Memoirs of a Foxhunting Man (Faber paperbacks)

As a piece of nostalgia the book is in its element. Numerous stories abound of hunting, cricket, point to point races and other upper-middle class activities which are framed so beautifully by the wirters love and adept decsriptions of the surrounding countryside. This priveliged Edwardian life is one of the primary aspects of the novel and it is made all the more fun as the narrative gradually becomes more and more dated as time goes on - most notably their attitudes to class and of course fox hunting (of which there is actually at least one reference to an Edwardian anti fox hunting movement!)

The nostalgic nature of the book is an absolute pre requisite for the books main thrusting theme - that of lost time. The lives and traditions of the priveliged few are unalterably changed by WW1, the beginnings of which take up the last two chapters of the book. These last sections make for an astounding contrast to the rest of the book and enables the reader to a) fully appreciate the comparative horrors of conditions in the trenches, and b) sit by helplessly as this young man's world is torn apart.

This is a must read for anyone who loves Sassoons poetry, has a deep interest in the horrors of war, or enjoys looing back nostalgically on times that we thought were better. Times that were either better because our memories have failed us, or better because it is all before age has exposed our ego-centric universe to the "deepening sadnesses of life".

An excellent read!


A deeply thought provoking novel on the loss of innocence   February 6, 2003
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

We are constantly told that change is inevitable. This book marks the point when the modern world began and poignantly commemorates the loss of time-honoured tradition and constancy. I do not look back to a "golden age" but would urge anyone that looks to the future to read this book and understand how easily the good things can be thrown away.


The Lost World of Carefreeness   January 10, 2003
fields21 (Hoogerheide, Netherlands)
27 out of 28 found this review helpful

Being Dutch, I took an interest in this strange habit (no room for foxhunting in Holland)which creates so big a fuss these days was all about. This novel depicts the Great Days - the Edwardian era - of this British event, with hunting parties all over the country. . Clearly, a hunt or a 'event' was in those days as much a jolly social event as was village cricket. Though even then, there were protesting farmers. But the fox-hunt is not what this book is about (I suspected that much).

The book is great reading about the England John Major famously once wanted to return to. Sunny leasure days, village cricket, tailors in London, slow trains, hores races, stable grooms & no worries in the world. People were never in a hurry and had much more time on their hands. No shopping malls, no traffic jams, no rush. Halfway through the book there's mention of a character who 'is something in the City' as if this is extremely odd. Furthermore, your classic retired Army Colonels, Country Mansions and Village Vicars are all over the pages. Fantastic!

The hunt is the only passion of the author - more precisely riding his horse through the fields, jumping fences & being out in the open with a troop of dogs is what it was all about. The Great British Passion for Horses & everything that comes with it is vividly described all through the book.

And then came to war - The Great British Army stumbling into their worst nightware in the same carefree Edwardian way. People dying, but the author makes it perfectably understandable he only cares about his favourite horse. Still, his tone remains lighth hearted about the whole thing until the very end of the book, when personal losses enrage the author.

Great book, with a nice melancholy touch, depicting in detail a way of life which is - sad to say - forever gone - no point in arguing about it. A great historical classic. Recommended!