SATIRE FROM THE AGE OF EXCESS

Waugh, Evelyn (1903–1966)

Vile Bodies [Bright Young Things]

London: The Folio Society, 2015.

THE SATIRE THAT DEFINED THE BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS ERA
A beautifully produced Folio Society edition of Evelyn Waugh’s celebrated second novel, a brilliant satire of the reckless parties, shifting morals, and social emptiness of the British upper classes between the World Wars.

First published in 1930, Vile Bodies captures the atmosphere of the Bright Young Things, the fashionable young generation known for extravagant parties, scandalous behavior, and a rejection of traditional conventions. Through sharp wit and dark humor, Waugh explores celebrity, wealth, romance, and the uncertainty of a society struggling to redefine itself after the devastation of World War I.

The novel was originally conceived under the title Bright Young Things, but Waugh changed the name after deciding the phrase had become too familiar and clichéd. The original title later inspired Stephen Fry’s 2003 film adaptation of the novel.

A MASTER OF SATIRE.
Evelyn Waugh’s early novels established him as one of the great satirists of twentieth-century English literature. With Vile Bodies, Waugh transformed the fashionable world of 1920s London into a sharply observed critique of privilege, superficiality, and moral uncertainty.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Bound in decorated cloth with an Art Deco-inspired design and silver gilt spine, housed in the original slipcase. Illustrated with an Art Deco-style design by Kate Baylay printed on Modigliani paper sides. xvi, 2, 204 pages. Introduction by David Lodge. Octavo, 9.75 inches tall, First Edition, Thus.

CONDITION: Fine. No flaws or blemishes beyond minimal shelf handling. Binding is very tight. Unread and unopened. A gift-quality copy.

LITERARY SIGNIFICANCE: THE NOVEL THAT CAPTURED A GENERATION BETWEEN WARS.
Vile Bodies remains one of Evelyn Waugh’s most enduring early works, combining comedy and social criticism to portray a generation marked by excess, uncertainty, and disillusionment. Its depiction of the Bright Young Things helped define the popular image of 1920s London society while revealing the emptiness beneath its glamour.

The novel’s combination of elegance, absurdity, and sharp social observation established Waugh’s reputation as a major literary satirist and continues to influence portrayals of the interwar period.

SUBJECTS: Evelyn Waugh, Vile Bodies, Bright Young Things, British Society, 1920s London, Interwar Literature, Social Satire, Modern British Fiction, Art Deco Illustration, Folio Society Editions, David Lodge, Literary Fiction, Satire, Modern Classics, British Literature, Social Commentary.

Item #19885

Price: $75.00