Difficulties with Girls
Difficulties with Girls by Kingsley Amis, published by Penguin Classics in 2013, is a novel that explores the complexities of relationships and maturity. Set against the backdrop of London, the story follows Jenny Bunn and Patrick Standish, who believe they have settled into a respectable life after navigating their troubled courtship. However, their lives are soon disrupted by alluring neighbors, a sexually confused acquaintance, and the literary circles of Hampstead, challenging their perceptions of respectability and contentment.
In this humorous and provocative narrative, Amis delves into the struggles of a young couple as they confront their desires for a different life while grappling with the challenges of marriage. The book presents a critical examination of British society in the post-World War II era, highlighting themes of disillusionment and the difficulties of maintaining a relationship amidst external temptations. With 288 pages, this edition offers readers a thoughtful reflection on the trials of love and the quest for personal fulfillment.
Official synopsis Publisher
In Kingsley Amis’s Difficulties With Girls, Jenny Bunn and Patrick Standish have settled into London life with their troubled courtship long behind them. Patrick works in publishing and Jenny teaches sick children in a hospital. They have reached a certain level of maturity, or so they think. It is not long before they realize their respectability will be severely tested by seductive neighbours with a taste for whisky, the sexually confused Ted Valentine, and the literary set of Hampstead.
In this funny and provocative study of a young couple growing up, Amis shows us that the difficulty with marriage is that it’s so hard to preserve, especially when Patrick and Jenny harbour deep yearnings for a different kind of life.
Kingsley Amis’s (1922-95) works take a humorous yet highly critical look at British society, especially in the period following the end of World War II. Born in London, Amis explored his disillusionment in novels such as That Uncertain Feeling (1955). His other works include The Green Man (1970), Stanley and the Women (1984), and The Old Devils (1986), which won the Booker Prize. Amis also wrote poetry, criticism, and short stories.
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