to imply doubt on the veracity of Barry Lyndon's accounts. Then there are other footnotes saying 'omitted in later editions '. I am not sure whether these were put in by the fictional editor, Fitz-Boodle,  or the actual editors, or whether they are intentionally humorous or not.